George Young exerted a massive influence on the course of Australian music, not only through his work with The Easybeats and AC/DC, but also as a writer, producer, and record executive working with a host of lesser known artists throughout the 70’s and 80’s…..including these guys.

Choirboys formed in Sydney in 1979, only a couple of years before a small wave of Australian artists (e.g. Men At Work, Rick Springfield, INXS) began to break through to the top of the US and UK charts. In the early 80’s, the band sent their demo tape to George Young who then signed them to their first record deal. The group’s first album showed promise, both artistically and commercially, but unfortunately their lead singer ruptured his vocal cords and the band had to take a couple of years off.

Choirboys returned in 1986 with a new record company and a new lease on life. The following couple of years would see the band reach their peak as they opened shows for Deep Purple and Bon Jovi when those bands visited Oz, and then recorded their most popular album, Big Bad Noise.

The first single released from that album, “Run To Paradise,” raced into the Top 5 in Australia and managed to crawl its way to #80 in the US in early 1988. It probably should have sold better, but it’s a perfect example of how hard it was (and generally still is) for anyone outside of the US or UK to get their foot in the door, especially in what was, at the time, a very crowded rock market. You really needed distribution and promotion from a major label. “Run To Paradise” runs circles around many songs that hit big in 1988, but it didn’t get enough of a push for a wider audience to discover it.

So discover it now! And hear what George Young helped foster.