The Easybeats

Date: 1964 to 1986
Location: Australia

The Easybeats were an Australian rock band that formed in Sydney in late 1964. Considered one of the most important rock acts in Australia during the 1960s, they enjoyed a level of success that in Australia rivalled the Beatles. They became the first Australian rock act to score an international hit, with the 1966 single "Friday on My Mind", as well as one of the few in Australia to exclusively write and record original material.

During their six-year run, they scored 15 top 40 hits in Australia, including "She's So Fine" and "Women (Make You Feel Alright)", with other No. 1 hits including "Friday on My Mind" and "Sorry". They broke up in 1969 despite no official announcement.

Influence

After the band broke up members Harry Band and George Young continued writing and producing music in both the UK and Australia.

The experiences of The Easybeats in the 1960's are also credited as influencing the success of the band later formed by two of George's brothers, Malcolm Mitchell Young (1953-2017) and Angus Young of AC/DC.

Members

• George Young (1946 - 2017)
• Stevie Wright (1947 - 2015)
• Harry (van den Berg) Vanda (1946 - )
• Dick (van der Sluijs) Diamonde (1947 - 2024)
• Gordon "Snowy" Fleet (1940- )
• Tony Cahill (1941-2014)

Sources

• Wikipedia profile: The Easybeats
• Wikipedia discography: The Easybeats discography

See also:

• Apter, Jeff, '‘Friday on my mind’: How the Easybeats’ George Young shaped Australian rock ’n’ roll, The New Daily, 2 August 2020, https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/books/2020/08/02/friday-on-my-mind-george-young/, accessed 31 Jan 2021