Post by BluesyThug on Nov 2, 2017 15:27:50 GMT 10
Bit late in posting this as he passed over a week ago.... but nevertheless we have lost somebody who was quite possibly the most important figure in Australian rock history.
He was of course the rhythm guitarist (and the riffmaster), occasional vocalist and primary songwriter (alongside Stevie Wright at first, and then Harry Vanda) of The Easybeats, who were the first Australian rock band to actually make it big internationally. The Easybeats were an immensely creative, versatile band who managed to keep the impeccable quality of their music throughout their career - as a matter of fact, the first three albums are consistently very strong; this is especially impressive in light of the fact that there is not a single cover on those albums. If Stevie Wright was the face of the band, then George Young was most certainly the creative heart of it - the engine of the band that never failed to keep it going. Here's a very good documentary about The Easybeats:
Outside of the Easybeats, George Young kept his creative partnership going with Harry Vanda, and they in effect mentored the next generation of Australian rock acts. Among the artists and bands they wrote and produced for include such luminaries as The Angels, Rose Tattoo, John Paul Young, the solo career of Stevie Wright, and of course AC/DC (which features George's younger brothers Malcolm and Angus Young as their guitarists - as well as his nephew Stevie Young who went on to replace Malcolm Young in 2014). Throughout that period, Vanda & Young also worked as Flash And The Pan, which were in effect a studio project that spawned many hit singles in the late 70s. Here's a good summary of Vanda & Young:
But anyway, this is a very significant loss - even if Young had been retired for the better part of 20 years. May he rest in peace - along with his Easybeats bandmates Stevie Wright and Tony Cahill, who both passed in recent years as well.
He was of course the rhythm guitarist (and the riffmaster), occasional vocalist and primary songwriter (alongside Stevie Wright at first, and then Harry Vanda) of The Easybeats, who were the first Australian rock band to actually make it big internationally. The Easybeats were an immensely creative, versatile band who managed to keep the impeccable quality of their music throughout their career - as a matter of fact, the first three albums are consistently very strong; this is especially impressive in light of the fact that there is not a single cover on those albums. If Stevie Wright was the face of the band, then George Young was most certainly the creative heart of it - the engine of the band that never failed to keep it going. Here's a very good documentary about The Easybeats:
Outside of the Easybeats, George Young kept his creative partnership going with Harry Vanda, and they in effect mentored the next generation of Australian rock acts. Among the artists and bands they wrote and produced for include such luminaries as The Angels, Rose Tattoo, John Paul Young, the solo career of Stevie Wright, and of course AC/DC (which features George's younger brothers Malcolm and Angus Young as their guitarists - as well as his nephew Stevie Young who went on to replace Malcolm Young in 2014). Throughout that period, Vanda & Young also worked as Flash And The Pan, which were in effect a studio project that spawned many hit singles in the late 70s. Here's a good summary of Vanda & Young:
But anyway, this is a very significant loss - even if Young had been retired for the better part of 20 years. May he rest in peace - along with his Easybeats bandmates Stevie Wright and Tony Cahill, who both passed in recent years as well.