|
 Metal Memories September 15, 2003 |
|
|
AC/DC was never a "success" in Australia... .and yet they are a household name all over the world... Why so popular?.... Well, they embody the principle of fun and good times. These guys have never taken themselves too seriously.
From a bleak industrial background, in 1973 Malcom Young set about to escape and have a good time. Coming from a musical family, with older brother George
already in a famous Australian band, it was natural to recruit some like minded lads and form a band.
Success was gained by pure hard work. Being blues based and for its day, very heavy, and with controversial lyrics, they were shunned by the media, managers, and
The very thing that angered adults attracted the young. The band's enormous sense of fun, coupled with songs about teen angst, parents, school, work, love and sex,
worked well. Singing from the heart, but with tongue in cheek, their shows took away some of the stress of life. The 12 year old I was saw them as a tough, cheeky, rebellious band that wasn't afraid to stick its finger up at the conservative "old school" who had ruled Australia since the 60's, and they had fun doing it. Damn, they thought the same as me!...
Their sense of humour is evident on the cover of their first (Australian) album "High Voltage" released in 1975, an album basically about love, lust and women, with an
awesome version of a popular 30's blues song "Baby Please Dont Go".
In '76 they left for the UK in April then toured Europe with Rainbow until November, and still managed to record and release 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,' another album of songs written on the road, about every day street life about them as they grew up and travelled. This album was the very first to erode what little pocket money I had. Never before had music grabbed hold of me and drilled so deep into my emotions. Every fibre of my soul came alive and was at one with this new sound. I could shut my eyes 'n feel every note and at 13 Bon knew exactly how I felt... and I was on the verge of discoverin what he already knew... More time on the road in '77 with a European and American tour taking up most of the year and more of life's adventures written down for their album 'Let There Be Rock'. And what adventures they were, for I too had discovered alcohol, drugs, lust, and violence. Dimly lit pool halls and "dance parties" were where it was at, doin the "Bad Boy Boogie" and becoming a "Problem Child," I was startin to live the life they were singing... All my oldies schoolbook money was cheerfully spent on buying up their back catalogue. After all, everyone knew school was a waste of time anyway... '78 marked a change in music style; with Cliff Williams on bass the release of 'Powerage' was to be their first "serious" album. It was more polished and professional, but it lacked the street cred to persuade many of my less hardcore friends to buy it. But I loved its darker, more menacing lyrics. Maybe it was due to me being plagued by a gang war, but "Gone Shootin" and "Kicked in the Teeth again" seemed appropriate at the time.
"Highway to Hell" of '79 was an album I sadly never got to appreciate... having been stolen the same night I won it in a competition, embarrassingly by getting up on stage
and singing the title track. I had the looks of Malcom, but not the vocals of Bon. Maybe they just gave it to me out of sympathy.
Feb 19, 1980. After being out of Australia for most of my teen life, my idol Ronald Belford Scott chokes to death after one of his many alcoholic overindulgences. This event was said by
many to have been predicted by his last album title.... Alas, Brian Johnson is named replacement singer, and records 'Back in Black' which of course I immediately buy with some ill gotten cash. A brilliant album with a worthy successor on vocals. Officially co-written by Brian... but songs like "Givin The Dog a Bone" and "Let Me Put My Love Into You" are pure Bon personality, and I think, give the game away that they were written well before his untimely death...
I stashed heaps of dole money to see them in concert exactly a year later and AC/DC did not let me down. Much partaking in fine wine and herbage with the opposite
sex did little to add to this most memorable event, with Brian doing a great rendition of almost every famous song , and the band not missing a beat. Rock In Peace Bon
|
|
adults in general. AC/DC accepted the gigs nobody else wanted... gay parties... transvestite acts... grimey run-down pubs and biker shows. Touring inccessantly,
sometimes with several shows a day. To quote Angus, "We'd play anytime, anywhere, and not always to adoring fans". 
This was quickly followed by "TNT" the same year with songs subjects culled from their rock n' roll ambitions, pub life, and thoughts on the society of the day. "I'm A
Rocker" was my teenage dream too. Despite (or maybe because of) their onstage antics, brawls with other bands and the crowds, and negative tv publicity, both albums
soared to triple gold status.
