Slash, Jimmy Barnes & Triple M’s Lee Simon Leads Tributes To George Young

“One of the giants of Australian music…”


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We’re in mourning here in Triple M for George Young, a man we consider the Elder Statesman of Australian Rock.

And we’re not the only ones. Aussie rock legends are sharing just how huge George’s influence ran, from his days with The Easybeats to his seminal influence of AC/DC and even how he made The Angels the band they become.

Today we’re playing a special tribute to George Young by Ugly Phil, with the most important music and moments from his life.

And this morning we caught up with our very own Lee Simon, who was there for every step of Young’s career.

“Those of us lucky enough to be around at the time shared the joy and bliss of having a world class rock act emerge out of Sydney. They went to the UK and dominated over there. But that was just a small fraction of what George Young did. The songs he wrote and produced are legendary.

“After the demise of the Easybeats, he encouraged his younger brothers to get a band together. Their sister famously named them. That band, of course, was AC/DC.

“[George] was a visionary, he was a seer. He was a man of very few words as well. The best you could get out of him in the studio was ‘nice.’"

- Lee Simon

“In addition to all of that, Albert Music was renowned for the stable of artists it had. Sitting at the top of that pile was George Young with Harry Vander at his side. They were responsible for all the amazing bands and music that emerged through the 70s and 80s.

“I was speaking to John Brewster from The Angels last night and he said George Young is the reason they made the transformation from the Moonshine Jug and String Band to the incredible rock act they became.

“[George] was a visionary, he was a seer. He was a man of very few words as well. The best you could get out of him in the studio was ‘nice.’

“Famously, when AC/DC recorded “Let There Be Rock”, he said ‘Nice. But I think you have one more take in you.’

“They then created the version of Let There Be Rock we all know and love. And in one of the great moments in rock, Angus’ Marshall Amp burst into flames at the end of the recording of that song.

“In addition to the rock side, he and Harry Vander also worked the pop side. They wrote “Love Is In The Air” for John Paul Young.  

“George Young, one of the giants of Australian music. And not just Australian music, but world music.”

 

Adding their own tributes to Young have been Jimmy Barnes, Chris Cheney, John Farris and Slash:

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Matt Bellotti

24 October 2017

Article by:

Matt Bellotti




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