Who were The Easybeats?
The Easybeats were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1964, best known for Friday on My Mind, released in 1966. It became an international hit and is often voted one of Australia's greatest songs.
The band's members were all immigrants: Stevie Wright and Harry Vanda were from England and the Netherlands, George Young from Scotland, Dick Diamonde from the Netherlands and Gordon Fleet from England. They met at a migrant hostel in Sydney.
In Australia they caused Easyfever, with screaming fans at concerts, similar to Beatlemania. Their early hits included She's So Fine and Sorry.
Friday on My Mind
After moving to London, they recorded Friday on My Mind, written by Vanda and Young. It reached the top ten in the UK and the charts in the US.
The band struggled to repeat their success and split in 1969. Stevie Wright later had a solo hit with Evie, a long three-part song written by Vanda and Young.
Harry Vanda and George Young became one of Australia's most important songwriting and production teams, producing early albums for AC/DC and hits for artists such as John Paul Young, including Love Is in the Air. The Easybeats were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005.
Did You Know?
George Young was the older brother of AC/DC's Angus and Malcolm Young.