Harry Vanda
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Harry Vanda (born Johannes Hendricus Jacob Vandenberg, 22 March 1946, in The Hague, The Netherlands), is a Dutch-Australian popular music singer, guitarist, songwriter and record producer.
[edit] Career
His family migrated to Australia in 1963, and settled in Sydney. Vanda came to fame there in 1964-65 as the lead guitarist in Australia's most popular and successful group of the 1960s, The Easybeats.
In 1966 he began a successful and enduring writing partnership with rhythm guitarist George Young; together they penned all of The Easybeats' late 1960s recordings, including their major international hit, "Friday On My Mind".
After returning to Australia in 1973, Vanda & Young took over as the house producers for leading Australian independent record production company, Albert Productions, and publisher J. Albert & Son. From 1974 onwards they enjoyed huge success in Australia and elsewhere, writing and producing hits for a number of popular Australian groups and solo singers, including John Paul Young, Cheetah, Stevie Wright, Ted Mulry, Rose Tattoo, The Angels, William Shakespeare, Mark Williams and, most notably, AC/DC, producing landmark albums such as Let There Be Rock, Powerage, If You Want Blood You've Got It, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, High Voltage/TNT, amongst others.
Vanda and Young also had major international success with their own studio-only project Flash and the Pan, scoring many hits round the world over a 15-year run, particularly in Europe where they had many chart topping records.
Most recently Vanda has left the long time partnership with Albert, and started Flashpoint Music with his producer/engineer son, Daniel, setting up Australia's premier private studio.
For those interested in guitars, Harry Vanda used a 1964 Hofner Verithin 1574 with Bigsby tremolo and 511 pickups, before switching in 1965 to a Gibson 345 which it is believed he proudly uses to this day. In The Easybeats Vanda also often played a cherry-red Maton 12-string electric guitar, which he donated to the collection of Powerhouse Museum in Sydney in 1999.
[edit] Selected list of songs written by Vanda and Young
- "Friday On My Mind" - The Easybeats, David Bowie, London, Gary Moore, Richard Thompson
- "Good Times" - The Easybeats, INXS
- "Evie, Parts 1, 2 & 3" - Stevie Wright 1974, The Wrights, Suzi Quattro
- "Hard Road - Stevie Wright, Rod Stewart
- "Black Eyed Bruiser - Stevie Wright 1975, Rose Tattoo 2007
- "Love is in the Air" - John Paul Young 1978
- "Standing In The Rain" - John Paul Young 1976
- "I Hate The Music" - John Paul Young 1976
- "Yesterday's Hero" - John Paul Young 1975, Bay City Rollers 1976
- "Down Among the Dead Men" - Flash and the Pan 1978
- "Hey St Peter" - Flash and the Pan 1976
- "Walking in the Rain" - Flash and the Pan, Grace Jones
- "Waiting for a Train" - Flash and the Pan
- "Midnight Man" - Flash and the Pan
- "Running The Red Light" - Meatloaf
- "Show No Mercy" - Mark Williams 1989
[edit] External links
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