Alexander Young (musician)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Young aka George Alexander (28 December 1938 - 4 August 1997) was a Scottish
guitarist and session musician.
Alexander Young was born in Bridgeton, Glasgow
, Scotland. He is the brother of George, the rhythm guitarist and founding member of The Easybeats
, and Malcolm
and Angus
, founding members of the Australian hard rock
band AC/DC
.
When the Young family emigrated to Sydney
, Australia
in 1963, Young chose to remain in Britain to pursue musical interests. In 1967, Alexander formed and played bass in the London
-based band Grapefruit
—initially called "The Grapefruit"—with three former members of Tony Rivers and the Castaways, John Perry, Geoff Swettenham, and Pete Swettenham.
Young was signed as songwriter with Apple Music Publishing Ltd. by Terry Doran, managing director of Apple, friend of the Beatles
, and later manager of Grapefruit, during the summer of 1967. The song writing contract was based on the strength of the song "Lullaby for a Lazy Day", which John Lennon liked—a tape with this song was found in his personal belongings.
Grapefruit received some support from The Beatles and released two albums and several singles during 1968 and 1969. The group was launched by the Beatles with a press conference in 1968, on January 17, with the first single "Dear Delilah". It went to number 21 in the UK single chart in February 1968. Paul McCartney
directed a promo film (never released) for the single "Elevator". John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison attended and helped in their recording sessions for the singles, as Grapefruit didn't have a producer at the time. However, the group broke up in late 1969, with only Young remaining in the music business as a session musician
.
A song written by Young, "I'm a Rebel
", was recorded in 1976 by his brothers' band AC/DC
, but was never released. It was later "covered" by the German group Accept
.
He released another single, "Sha-Sha"/"Universal Party", under the name Grapefruit with George Young and Harry Vanda.
From 1995 till August 1997 Young worked as a music manager with "Proud and Loud Management", based in Hamburg. He died of lung cancer in Hamburg-Sasel on 4 August 1997.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
guitarist and session musician.
Alexander Young was born in Bridgeton, Glasgow
Bridgeton, Glasgow
Bridgeton is a district to the east side of Glasgow city centre. It is bounded by Glasgow Green to the west, Dalmarnock to the east and south and Calton to the north-west at Abercromby Street/ London Road...
, Scotland. He is the brother of George, the rhythm guitarist and founding member of The Easybeats
The Easybeats
The Easybeats were an Australian rock and roll band. They formed in Sydney in late 1964 and broke up at the end of 1969. They are regarded as the greatest Australian pop band of the 1960s, and were the first Australian rock and roll act to score an international pop hit with their 1966 single...
, and Malcolm
Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
and Angus
Angus Young
Angus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
, founding members of the Australian hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
.
When the Young family emigrated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1963, Young chose to remain in Britain to pursue musical interests. In 1967, Alexander formed and played bass in the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based band Grapefruit
Grapefruit (band)
Grapefruit was a London-based British band of the late 1960s. Their brand of music was a typical late 1960s blend of rock, which they often fused with psychedelic effects such as phasers and vocoders, or classical arrangements.-Biography:...
—initially called "The Grapefruit"—with three former members of Tony Rivers and the Castaways, John Perry, Geoff Swettenham, and Pete Swettenham.
Young was signed as songwriter with Apple Music Publishing Ltd. by Terry Doran, managing director of Apple, friend of the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, and later manager of Grapefruit, during the summer of 1967. The song writing contract was based on the strength of the song "Lullaby for a Lazy Day", which John Lennon liked—a tape with this song was found in his personal belongings.
Grapefruit received some support from The Beatles and released two albums and several singles during 1968 and 1969. The group was launched by the Beatles with a press conference in 1968, on January 17, with the first single "Dear Delilah". It went to number 21 in the UK single chart in February 1968. Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
directed a promo film (never released) for the single "Elevator". John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison attended and helped in their recording sessions for the singles, as Grapefruit didn't have a producer at the time. However, the group broke up in late 1969, with only Young remaining in the music business as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
.
A song written by Young, "I'm a Rebel
I'm a Rebel (song)
I'm a Rebel is a hard rock song written by Alex Young, elder brother of AC/DC guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young, on 15 September 1976.-AC/DC version:...
", was recorded in 1976 by his brothers' band AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, but was never released. It was later "covered" by the German group Accept
Accept
Accept is a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled by former vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bassist Peter Baltes. Their beginnings can be traced back to the late 1960s...
.
He released another single, "Sha-Sha"/"Universal Party", under the name Grapefruit with George Young and Harry Vanda.
From 1995 till August 1997 Young worked as a music manager with "Proud and Loud Management", based in Hamburg. He died of lung cancer in Hamburg-Sasel on 4 August 1997.