Harry Vanda has been shaping the sound of Australian music for six decades, but on September 29 the legendary songwriter, guitarist and producer steps into uncharted territory: the release of his first single under his own name, Devil Loose (Flashpoint via Orchard/Impressed).
From the driving riffs of The Easybeats to the stadium-filling anthems of AC/DC and the pop sparkle of John Paul Young’s Love Is in the Air, Vanda’s influence on the global musical landscape is immeasurable. Yet remarkably, Devil Loose marks the first time the ARIA Hall of Famer has put his name alone on a record.
Co-written with Mark McEntee of the Divinyls, Devil Loose was born in Vanda’s Sydney home studio as he watched the world descend into political corruption, climate chaos, social unrest, and finally, the upheaval of a pandemic. “I wrote ‘Devil Loose’ a while ago while watching the state of world affairs,” Vanda recalls. “Things are not what they should be, and ‘Devil Loose’ became like a social commentary. After the riff came it seemed to just write itself.”
The song will be available digitally and as a 7” vinyl single in November, paired with another new track, Free and Easy. Although Vanda initially intended to hand the vocal duties to someone else, those around him insisted that his own raw voice carried the weight and urgency of the song. The result is a performance that is as vital and contemporary as anything in his back catalogue.
Music journalist Bernard Zuel, who has worked closely with Vanda on a companion three-part podcast launching the same day as the single, says: “What’s fascinating is that the world Harry is describing in the song, the ‘madness verging on collapse’ nature of things, was what he saw before Covid. He knew it was coming. Old soothsayer Harry Vanda.”
That podcast, Devil Loose: The Life and Music of Harry Vanda, sees the famously private musician open up fully for the first time. Over three episodes he retraces his journey from Dutch immigrant Johannes Hendricus Jacob van den Berg at Sydney’s Villawood migrant hostel, to becoming Harry Vanda of The Easybeats – the first Australian rock band to crack the American charts – and later one half of the legendary songwriting and production duo Vanda & Young.
Listeners will hear the inside story of Friday on My Mind, described by Vanda as “wasn’t an easy little ditty,” and the creation of era-defining records for AC/DC, John Paul Young and Stevie Wright. The podcast also marks the first time Vanda has spoken publicly about his late creative partner George Young since his passing in 2017.
Contributors include John Paul Young, Phil Jamieson, Colin Hay and Tim Rogers, painting a vivid portrait of a career that has left an indelible mark on Australian music.
As Vanda prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Easybeats in 2025, Devil Loose stands as proof that his creative fire burns as brightly as ever. For the man whose partnership with George Young topped Australian Musician’s 2007 list of the 50 Most Significant Moments in Australian Pop/Rock History, this new release is not just a milestone but a reminder that Harry Vanda is still pushing forward.
“Harry Vanda isn’t just part of Australian music,” says Zuel. “Harry Vanda is one big reason why we have Australian music.”
Devil Loose is out September 29 on digital platforms, with the 7” vinyl single available for pre-order now. Devil Loose: The Life and Music of Harry Vanda podcast launches the same day across all major platforms.