Harry Vanda, one of the most important figures in Australian music history, has released his first ever single under his own name. ‘Devil Loose’, written with Mark McEntee of the Divinyls, arrives September 29 via Flashpoint/Impressed.
It’s a milestone that comes more than 60 years after Vanda first helped shape Australian music as guitarist and songwriter for The Easybeats, the band that brought the world classics like Friday On My Mind and gave Australia its first real taste of international success.
After The Easybeats ended in 1969, Vanda teamed with George Young to form the powerhouse songwriting and production partnership Vanda & Young, who went on to redefine Australian music throughout the 1970s and beyond. Together they produced the early AC/DC albums, crafting songs like It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. They also produced albums for The Angels and mentored the careers of countless others.
As writers, Vanda & Young penned some of Australia’s most enduring songs: Stevie Wright’s epic Evie, John Paul Young’s Love Is In The Air, and the string of hits that followed. The duo also recorded as Flash & The Pan, scoring international hits with Hey St. Peter and Down Among the Dead Men.
Now, for the first time, Vanda has decided to put his own name on a release. ‘Devil Loose’ is a sharp-edged reflection of the state of the modern world – political turmoil, climate crisis, social unrest – themes that struck him while working from his Sydney home studio. “I had a feeling things are not what they should be, and ‘Devil Loose’ became like a social commentary,” Vanda says.
Originally reluctant to sing it himself, Vanda was convinced by friends that only his voice could deliver the urgency of the track. The single is accompanied by a new B-side, Free and Easy, and will be available digitally and as a 7” vinyl in November.
To mark the release, Vanda has also recorded a three-part podcast, Devil Loose: The Life and Music of Harry Vanda, in conversation with journalist Bernard Zuel. Across the series, Vanda reflects on his journey from a Dutch migrant in Villawood Hostel to an ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, telling stories about The Easybeats, Vanda & Young, Flash & The Pan, and for the first time, speaking openly about his late creative partner George Young. Guests include John Paul Young, Phil Jamieson, Colin Hay and Tim Rogers.
For an artist whose work has been heard for decades but rarely under his own name, Devil Loose marks a long-awaited moment of recognition. At 78, Harry Vanda’s creative fire is still very much alive.
‘Devil Loose’ is out September 29. The Devil Loose podcast series launches the same day on all major platforms.
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