From his early days with the Easybeats, through his collaboration with partner Harry Vanda as Flash and the Pan and as producers/songwriters for hire with John Paul Young, the Angels, Rose Tattoo, Cheetah, Ted Mulry, Stevie Wright and, most crucially, AC/DC, George Young co-wrote, co-performed and/or co-produced such classics as 'Friday on my Mind', 'Sorry', 'Love is in the Air', 'Evie', 'Yesterday's Hero', 'Down among the Dead Men', 'Hey St Peter', 'Bad Boy for Love', 'Jailbreak' and 'Long Way to the Top'.
Young wasn't so much on the charts for the best part of three decades: he and Vanda were the charts. In 2001, APRA voted 'Friday on My Mind' as the 'best and most significant Australian song of the past 75 years.' In 2005, a cover of 1974's 'Evie' by Aussie 'supergroup' the Wrights hit the number one chart position, a rare occurrence of the same song topping the charts twice.
In this long-overdue examination of the life and work of George Young, the first book to focus exclusively on him, writer Jeff Apter explores his three key relationships: Young's long and fruitful association with Vanda; his rare ability to maintain a stable married life with his wife Sandra; and the handshake deal with Ted Albert that helped create a music empire. The book also reveals such little-known facts as the accident that almost killed off 'Hey St Peter' before its release, and the tragedy that bonded George and Harry for life.
