By the early 1960s, Bon Scott had formed The Spektors. The band eventually transitioned into The Valentines and brought the singer, who was mostly drumming, more front and center as a vocalist. The Valentines even hit the Top 30 in Australia with the song “Juliette,” which was co-written by Scott. The group disbanded in 1970.
Before joining AC/DC in 1974 to replace original singer Dave Evans, Scott briefly worked chauffeuring bands to gigs for $10 a night. He worked as a roadie as well before becoming the band’s frontman.
“This was the first band I worked with,” Scott said of AC/DC in 1976, “and they knew I was sort of a screamer and they knew I was out of work and they hated the guy they had singing for them then, so they offered me a job. I always knew I was something other than a worker.”
Scott performed with the band for the first time on October 5, 1974, at the Brighton Le-Sands Masonic Hall in New South Wales, Australia.
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Though Scott’s run with AC/DC was relatively brief, he completed seven albums with the band before his death on February 19, 1980, at age 33 from alcohol poisoning. Through their ’70s apex and Highway to Hell, Scott left an indelible contribution to AC/DC’s catalog.
[RELATED: The Meaning Behind AC/DC’s Bon Scott Tribute “Hells Bells”]
Here’s a look at four of the bigger AC/DC hits from the 1970s that Scott co-wrote along with Angus and Malcolm Young.
1. “T.N.T.” (1975)
The explosive compound Trinitrotoluene (T.N.T.) inspired one of AC/DC’s more eruptive songs, as well as their second album’s title. “T.N.T.” captured the raw, combustible energy of the band’s live shows and peaked at No. 19 on the Australian chart.
T.N.T. followed the band’s debut, High Voltage, which was also released in 1975. Both albums hit the Top 10 in Australia. A live version of “T.N.T.” with Scott’s successor Brian Johnson on vocals was later released on AC/DC’s 1992 album Live.
2. “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” (1975)
More of an autobiographical song for AC/DC, “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” went to No. 9 in Australia and chronicled the band’s struggles playing small venues for years before they’d eventually work their way up to the biggest venues in the world.
AC/DC performed “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” for the last time in London at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1979, shortly before Scott’s death. Brian Johnson still abstains from performing the song out of respect for his predecessor.
3. “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (1976)
When AC/DC started working on their third album, guitarist Angus Young was inspired by the early 1960s cartoon Beany and Cecil and its villain, Dishonest John, who carried a dastardly business card. It read, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays, and Special Rates.”
The title track of their 1976 album, then, became Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, and it was the band’s breakthrough in America. In fact, it peaked at No. 5 on the Australian album chart while reaching No. 3 on the U.S.’s Billboard 200. The song “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” about a rather jolly and eager hitman, also broke through on American radio, reaching the fourth spot on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock chart.
[RELATED: The 1960s Cartoon That Inspired the AC/DC Classic “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”]
4. “Highway to Hell” (1979)
Produced by Robert “Mutt” Lange, Highway to Hell was Scott’s final opus with the band and remains one of AC/DC’s most incendiary releases. “Highway to Hell” was the nickname given to Canning Highway in Australia, which runs through Fremantle, where Scott lived. The road turned into a steep decline that resulted in the deaths of many a careless speeder.
“Highway to Hell” was the band’s first song to chart on the U.S.’s Hot 100, peaking at No. 47. A live version, again from their 1992 album Live, would go on to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, as well.
[RELATED: The Songs of AC/DC’s 1979 Classic ‘Highway to Hell’ Songs Ranked]
Read the full story behind “Highway to Hell” HERE.
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
