09 Bon Scott - Pre AC/DC part5: Bon Scott before AC/DC by Vince Lovegrove
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This article is from the AC/DC FAQ, by Phil Rose acdcfaq@yahoo.com with numerous contributions by others.
09 Bon Scott - Pre AC/DC part5: Bon Scott before AC/DC by Vince Lovegrove
What you could hold in your hot little hands is a labour of
love. A twenty two year labour of love. And a vindication of fate.
A twist of fate, a drunken spat, a motorbike accident, a long
recuperation, a time of reflection for Bon Scott. Two decades ago.
It happened in Adelaide, the Cinderella state, the city of churches,
the only Australian capital that wasn't founded on the backbone of
the convicts, banished when the English tried to cleanse their
pristine country of the undesirable lower class. They threw their
petty criminals out of sight, to the other side of the world, hoping
they'd stay out of mind. The Scottish tried to get away of their own
free will, but the Brits wouldn't let them.
Bon Scott was born in Kirrimur, Scotland, and in the sixties migration
rush to the convict colony on the other side of the world, moved with
his family, along with thousands of other UK families .
His rock'n'roll star eventually took him to Adelaide, and what
happened before and after is well documented in many books, many
fanzines, and in the fertile minds of many highly imaginative
journalists. But one of the most formative pieces of the Bon Scott
jigsaw legend happened during this period, 1974 , whilst recuperating
from his famous motor bike accident. Smashed jaw, broken teeth, gammy
leg, marriage problems, his age becoming an obstacle in his struggle
for creative identity, he began to explore his songwriting talents,
his simplistic mastery of street vernacular, his poetic ability to
tell a story.
He was creatively encouraged and nurtured during this brief period
by Adelaide musician Peter Head (nee Beagley) whose optimistic love
of music and all who embraced it, provided a catalyst for out of work
or transient musicians in between gigs. Probably the most potent
incarnation of the melting pot was The Mount Lofty Rangers.
During a brief 12 to 18 month period, many of Australia's best known
and least known singers and players passed through the ranks of The
Mount Lofty Rangers ; Robyn Archer, Jimmy Barnes, Bruce Howe, Chris
Bailey, Mauri Berg, "Uncle" John Ayers, Swanee, and Bon Scott, being
just a few.
Like so many other splinter movements, not much became of the old
Rangers, now splattered into the anonymity of history's backwash like
so many before and since. Makes you wonder how many unknown
meanderings contribute to the mainstream, though. Nevertheless it
was an outlet for people like Bon Scott to expand, to musically grow,
to take a breather.
A month before he joined the band that would take his street poetry
to the world, Bon recorded two songs written by Peter Head. Now based
in Sydney with his family, still following his philosophy of organic
musical growth, Peter has treasured the memories of those days and
recently re-discovered and re-worked the recordings.
With 1996 technology, producer Ted Yanni has devoted almost two years
to bringing Bon back to life via two previously unheard songs,
assisted by many like minded friends - musicians and technicians for
whom this project has been a labour of love.
These are genuine collector's items. Unique. You may have thought
until now, that you had heard everything Bon Scott recorded
pre-AC/DC. But what you could have in your hands is the Bon Scott
you didn't hear.
Reflect and enjoy. Imagine.
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