Stevie Wright (Australian Singer) - Later Years

Later Years

By 1976 Wright had developed drug and alcohol addictions. He was hospitalised and undertook methadone treatment. His mental health was further exacerbated after his self-admission to the notorious Chelmsford Private Hospital in Sydney. Director Dr Harry Bailey administered a highly controversial treatment known as Deep Sleep Therapy which was alleged to treat drug addiction by a combination of drug-induced coma and ECT. Many patients, including Wright, suffered brain damage and lifelong after-effects. The scandal was later exposed and Dr Bailey committed suicide.

In 1982, Wright joined Vanda & Young in their studio band, Flash and the Pan to provide vocals on their album, Headlines and the related singles, "Where were You?" in July, and "Waiting for a Train" in December. That same year there was talk of an Easybeats reunion. Stevie Wright told Juke Magazine in 1983 "we had our lawyers working out the deal" because there was a venue interested in having them "but at the last minute they tried to change the venue and we just said 'forget it'."

In 1983, there was a talk of a solo album with work done again with Vanda and Young. Stevie said the album would best be described as "classy rock 'n' roll" and the songs were about "a wide spectrum of all the experiences I've been through". He said the love songs he had were optimistic. This interview gives a good idea as to how Wright worked in the studio with Vanda and Young:

"Well, it's a three way thing. They'll sit down and say 'we've got this sort of song' and we'll discuss how we'll approach it. Obviously after this long we do have a very strong bond. I've written a couple of songs but since they're far better at it than I am, I'll let them handle that."

According to the Juke Magazine article it was "due for release later this year" however, this never happened.

In January 1984, Wright was charged with attempted housebreaking days after attending Westmount drug rehabilitation centre. He was arrested for heroin use later that month. He had been using heroin since about 1973, and, according to Wright, he remained an addict for 20 years. The Easybeats reformed for a brief Australian tour in 1986, and Wright re-formed variations on the Stevie Wright Band in 1986–1988. Wright's substance abuse problems continued into the 1980s and 1990s and he came close to death on several occasions, but was supported by his partner Fay Walker. His meteoric rise and fall has made him a frequent media subject. In 1999 journalist Jack Marx published a much-anticipated biography, entitled Sorry - The Wretched Tale of Little Stevie Wright. It was critically applauded by some reviewers—Australian music historian Clinton Walker called it "gonzo journalism at its best". While The Bulletin later referred to Sorry as "one of the most harrowing rock books ever written". Sorry was dismissed by Wright, his fans and other critics. Internet reviewer Ken Grady (Luna Kafé, 1999) described Marx as "a self serving hypocrite" and concluded his review by observing: "The only thing that Marx has achieved is to depict himself as a very unlikeable, morally bankrupt leech."

Long Way to the Top was a 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) six-part documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era. Episode 2: Ten Pound Rocker, broadcast on 22 August, featured interviews with Harry Vanda and Johnny Young. Vanda described meeting George Young; while Johnny Young (no relation) described how Wright wrote the lyrics for "Step Back". During August 2002, promoters Michael Chugg and Kevin Jacobsen, organised a related concert tour, Long Way to the Top. Wright had seriously injured his ankle in a fall and so concerts had him performing "Evie", with The Allstars, while seated on a stool. Performances at two Sydney concerts in September were recorded, broadcast on ABC-TV and subsequently released on DVD in December. His authorised biography, Hard Road: The Life and Times of Stevie Wright, by Glenn Goldsmith was published in 2004. As of 2001 Wright lived near Canberra with his partner Fay Walker. He has a son Nicholas born in 1972 or 1973.

On 14 July 2005, The Easybeats, with Stevie Wright as a member, were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame alongside Renée Geyer, Hunters & Collectors, Smoky Dawson, Split Enz and Normie Rowe.

On 31 January 2009, Wright headlined the Legends of Rock festival in Byron Bay Australia. Songs played included "Sorry", "I'll Make You Happy", "Evie (part 2)", "Friday on My Mind", "She's So Fine" and "Wedding Ring". He was interviewed for the Macquarie Regional Radioworks program Sunday Groovies, by Kym Ferguson, on 11 February, he reported that 2009 was an exciting and busy year with new material and previously unreleased tracks expected.