Bon Scott was the electrifying lead vocalist and lyricist of AC/DC from 1974 until his untimely death in 1980. Bon was reknowned for his distinctive raspy voice, dynamic stage presence and rebellious spirit. He propelled AC/DC to international fame and left an indelible mark on the world of rock and roll.
As you may have seen from my other post about Bon Scott, he is a great suggestion for the identity of Bowie’s Mystery Guest, but I needed some clarification. Two of the three leads I sent out on Bon Scott have come back.
2 Updates on Bon Scott: Robert Ellis
The first is from Robert Ellis. Robert Ellis is a renowned music photographer who began his journey in the world of music photography in 1968. By 1971, he was working with notable publications such as New Musical Express, Melody Maker, Sounds, Kerrang!, and many overseas magazines.
Ellis had a unique approach to his work. He traveled with bands on tours, acting as a photographic ‘fly on the wall’, capturing candid moments as unobtrusively as possible. His work has graced the covers of many album sleeves and he has designed numerous souvenir tour books.
One of his most notable projects was photographing the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin from 1969 until their final UK performance at the Knebworth Festival in 1979 but also spend a lot of time travelling with Bon Scott in his AC-DC days. Robert has produced The Rock Library, fantastic photo-books of the bands he’s worked with over the years, including The Bonfest Edition. Robert can spot Bon a mile away. This is what he said:
Not Bon Scott.
cheers,
Robert
Thanks Robert for your time.
2 Updates on Bon Scott: Former Bandmate
The second lead is from a former bandmate of Bon’s:
Yes, I was with Fraternity. I left before they became Fang. The person you are inquiring about certainly looks like Bon, but it is my opinion that it is not Bon.
Apart from my inbuilt facial recognition (which is usually pretty good) I can say for sure that Bon did not smoke cigarettes. He did smoke joints but whatever it is the bloke in the photo is smoking looks more like a cigarette.
This gentleman has requested that I don’t reveal his name and I completely respect his reasons. Thanks to him for a very generous response.
AC/DC after the death of Bon Scott
When Bon Scott passed away in 1980, it seemed like the end of the road for AC/DC. But the band chose to keep the music alive, bringing Brian Johnson on board as the new lead singer. Johnson’s first gig with the band? The 1980 album “Back in Black”, a rocking tribute to Scott.
Over the years, AC/DC’s lineup has seen a few changes. Brian Johnson had to step back from the mic in 2016 due to hearing issues, and bassist Cliff Williams hung up his guitar in 2017. Drummer Phil Rudd has had a couple of timeouts from the band, once in 1983 and again in 2015.
But just when you thought you’d seen it all, AC/DC dropped a bombshell in 2020: a reunion featuring Brian Johnson, Cliff Williams, and Phil Rudd. They teamed up with Angus Young and Stevie Young to bring the band back together.
AC/DC has faced its share of bumps in the road, but they’ve never stopped rocking. As of 2024, they’re gearing up for a world tour, named after their 2020 album, and set to rock 11 countries across Europe. Through all the ups and downs, AC/DC’s passion for their music has kept their legacy alive and kicking in the rock world.
So that’s two down for Bon. I’ll await a response from my third lead – hopefully some time in New Year.
Thanks to all for continuing to pass the word around. If you haven’t yet watched the short video of the bonkers search, then you can find it here.
