The Easybeats From Down Under

Australia has been the birthplace of many great bands and singers. Did you know that AC/DC, INXS, The Little River Band, Men at Work, and Crowded House came from the country down under? The Easybeats also came from Australia, and sadly its lead singer passed away at a very early age. We wanted to share a little bit of inside information on this often forgotten band, for the simple reason that they gave us one of the catchiest tunes ever, “Friday on My Mind,” from 1967.

Like every good band from the mid-60s, The Easybeats were inspired by the Beatles and began as a pub band, gaining popularity with their talent and stage presence. Their manager flew to New York in 1965 with the goal of getting the boys a record deal, and on the very last appointment, was able to convince United Artists to sign them. That’s when the troubles began.

The early studio songs were dismal and the band’s producer was fired. The label brought in the dude that worked with the Who and Kinks, and the song “Friday On My Mind” was born, the bands biggest (and only) hit. The band faded away and unfortunately broke up a few years later.

Stephen Carlton “Stevie” Wright the Easybeats lead singer was addicted to heroin and was in and out of rehab for years, eventually dying in December of 2015.

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Photo credit: Gajus / Shutterstock.com