The Easybeats Artistfacts

The Easybeats

The Easybeats song list

The Easybeats Artistfacts

1964
Stevie WrightVocals
George YoungGuitar
Harry VandaGuitar
Dick DiamondeBass
Gordon 'Snowy' FleetDrums
The group is from Australia. In the mid-1960s, they became very popular there. The scenes of screaming teenage girls and mass hysteria were known as "Easyfever."
George Young is the older brother of Malcolm and Angus Young, who formed the group AC/DC.
The Easybeats formed around five European migrants. Dutch-born Harry Vanda and Dick Diamonde were living at the Villawodd Migrant Hostel when they met 15-year-old English-born Stevie Wright and Scottish-born George Young. Young was the younger brother of Alex (aka George Alexander), who found success in the UK with The Big Six and Grapefruit. The last member to join was English-born Snowy Fleet.
Unlike most other local bands of the day, The Easybeats donned neat matching suits and quickly made an impact at Sydney's most popular discos like Beatle Village, Surf City and Havana Village. Music publisher Ted Albert signed the band to Albert Productions and EMI/Parlophone. Over the next two years, The Easybeats became Australia's top band, notching up a string of exceptional hit singles and undertaking hugely successful tours. The wild hysteria experienced at Easybeats concerts shocked and outraged civic officials. >>
Suggestion credit:
Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington - USA, for all above

Comments: 14

Boss from Gold CoastIan newby is what Dick goes by now. He was my since teacher at nerang high for grade 8 - 12.
Charlene Collins from NewyorkDick diamond real name is Richard dingleman van dersluys
Scott from Austinmer, AustraliaHello all, I am just about to embark on a national tour with our show STEVIE- The Life & Music of Stevie Wright & The Easybeats and we have been trying everything we know to contact a few people like Alan Kissick, Judi Mulkey, Lorraine Allan or anyone else that had any connection to the Easy's Fan Club ...worth a shot here too I say...my email scott@scottmcrae.com.au checkout www.stevieshow.com.au if you might like to see he show!! Thanks everyone.
Scotty
Amber from Sydney, AustraliaIan Newby, is the best guy ever, AKA Dick Diamonde, the bassist from the Easybeats. He's now a 10 Physics teacher. He still has his mullett LOL !
Jane from London, United KingdomBTW when I say Aussie guys, well they all met whilst living there but they were a great eclectic mix of immigrants, Stevie from Leeds - England, 'Snowy' Fleet from Liverpool - England, Gorgeous George from Scotland and Dick Diamonde and the tall blonde Harry Vanda from Holland, obviously with stage name changes.

Wish I had seen them live as I missed their era but for my brothers' great taste. If anyone has any old film footage of them performing PLEASE can you post it on YouTube for everyone else to enjoy. Thanks bunches :p
Jane from London, United KingdomThe Easybeats should have been the Beatles. They were far more exciting and interesting but perhaps someone got paid off to not promote them on the same scale as the Beatles, dirty tricks I suspect. McCartney heard the song 'Good Times' on the car radio and called the radio station to ask for a replay, which they did. They were impressive musicians, great songwriters with the wow factor front man Stevie Wright, sheer genius they were and sadly they didn't get the world wide recognition and wealth they deserved imho. My brothers loved and played their music all the time, I just mixed the fab sixties:( Stevie once said the Brit audiences were blase but they weren't, they were anal and suppressed by a class system, hence the boring Beatles did well, but they caught up with Australians and Germans etc. eventually! EB's music is timeless and still rocks. The most watchable band ever with Stevie performing and great music. Personally preferred the band with Snowy rather than Tony Cahill. Great Aussie lads and I hope everyone is supporting Stevie Wright and still buying his music because he is an amazing survivor of the hellish Heroin sixties.Read his book The Long Road (I think) not the b.s. one by Max?! Australia has this group to thank for everything that followed, Inxs, AC/DC etc. Love and cherish them...I do, respect guys!!! BTW what happened to Snowy and George Young, is George living in Holland? Thanks EB's and mesmerizing Stevie W x
Tom from Nerang, AustraliaIan Newby is Dick Diamonds name. I should know, he's my year 9 science teacher at Nerang High school. I heard rumors that he used to be in a band called the easybeats, so I decided to research it.
Galatea from Nerang, AustraliaDick Diamond still exists!!! He is currently teaching Physics...that's right PHYSICS at a High School going under the alias of 'Mr. Newby'. Scary huh? Well, bye bye!
Glen from Logan, Australiai am related to dick. he lives in a small northcoast village in nsw, looking after his elderly mother. and he is not doing to well himself lately. he was never known as richard, his mother had dick as a nickname for him. just had to clear that all up.
Vincent from Sydney, AustraliaDick Diamonde is a friend of mine. We use to go out and he even came to my home and we had dinner with his girlfriend Theresa. I met him through their original manager and friend of ours Alan Kissick. I jammed with Richard on the song Friday on My Mind..wow what a buzz. We nearly formed a band together but I was contracated to my band Drops Of Light. Richard now cares for his family. Havent seen him for many years....Richard email me its Vince Al's little friend he was managing.
Amy from Gold Coast, Australiawhat is dick diamonde doing now? my science teacher is Ian Newby and he clsims to be dick diamonde? could this be true???
Katie from AustraliaThe Easybeats deserve more recognition! They were pioneers in Australia. Their song "Friday On My Mind" was voted the most popular song by an Australian band for 75 years. Love it.
Freddy from Ghent, BelgiumVanda and Young later formed Flash and the Pan
Melanie from Adelaide, AustraliaI love the Easybeats! Other songs of theirs I would reccomend listening to are "She's So Fine", "Wedding Ring", "Make You Happy" (covered by the Diviynls), "Women (Make You Feel Alright)", "Good Times" (covered by Jimmy Barnes and INXS), and "St Louis". Great stuff. It was a pity they didn't get more success because I consider them more talented than other British Beat bands of the time. Probably because they were Australian :-P

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