{"id":3758,"date":"2026-07-09T06:53:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T06:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kkdowning.net\/steelmill\/?post_type=otherspecialreports&p=3758"},"modified":"2026-07-10T06:14:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T06:14:07","slug":"highway-hell-bon-scott-80-years-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kkdowning.net\/steelmill\/highway-hell-bon-scott-80-years-2\/","title":{"rendered":"On A HIGHWAY TO HELL \u2013 BON SCOTT 80 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

AC\/DC-legend Bon Scott would have turned 80 this July. His legacy however lives on, not least in the songs still heard live today. Here\u2019s a look at man who started it all: Bon Scott, the mischievous and wild vocalist.<\/h2>\n

“By the time I was half alive I knew what I was gonna be”<\/em><\/h2>\n

Ronald Belford Scott<\/strong> was born in Forfar, Scotland 9.7.1946 and lived first five years of his life in Kirriemuir. In 1952 family immigrated to Australia, where Bon formed his first bands during the early 1960\u2019s. He replaced Dave Evans<\/strong> as the lead vocalist in AC\/DC<\/strong> in October 1974, and already by then Bon had over 10 years of experience touring and recording with various outfits.<\/p>\n

Bon\u2019s voice and personality seemed to fit perfectly with Australians. Guitarist Angus Young<\/strong> remembered him later:<\/p>\n

“He had a bottle of whisky and some dope, and he polished it all off. I said to Mal, “If this guy can walk, let alone sing, this is going to be something, but he walked on and just ripped it up.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bon debuted on albums \u201dHigh Voltage”<\/strong> and \u201cTNT<\/strong>\u201d during 1975 and after couple of years AC\/DC had achieved superstardom. Success didn\u2019t come easily and press was downright hostile towards the band for many years. Infamous Rolling Stone reviewed “High Voltage” album after its release in the US and the tone of text speaks volumes about the attitude towards the group at the time:<\/p>\n

Those concerned with the future of hard rock may take solace in knowing that with the release of the first U.S. album by these Australian gross-out champions, the genre has hit its all-time low. Lead singer Bon Scott spits out his vocals with a truly annoying aggression which, I suppose, is the only way to do it when all you seem to care about is being a star so that you can get laid every night. Stupidity bothers me. Calculated stupidity offends me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If Bon Scott cared about these reviews, it didn\u2019t show in his performance nor in his lifestyle: \u201cAlcohol, bad women and food, sweat on stage \u2013 it\u2019s all good and keeps me in shape\u201d<\/em> was his often heard motto.<\/p>\n

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“Hey Satan paid my dues, I\u2019m on my way to the promised land”<\/em><\/h2>\n

AC\/DC front man lived his life on the way to the promised land, 1979\u2019s “Highway To Hell<\/strong>” was a gate to success and he was passing through it when the reaper came to collect the man on 19.2.1980. Producer Mutt Lange<\/strong>, who got his fair share of gold and platinum later with Def Leppard<\/strong>, was responsible for \u201cHighway To Hell\u2019s\u201d sound and it was a commercial breakthrough. The album reached top-100 in the US and it seemed like time was right for the band and Scott.<\/p>\n

During their final tour together, rest of AC\/DC were beginning to show concern for their vocalist and his wild lifestyle. Bon was continuously in bad shape, either drunk or sleeping it off somewhere. The constant entourage of women had to hold him up many times. The new decade dawned on Scott while the man resided in his home Australia, coming back to UK in January 1980. Although singer\u2019s drinking was spiraling out of control, he was genuinely excited about the new material Angus and Malcolm Young<\/strong> were preparing. Bon popped by studios one day to play drums and heard snippets of riffs that would later form songs \u201cLet Me Put My Love Into You<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cHave A Drink On Me<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

It all came to a rough and sad end after a heavy night of drinking when Bon passed out in his friend\u2019s car and was found dead in the morning. Much like his life, his death has been shrouded in different facts and mysteries. Scott was only 33 when he died yet much older than rest of the band with Angus Young especially looking like he could be Bon\u2019s son. Scott\u2019s cause of death was determined as internal organ failure with temperature inside the care dropping below zero also having an effect. Some medical claims stated his inner organs were in the shape of a 60-year old man, despite him being half that age. Scott was cremated and his ashes buried by the family in Fremantle, West-Australia.<\/p>\n

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“If you want blood, you got it”<\/em><\/h2>\n

Bon Scott feared no danger and often said to Angus: \u201dWhatever I do, do not follow\u201d.<\/em> Vocalist once climbed up to stage rafters and jumped down from 40 feet miraculously remaining unharmed. Another time Young brothers told Bon walked through customs wearing nothing but jeans and found his way to the gig in the evening by following fans to a train. Aside from numerous women, Bon was sought after by the biggest, most dangerous fighters in the pub or arena, mostly looking to start up a brawl.<\/p>\n

Scott often arrived to concert venue right at the last moment, juggling between fans and troublemakers. He never said no to parties and women, and these offers kept coming every day and every night.<\/p>\n

“I been around the world, I’ve seen a million girls”<\/em><\/h2>\n

Bon Scott not only sang about life, he lived the life of his songs, filled by women, alcohol, substances and parties. His charisma was natural and like many other rock stars, his rough looks didn\u2019t scare females, but instead drew them in like moths to a flame. Scott knew his manners and many were in awe at his ability to charm women of all ages, from teenagers to elderly ladies \u2013 even though the first thing they witnessed were his many tattoos and missing teeth.<\/p>\n

“You got the dollars in your eye, always chasin’ that pie in the sky”<\/em><\/h2>\n

AC\/DC\u2019s 1970\u2019s era material was very strongly related to Bon\u2019s own personal experiences. Scott wrote the lyrics and they strongly reflect his sense of humor and way of life. \u201cBig Balls<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cWhole Lotta Rosie<\/strong>\u201d \u2013 latter based on the rendezvous with Tasmanian prostitute \u2013 reached listeners because they were honest tales. Bon sang about the world and life of working class. He was a lot like Thin Lizzy\u2019<\/strong>s Phil Lynott<\/strong> in his storytelling, albeit Lynott\u2019s romantism was replaced in AC\/DC with something far grittier and realistic touch. Instead of love we got only clap and anthem \u201cThe Jack<\/strong>.\u201d Songs like \u201cDown Payment Blues<\/strong>\u201d spoke about unemployment and possibly Scott\u2019s strongest statement \u201cRide On<\/strong>\u201d brings grown men to tears up to this day.<\/p>\n

With AC\/DC, Bon Scott recorded six studio albums in as many years and nearly 60 songs. Not every one of them was a masterpiece but they are so strongly tied to vocalist\u2019s personality, and thus belong eternally to jukeboxes, dusty and dirty karaoke bars and vinyl players all over the world. His writing didn\u2019t go down in quality as albums progressed and the final record \u201cHighway To Hell\u201d with tracks \u201cBeating Around The Bush<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cGirls Got Rhythm<\/strong>\u201d are in their own class, both lyrics and vocal performance. Despite his ongoing problems, Bon ended his road in studio in great style.<\/p>\n

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Back In Black<\/em><\/h2>\n

Brian Johnson<\/strong> joined the band few weeks after Bon\u2019s funeral. Scott\u2019s father had approved AC\/DC\u2019s decision to continue with new vocalist and Brian had been one of Bon\u2019s favorite singers when Johnson performed with his previous group Geordie<\/strong>. With their new frontman the band released one of the hard rock and heavy metal\u2019s biggest albums \u201cBack In Black<\/strong>,\u201d which was entirely a tribute to Bon Scott. The album sold 50 million copies becoming second best-selling album in music history. Songs such as \u201cHave A Drink On Me\u201d must have brought a smile and raised glass from Scott residing at the fiery gates somewhere above \u2013 or below.<\/p>\n

Bonfire<\/em><\/h2>\n

In 1997 AC\/DC released five CD box set \u201dBonfire<\/strong>\u201d as a remembrance for Bon Scott. Included was plenty of rare material and remastered tribute album \u201cBack In Black.\u201d Soundtrack to \u201cLet There Be Rock \u2013 The Movie<\/strong>\u201d recorded In Paris displays Bon\u2019s charisma perfectly. He would also leave enough room for Angus Young\u2019s acrobatics and soloing in just right spots and always sing along rhythm. 12-minute \u201cBad Boy Boogie<\/strong>\u201d and 9 minute \u201cRocker<\/strong>\u201d are amazing to hear still to this day. This box set is arguably one of the best there is, so if for some strange reason Bon-era AC\/DC is not yet familiar to you, check it out. It is a remarkable look at great vocalist\u2019s days of glory.<\/p>\n

Many feel AC\/DC wasn\u2019t the same after Scott\u2019s death and the well-oiled machined from the last few decades is certainly very different band compared to the old days. Especially now that only Angus Young remains from the Bon-era line-up. The story of AC\/DC is inevitably reaching its end. It is important to remember, it is also a story never written without the crucial input of Bon Scott.<\/p>\n

Although Bon Scott\u2019s life ended way too soon, he lived it full and in relatively short time created legend and massive machinery called AC\/DC which carries on his legacy to this day. Bon had privately talked about his plans of doing a solo album and eventually retreating to farm life in Australia, starting up a family. Had these plans ever become reality, if he had lived, we will never know. It is now a proper time to turn our looks from the past to the present, raise a glass to the singer and toss a coin to the dirty jukebox. Will the first sounds played belong to \u201cLet There Be Rock,<\/strong>\u201d \u201cWhole Lotta Rosie,\u201d \u201cProblem Child<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cHell Ain\u2019t A Bad Place To Be<\/strong>,\u201d is every fans own positive choice. Myself, I picked the song which pictured Bon\u2019s life even before AC\/DC and the road he travelled steadfastly through hills and rocks until success eventually took him all the way to the grave.<\/p>\n

\u201dThat’s how it goes playin’ in a band, It\u2019s a long way to the top, if you wanna rock and roll.\u201d<\/em><\/h2>\n

Text: Ville Krannila<\/strong> (The article originally appeared at Metalliluola.fi)<\/p>\n

Here are some of the best performances Bon Scott gave as frontman of AC\/DC. Included is his last television appearance in February 1980, lip synching to \u201cTouch Too Much<\/strong>\u201d in Top Of The Pops, two weeks before his untimely death:<\/p>\n