Harry Vanda & George Young

SHORT BIOGRAPHY:

Vanda & Young is a songwriting/producing duo composed of Harry Vanda and George Young. They performed as members of the 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. George Young is an older brother of Malcolm and Angus Young of 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, Paintbox and Haffey's Whiskey Sour. Together they formed in the late 1970's a new band/project, Flash and the Pan, who released six great albums. They produced the early albums for AC/DC and they were staff producers for Albert Productions from 1973. Their song for John Paul Young, "Love Is in the Air" written and produced by Vanda & Young was declared the 'Most played Australian song overseas' by APRA following its use on the 1992 film Strictly Ballroom.

The have written and produced for many other acts like Cheetah and Rose Tattoo.

Musicians include:

Harry Vanda (Johannes Hendricus Jacob van den Berg) : Guitar, vocals and various other instruments. Vanda was born in Holland 22 March 1946.

George Young: Guitar, vocals and various other instruments. Born 6 November 1946

Discography - Excluding The Easybeats, Flash and the Pan, Grapefruit and John Paul Young who all have their own pages on this site:

1. Children / Sarah Jane - Eddie Avana - Young Blood 1970

Notes:
Rare single by artist Eddie Avana, both songs written or co-written by Vanda and Young
Rating :

2. Lazy River / Anna St. Clair - Moondance - Young Blood 1971

Notes:
A-side written or co-written by Vanda and Young : The B-side was written by George Young's brother, Alex.
Rating :

3. Lazy River / Free and Easy - Vanda & Young - Albert Productions 1971

Notes:
Both songs written by Vanda and Young. Their first single in their own names
Rating : 5

4. Get Ready For Love / Can I Get to Know You - Paintbox - Young Blood 1971

Notes:
Paintbox was a short-lived band. The band comprised of George Alexander (Alex Young), George Young and Harry Vanda. The great A-Side was written by Alex; the B-side by George and Harry.
The guys pictured on the sleeve probably had nothing to do with the record.
Rating : 8

5. Vietnam Rose / Each Day - Tramp - Young Blood 1971

Notes:
"Tramp" was a new name Vanda and Young took for this obscure single. The A-side was written by George and Harry; the B-side by Alex Young
Rating :

6. Shot in the Head / Bye Bye Bluebird - Haffy's Whiskey Sour - Deram 1971

Notes:
"Haffy's Whiskey Sour" was yet a new name for Vanda and Young. They wrote both tracks. The A-side was later re-recorded with the Marcus Hook Roll Band, and Savoy Brown also recorded too, for their "Lion's Share album from 1970.
Rating :

7. Working Class People / Stay on My Side - Band of Hope - Deram 1972 ( unreleased )

Notes:
It's hard to find information about this unreleased single. Both tracks were supposedly written by Harry and George.
Rating :

8. Natural Man / Boogalooing for Wooing - Marcus Hook Roll Band - EMI / Albert Productions 1972

Notes:
Great first single from first incarnation of MHRB, which featured Harry, George, Freddie Smith (drums), Ian Campbell (bass) and Alex Young (sax). The b-side was written by Pretty Things member Wally Allen who also produced the band.
Rating : 8

8. Louisiana Lady / Hoochie Koochie Har Kau - Marcus Hook Roll Band - EMI / Albert Productions 1973

Notes:
Another fine single from MHRB. Again the b-side was written by Wally Allen who also produced the single.
Rating : 7

9. Working Class People / Change Your Mind - Peter D. Kelly - RCA 1973

Notes:
A side written by Harry and George, B-side by Kelly/Morris
Rating :

10. Can't Stand the Heat / Moonshine Blues - Marcus Hook Roll Band - EMI / Albert Productions 1974

Notes:
Third single from MHRB. Again the b-side was written by Wally Allen who also produced.
Rating : 7

11. Tales of Old Grand Daddy - Marcus Hook Roll Band - EMI 1973

Tracks:
1. Can't Stand the Heat / 2. Goodbye Jane / 3. Quick Reaction / 4. Silver Shoes / 5. Watch Her Do it Now / 6. People and the Power / 7. Red Revolution / 8. Shot in the Head / 9. Ape Man / 10. Cry For Me
Rating : 8

12. Full File (comp.) - Marcus Hook Roll Band - EMI 1981

Tracks:
1. Natural Man / 2. Louisiana Lady / Shot in the Head / 4. Can't Stand the Heat / 5. Goodbye Jane / 6. Quick Reaction / 7. People and the Power / 8. Red Revolution / 9. Cry For Me / 10. Silver Shoes & Strawberry Wine / 11. Watch Her Do it Now / 12. Ape Man / 13. Moonshine Blues / 14. Boogalooing for Wooing / 15. Hoochie Koochie Har Kau
Rating : 8

13. Their Music Goes 'Round Our Heads ( Various ) - Columbia ‎– 471653 2

Tracks:
11. She's So Fine (Easybeats) / 2. You Got It Off Me ( Bobby & Laurie ) / 3. It’s So Easy (Danny Diaz & The Checkmates ) / 4. Step Back (Johnny Young ) / 5. Bring A Little Lovin’ ( Los Bravos ) / 6. Come In, You'll Get Pneumonia ( Gary Walker ) / 7. Station In Third Avenue ( The Marmelade ) / 8. Falling Off The Edge Of The World ( The Easybeats ) / 9. Love, Love, Love ( The Town Criers ) / 10. My Old Man's A Groovy Old Man ( The Valentines ) / 11. Life Is Getting Better ( Flake ) / 12. Rock & Roll Boogie ( Johnny O’Keefe ) / 13. I'm On Fire / Watch Me Burn ( Johnny O’Keefe ) / 14. Superman (Alison McCallum ) / 15. Working My Way Back To You (Bobbi Marchini ) / 16. Can't Wait For September ( Erl Dalby & Pyramid ) / 17. Ain't It Nice? ( Ted Mulry ) / 18. Love (Jackie Christian & Target ) / 19. Pasadena ( John Paul Young ) / 20. The World Belongs to Yesterday ( John Miles ) / 21. Yesterday Was Just The Beginning ( Mark Williams ) / 22. Love Fever ( Ray Burgess ) / 23. Can't Stop Myself From Loving You ( William Shakespeare ) / 24. Things To Do ( John Farnham ) // 1. Hard Road ( Rod Stewart ) / 2. Natural Man ( Marcus Hook Roll Band ) / 3. Guitar Band ( Stevie Wright ) / 4. Love Is In The Air ( John Paul Young ) / 5. Yesterday's Hero ( Bay City Rollers ) / 6. Evie (Part 1) ( Suzi Quatro ) / 7. Evie (Part 2) ( Stevie Wright ) / 8. Evie (Part 3) / 9. Hey, St. Peter ( Flash & The Pan ) / 10. Do You Have A Soul? ( Cheek ) / 11. Wedding Ring ( The Sports ) / 12. Goin’ Out of My Mind ( Lee Joseph / 13. Sorry (Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers ) / 14. Shot in the Head / 15. St. Louis ( Little River Band ) / 16. I'll Make You Happy ( Divinyls ) / 17. The Music Goes Round My Head ( The Saints ) / 18. Walking In The Rain ( Grace Jones ) / 19. Friday On My Mind ( Gary Moore ) / 20. Show No Mercy ( Mark Williams ) / 21. Good Times (INXS & Jimmy Barnes )
Rating :

14. Tales of Old Grand Daddy ( re-release) - Marcus Hook Roll Band - Albert 1994

Tracks:
1. Natural Man* / 2. Louisiana Lady* / Shot in the Head / 4. Can't Stand the Heat / 5. Goodbye Jane / 6. Quick Reaction / 7. People and the Power / 8. Red Revolution / 9. Cry For Me / 10. Silver Shoes & Strawberry Wine / 11. Watch Her Do it Now / 12. Ape Man
Rating : 8

15. Tales of Old Grand Daddy ( 40 years anniversary re-release) - Marcus Hook Roll Band - Albert 2014

Tracks:
1. Can't Stand the Heat / 2. Goodbye Jane / 3. Quick Reaction / 4. Silver Shoes / 5. Watch Her Do it Now / 6. People and the Power / 7. Red Revolution / 8. Shot in the Head / 9. Ape Man / 10. Cry For Me / 11. One of These Days** / 12. Natural Man* / 13. Moonshine Blues* / 14. Louisiana Lady */ 15. Ride Baby Ride**
Rating : 9

Essential Albums!

Original albums as listed and rated on “Rate Your Music” - June 8 - 2014

Tales of Old Grand Daddy - 1973
Check and Rate Here!

- "rateyourmusic.com"

My Suggestion For a Best of Compilation:

1. Silver Shoes and Strawberry Wine ( Vanda/Young ) Tales of Old Grand Daddy
2. Natural Man ( Vanda/Young ) Single / Tales of Old Grand Daddy*
3. Getting Ready For Love ( Alexander ) Paintbox single
4. Quick Reaction ( Vanda/Young ) Tales of Old Grand Daddy
5. Can't Stand the Heat ( Vanda/Young ) Tales of Old Grand Daddy
6. Hoochie Koochie Har Kau ( Allen ) Single / Full File
7. Louisiana Lady ( Vanda/Young ) Single / Tales of Old Grand Daddy*
8. Cry For Me ( Vanda/Young ) Single / Tales of Old Grand Daddy
9. Lazy River ( Vanda/Young ) Single
10. One of These Days ( Vanda/Young ) Tales of Old Grand Daddy*
11. Ride Baby Ride ( Vanda/Young ) Single / Tales of Old Grand Daddy*
12. Shot in the Head ( Vanda/Young ) Tales of Old Grand Daddy

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LINKS:

Albert Productions

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Morten Vindberg