But what has he been up to since the days of old? Living the peaceful life near Newcastle, he spent years doing the hard yakka, touring Australia before his second wind, by virtue of Strictly Ballroom and his Love is in the Air revival. Initially missing the beat for a second career overseas, Young says that his chances to break America were not worth the pain and effort. What with the need to find new musicians, and over rehearse his already golden vocal stylings every time he needed to move.

"It was difficult because I was a solo artist and I didn't have what anybody recognises as a band," he says.

"Somewhere along the way I just didn't trust other people and I didn't really feel like rehearsing my life away. And I could see that was what was going to happen."

Declining an opportunity in the Northern American states, "I was offered real pop star status in America, where the record company basically told me they wanted to turn me into the next David Cassidy, which didn't float my boat."

Recently, Young has been practicing his songcraft before the honest citizens of Australia during the recent round trip that has been the COVID-19 postponed APIA Good Time tour. Putting his set list together for this solo outing will be a matter of getting things in a manageable order, Young says. At least to make sure he looks after that voice of his, that has seen his flag fly for more than 40 years.

"I can't do it chronologically. The toughest song to sing is Yesterday's Hero, and that comes at the beginning."

Explaining that the rigours of that Harry Vanda and George Young penned hit mean that it was a tough one to sing in 1975, he doesn't lose sleep over the fact that it's a hard one now that he is 71.

"It's a breath for a minute, and it's up high. There are not a lot of chances to breathe."

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Remembering his initial, now famous Countdown performance, "The first time that I sang it live was the time that they dragged me down off the stage and ripped my clothes off. That was the first time I did it live. And then the ABC got together and made a clip."

Performing it back then was a deeply nerve racking experience. "You notice on any of the early videos of me, I'm just terrified," Young says. "Terrified of making a mistake, terrified of being under the lights, terrified about cameras. Just terrified."

As most Australians would recall, Yesterday's Hero was Young's breakthrough song. Yet it was the one that put him right before Countdown audiences, and launched his career in spectacular fashion. It was preceded however with chart climbing Pasadena. Though he says nobody knew who he was when that track arrived on the airwaves.

"Lots of people thought I was English, or Canadian, or something. But I was in Jesus Christ Superstar, and really didn't have the opportunity to get out there and push the song. So on its own it did quite well. I think it was in the top 20s. It was nice. And the DJs loved it. Just about everybody that I speak to on that side of the mic just have a genuine fondness for the song."

They also have been besotted with his old faithful, Love Is In The Air.

"I'm just so privileged," Young says. "To have a hit record is one thing, but to have a hit record overseas is a different level."

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