George Young (rock musician)
George Young | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | George Redburn Young |
Born | Glasgow, Scotland | 6 November 1946
Origin | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Died | 22 October 2017 Singapore[1] | (aged 70)
Genres | Rock |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1964–1992 (as musician) |
George Redburn Young (6 November 1946 – 22 October 2017) was an Australian musician, songwriter and record producer. He was a founding member of the bands The Easybeats and Flash and the Pan, and was one-half of the songwriting and production duo Vanda & Young with his long-time musical collaborator Harry Vanda, with whom he co-wrote the international hits "Friday on My Mind" and "Love Is in the Air", the latter recorded by John Paul Young (who is unrelated).
Born in
Early years
Young's father, William Young (born 16 February 1911), and his family lived at 6 Skerryvore Road in the Cranhill district of Glasgow in Scotland.[2] William worked first as a wheel boy in a rope works and then as a machine and saw operator in an asbestos and cement business. In 1940, William joined the Royal Air Force serving in World War II as a flight engine mechanic. After the war, William worked as a yard man for a builder and then as a postman. His wife, Young's mother, Margaret (born 14 July 1913, her maiden name was also Young) was a housewife.[2]
The
Initially staying at Villawood Migrant Hostel (a site later developed as
The Easybeats (1964–1969)
George Young started his music career in Sydney. He formed there a beat pop band, the Easybeats, in late 1964, himself playing rhythm guitar alongside Dick Diamonde (born Dingeman Vandersluys) on bass guitar, Gordon "Snowy" Fleet on drums (ex-Mojos), Harry Vanda (born Johannes Vandenberg) on lead guitar (ex-Starfighters, Starlighters) and Stevie Wright on lead vocals (ex-Chris Langdon and the Langdells).[8][9] All of the members had a connection with Villawood Migrant Hostel, and their early rehearsals were held in its laundry room.[10][8]
Aside from performing and recording, Young co-wrote nearly all of their tracks. Early top 10 hits on the Australian singles chart for the Easybeats were co-written by Young with bandmate Wright:[8] "She's So Fine"[11] (No. 3, 1965), "Wedding Ring"[12] (No. 7, 1965), "Women (Make You Feel Alright)"[13] (No. 4, 1966), "Come and See Her"[14] (No. 3, 1966), "I'll Make You Happy"[15] (track on Easyfever extended play, No. 1, 1966), and "Sorry" (No. 1, 1966).[16][17] Later top 10 hits were written with Vanda,[8] "Friday on My Mind" (No. 1, 1966)[18] and "Heaven and Hell" (No. 8, 1967).[17] The Easybeats relocated to the UK to record and perform, but the group disbanded in late 1969.[8]
Vanda & Young
After the Easybeats dissolved, Young formed a production and songwriting duo with Vanda in 1970, as Vanda & Young, initially living in London.[9][19] They provided pop and rock songs for other recording artists, and for themselves under various stage names: Paintbox, Tramp, Eddie Avana, Moondance, Haffy's Whiskey Sour, and Band of Hope.[19] The pair worked with Young's elder brother Alex in Grapefruit.[19] Young and Vanda returned to Sydney in 1973 where they worked for Ted Albert, at his Albert Productions recording studio to become the in house producers.[5][19]
One studio-based group,
In mid-1976 Young formed Flash and the Pan, initially as a studio-based duo with himself on guitar, keyboards and vocals, and Vanda on guitar and keyboards.[19][9] They had local top 10 hits on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart with "Hey, St. Peter" (No. 5, September 1976) and "Down Among the Dead Men" (No. 4, July 1978).[19][21] The group's ninth single, "Waiting for a Train" (December 1982), had lead vocals by their former bandmate, Stevie Wright.[19] When the single was issued in Europe in April 1983 it peaked at No. 7 in the UK,[22] No. 15 in Belgium and No. 26 in the Netherlands.[23][24]
Vanda & Young also co-produced work for Wright, John Paul Young (no relation), the Angels and Rose Tattoo.[9] As songwriters they provided the three-part "Evie" (April 1974) for Wright, which became a number one hit in Australia.[21] They co-wrote, "Love Is in the Air" (December 1977), for John Paul Young, which reached No. 3 in Australia.[21]
After retiring from the music industry in the late 1990s, Young lived mainly in Portugal with his family. He spent his last years in Singapore.[4]
Death
George Young died in Singapore on 22 October 2017 at the age of 70, three weeks before his younger brother Malcolm (of AC/DC) died.[25][26] A cause of death was not reported and it is not known if he was buried or cremated.
Honours
In
Selected list of Vanda & Young productions
- Stevie Wright
- AC/DC
- John Paul Young
- The Angels
- Rose Tattoo
- Flash and the Pan
- Ted Mulry Gang
- Strongheart American Rock trio
- Ray Arnott
Selected list of Vanda & Young songs
- "Friday on My Mind" – The Easybeats (1966) Aust #1, US #16, UK #6, also recorded by David Bowie and Gary Moore
- "
- "Love Is in the Air" – John Paul Young (1978) Aust #2, US #7, UK #5
- "Walking in the Rain" – Flash and the Pan, Grace Jones
- "Stevie Wright, Pat Travers Band, The Wrights
- "Hey St. Peter" – Flash and the Pan
- "Down Among the Dead Men" – Flash and the Pan
- "Waiting for a Train" – Flash and the Pan (1983) UK #7
References
- General
- ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the originalon 5 April 2004. Retrieved 24 October 2017. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
- Specific
- ISBN 9781760875107
- ^ National Archive of Australia. 13 February 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Easy Beats to AC/DC, The Story of Aussie Rock". BBC TV. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-74223-217-1.
- ^ ISBN 9781409115359.
- ^ ""The Young House, 4 Burleigh Street, Burwood" National Trust Register Listing Report". Issuu.com. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "FreeBMD - Search". Freebmd.org.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e McFarlane, 'The Easybeats' entry. Archived from the original on 6 August 2004. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Entries at Australian Rock Database:
- Vanda & Young: Holmgren, Magnus; Stocker, Neil Kempfer. "Vanda & Young". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database. Archived from the original on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- the Easybeats (1964–69): Holmgren, Magnus. "The Easybeats". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- Marcus Hook Roll Band (1972–74): Holmgren, Magnus. "Marcus Hook Roll Band". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database. Archived from the original on 25 December 2004. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- AC/DC (1974, 1975): Holmgren, Magnus. "AC/DC". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- Flash and the Pan (1976–93): Holmgren, Magnus. "Flash and the Pan". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ^ Maloney, Shane; Grosz, Chris (December 2010). "Encounters: Harry Vanda & George Young". The Monthly. Schwartz Publishing. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- Australasian Performing Right Association(APRA). Retrieved 24 October 2017. Note: For additional work, user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
- ^ "'Wedding Ring' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 24 October 2017. Note: For additional work, user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
- ^ "'Women Make You Feel Alright' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 24 October 2017. Note: For additional work, user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
- ^ "'Come and See Her' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 24 October 2017. Note: For additional work, user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
- ^ "'I'll Make You Happy' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 24 October 2017. Note: For additional work, user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
- ^ "'Sorry' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 24 October 2017. Note: For additional work, user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
- ^ ISBN 0-646-44439-5. NOTE: Chart positions back-calculated by Kent in 2005.
- ^ "'Friday on My Mind' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 24 October 2017. Note: For additional work, user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
- ^ a b c d e f g McFarlane, 'Flash and the Pan' entry. Archived from the original on 6 August 2004. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ISBN 0 330 36377 8).
- ^ ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Note: Used for Australian singles and albums charting from 1974 until the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created its own chartsin mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back-calculated chart positions for the period 1970–1974.
- ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Flash and the Pan". Ultratop & Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Flash And The Pan". Dutch Charts & Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ Carmody, Broede (23 October 2017). "AC/DC producer and Easybeats musician George Young dead at 70". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
- ^ "News". AC/DC Official Website. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
- ^ a b "ARIA Hall Of Fame". Aria.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 November 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the originalon 11 June 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ "Saturday Breakfast RN – 16 July 2005 – ARIA Hall of Fame". Saturday Extra. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 16 July 2005. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
- ^ "Australia's great rock moments". Theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 25 October 2017.
External links
- Albert Music: Easybeats Facts
- George Young at AllMusic
- George Young discography at Discogs
- George Young at IMDb