Living Loud – “Good Times” Live in Sydney (2004)
When the supergroup Living Loud took the stage in Sydney in 2004, they leaned into the classic rock songs that shaped their careers.
One of the standout moments came when Jimmy Barnes stepped to the microphone and introduced the Easybeats classic Good Times: “Let’s do a song. I’ve been doing it for a while.”
Barnes had been performing Good Times for decades, and the song already carried deep roots in Australian rock history. This is a slightly stripped back still powerful version.
Watch Living Loud perform Good Times live
The Easybeats original
Good Times was first recorded by Australian rock band The Easybeats in 1968.
Written by George Young and Harry Vanda, the track became one of the band’s best-known songs and a lasting part of Australian rock history.
The song captured the energy of the late-1960s rock scene. Its driving rhythm and shout-along chorus made it perfect for live shows, and over time it became one of those songs audiences instantly recognise when the opening chords begin.
Jimmy Barnes and Good Times
Jimmy Barnes has a particularly strong connection to Good Times.
In 1987 he recorded a famous version with INXS singer Michael Hutchence for the soundtrack of the film The Lost Boys. Their performance introduced the song to a global audience.
By the time Living Loud formed in the early 2000s, Barnes had already been singing the track on stage for many years. That history explains the relaxed way he introduces it during the Sydney concert.
Living Loud performing Good Times
The Living Loud rock music project brought together several veteran rock musicians including Jimmy Barnes, Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey, guitarist Steve Morse, drummer Lee Kerslake, and bassist Bob Daisley.
The group released one studio album and filmed a live concert in Sydney in 2004.
The band’s version of Good Times fits naturally into that set. Barnes drives the song with his unmistakable voice while the band delivers a tight and energetic performance.
Why Good Times remains an Australian rock staple
Part of the reason Good Times keeps appearing in live sets is its simplicity.
The song is built around a strong rhythm, a memorable chorus, and lyrics that celebrate the carefree spirit associated with rock music.
What began as an Easybeats single in the late 1960s has travelled through multiple generations of performers. Once the music starts, the response is immediate. Good Times remains exactly what it was always meant to be — a loud, celebratory rock song built for live audiences.