Friends (The Easybeats album)

Friends is the final studio album by Australian rock band The Easybeats. It was released in late 1969 as part of the group's new recording contract with Polydor Records. It would be the only album released Polydor of band as they broke up before its release.

History & Production

In 1969, the group parted ways with their international record company Albert Productions and their production company United Artists Records. After signing with Polydor Records, The Easybeats teamed up with producer Ray Singer for the single "St. Louis" and its B-side "I Can't Find Love".^[2] The single failed to chart in the UK, but reached #21 on the Go-Set Charts in their home country of Australia.

In August the band's key songwriters, Harry Vanda and George Young, took over a small recording studio located in an apartment in Moscow Road, London. The studio was previously used for recording jingles for pirate radio.^[2] The pair used the studios to record various demos for other artists, sometimes using other members of The Easybeats to contribute instrumentation and vocals. These demo recordings, along with the two songs recorded with Ray Singer were released by Polydor as Friends in the UK and Australia.

Release

The album was released in late 1969. Between Australia and the UK there are two different versions of the song "Friends". On the Australian LP, the song is a faster paced version sung by George Young (titled "Friends") while in the U.K. it is a slower ballad sung by Harry Vanda titled "Who Are My Friends". Vanda's "Who Are My Friends" was released as a single in the UK and Australia (under the same title as George's "Friends"). It released in Europe and Canada as Holding On and was due for U.S. release under the title Easy Ridin' through Rare Earth Records. This release would be canceled.^[3] It was reissued on vinyl in 1980 in Australia as part of the Rock Legends series. Repertoire Records released the album on compact disc twice (1992 and 2006). The band's Australian record company, Albert Productions, left the album out of their The Complete Easybeats box set.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]

Track listing

All songs written by Harry Vanda and George Young under the pseudonym Brian Russell.^[2]

Original track listing

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"St. Louis"		3:13
2.	"Friends" (sung by George Young on the Australian release and Harry Vanda on the UK version which is titled "Who Are My Friends")		3:43
3.	"Watching the World (Go By)"		2:36
4.	"Can't Find Love"		3:29
5.	"Holding On"		3:40
6.	"I Love Marie"		2:38

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Rock 'n' Roll Boogie"		2:30
2.	"Tell Your Mother"		5:22
3.	"The Train Song"		3:31
4.	"What Becomes of You My Love"		3:18
5.	"Woman You're on My Mind"		4:34

On the European release Holding On "What Becomes of You My Love" and "Woman You're on My Mind" are switched around.

Additional Repertoire bonus tracks

1992 Repertoire Records CD reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
16.	"Peculiar Hole In The Sky" (Australia only single)		03:00
17.	"Gonna Make It" (Instrumental. B-side to the "I Love Marie" single)		03:17
18.	"H.P. Man" (released on The Best of The Easybeats Vol. 2.)		02:44
19.	"Down To The Last 500" (released on The Best of The Easybeats Vol. 2.)		02:41
20.	"My Old Man's A Groovy Old Man" (released on The Best of The Easybeats Vol. 2.)		02:24
21.	"Such A Lovely Day" (released on The Best of The Easybeats Vol. 2.)		03:15
22.	"Who Are My Friends" (The Harry Vanda version of "Friends". Released on the U.K. release of Friends)		03:14
23.	"Look Out I'm On The Way Down" (The Harry Vanda version of "Friends". Released on the U.K. release of Friends)		02:36
24.	"Little Red Bucket" (two jingles recorded for Coca-Cola in 1966 and 1969.)		02:46
25.	"Remember Sam (Alternative Mix)" (stereo remix)		02:38
26.	"Pretty Girl (Alternative Mix)" (stereo remix)		02:32

Personnel

The Easybeats

Stevie Wright - Lead Vocals
George Young - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums
Harry Vanda - Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums
Dick Diamonde - Bass Guitar
Tony Cahill - Drums, Percussion

Production team

Harry Vanda - producer
George Young - producer
Ray Singer - producer for "St. Louis"

References

1 2 Unterberger, Richie. AllMusic Review by Richie Unterberger at AllMusic
1 2 3 Tait, John (2010). Vanda & Young: Inside Australia's Hit Factory. Australia: University of New South Wales Press. ISBN 978-1-74223-217-1.
↑ "Rare Earth Label". Rareearthworld.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-06-30.

External links

The Easybeats

Dick Diamonde Harry Vanda Stevie Wright George Young Snowy Fleet Tony Cahill

Singles	"For My Woman" "She's So Fine" "Wedding Ring" "Sad and Lonely and Blue" "Woman" "Come And See Her" "Sorry" "Friday on My Mind" "Who'll Be The One" "Heaven and Hell" "Falling Off The Edge Of The World" "The Music Goes 'Round My Head" "Hello, How Are You?" "Good Times" "St. Louis" "Rock 'n' Roll Boogie"

Studio albums	Easy It's 2 Easy Volume 3 Good Friday Friday On My Mind Vigil Friends

Compilation albums	The Best of The Easybeats + Pretty Girl The Best of The Easybeats Volume 2 The Shame Just Drained Absolute Anthology

Related articles	Ted Albert Albert Productions Shel Talmy Glyn Johns United Artists Records Australian rock

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