Vanda & Young

Vanda & Young

Vanda & Young are Harry Vanda (born Johannes Hendricus Jacob Vandenberg, 22 March 1946, in The Hague, The Netherlands), and George Young (born George Redburn Young, 6 November 1946 in Cranhill, Glasgow, Scotland). They performed as members of 1960s Australian rock group The Easybeats where Vanda was their lead guitarist and backing singer and Young was their rhythm guitarist and backing singer. Vanda & Young co-wrote most of The Easybeats later hits including their international hit "Friday On My Mind" and they were the record producers for the group from 1967. Young is an older brother of Malcolm and Angus Young of the hard rock band AC/DC.

After The Easybeats disbanded in 1969, Vanda & Young were songwriters and producers for their own projects such as The Marcus Hook Roll band (EMI), Paintbox (Youngblood) and Haffey's Whiskey Sour (Deram), Flash and the Pan, and for other acts including producing early albums for AC/DC; they were staff producers for Albert Productions from 1973. In 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) acknowledged the iconic status of Vanda & Young when they were inducted into the inaugural Hall of Fame, in 2005 The Easybeats were also inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) surveyed 100 music industry personalities for the APRA Top Ten Best Australian Songs of All Time where "Friday On My Mind" was declared #1. Their song for John Paul Young (no relation), "Love Is in the Air" was declared the 'Most played Australian song overseas' by APRA following its use on the 1992 film Strictly Ballroom.