AC/DC - The Early Years & Bon Scott
We’ve featured Neil Daniels before when we checked out his writings on Judas Priest, Metallica and Journey, so when his latest offering on AC/DC came through in the post, I made a point of finding some time for some reading.
Charting the history of AC/DC through their early years with Bon Scott, AC/DC The Early Years With Bon Scott is a carefully researched and well written account of the forming years of AC/DC, charting their development from 1973 through to the unfortunate loss of Bon Scott in 1980. Unofficial and unauthorised, the book is written through the eyes of someone looking on at the band, rather than through the words of the band themselves, something which helps bring a real sense of honesty and integrity to the writing, and something which helps the reader feel more of a part of proceedings as the book progresses.
As the book opens with a foreward from Mick Box of Uriah Heep, it’s striking that the first words uttered are ‘Well, what can be said about AC/DC that has not already been said’, a statement that immediately demonstrates the profile of the band in question. As a band who are responsible for the shaping of rock and metal as we see it today, it is indeed a question which rings true, questioning the purpose of the book before even beginning. All fears are soon put to rest though as chapter by chapter, Daniels covers the development of the band, the highs and lows, and truly examines the legacy left by one of the most renowned front men of all time.
Despite the rumours, the stories and the legacy we see, Daniels is unfaltering in his quest to tell the true story of the band, discussing the formation of the band and public personality of Bon Scott, but also examining the man behind the myth. Writing about the private life of Scott, Daniels quotes Mark Evans (from an interview with Thom Jennings of Backstage Axxess in 2012) where he says ‘ What is surprising about Bon is that offstage he was very domesticated, he liked to clean and used to divorce himself from the band when we were off the road so he could do his own thing’, showing the human side to a man that all too often is only seen for his public side.
Writing through to the recruitment of Brian Johnson as the new singer, Daniels provides insights that demonstrate his research as well as his own love for the band, without allowing his own personal views to shine through too much in his writing. Even offering a ‘bonus’ chapter on the history of the band since the recruitment of Johnson (although given that it is just a chapter, it’s brief), the book is not only a representation of the formation of one of rock and metals greatest bands, but also a historical text which will inform new fans, remind old fans, and satisfy those who simply wondered how things came to be.
A must read if you’re a fan of AC/DC, I for one struggled to put the book down whilst reading it, and am already looking forward to finding some time on my next holiday to pick it up and work through it once again.
Make sure you check out AC/DC The Early Years With Bon Scott for yourself HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Charting the history of AC/DC through their early years with Bon Scott, AC/DC The Early Years With Bon Scott is a carefully researched and well written account of the forming years of AC/DC, charting their development from 1973 through to the unfortunate loss of Bon Scott in 1980. Unofficial and unauthorised, the book is written through the eyes of someone looking on at the band, rather than through the words of the band themselves, something which helps bring a real sense of honesty and integrity to the writing, and something which helps the reader feel more of a part of proceedings as the book progresses.
As the book opens with a foreward from Mick Box of Uriah Heep, it’s striking that the first words uttered are ‘Well, what can be said about AC/DC that has not already been said’, a statement that immediately demonstrates the profile of the band in question. As a band who are responsible for the shaping of rock and metal as we see it today, it is indeed a question which rings true, questioning the purpose of the book before even beginning. All fears are soon put to rest though as chapter by chapter, Daniels covers the development of the band, the highs and lows, and truly examines the legacy left by one of the most renowned front men of all time.
Despite the rumours, the stories and the legacy we see, Daniels is unfaltering in his quest to tell the true story of the band, discussing the formation of the band and public personality of Bon Scott, but also examining the man behind the myth. Writing about the private life of Scott, Daniels quotes Mark Evans (from an interview with Thom Jennings of Backstage Axxess in 2012) where he says ‘ What is surprising about Bon is that offstage he was very domesticated, he liked to clean and used to divorce himself from the band when we were off the road so he could do his own thing’, showing the human side to a man that all too often is only seen for his public side.
Writing through to the recruitment of Brian Johnson as the new singer, Daniels provides insights that demonstrate his research as well as his own love for the band, without allowing his own personal views to shine through too much in his writing. Even offering a ‘bonus’ chapter on the history of the band since the recruitment of Johnson (although given that it is just a chapter, it’s brief), the book is not only a representation of the formation of one of rock and metals greatest bands, but also a historical text which will inform new fans, remind old fans, and satisfy those who simply wondered how things came to be.
A must read if you’re a fan of AC/DC, I for one struggled to put the book down whilst reading it, and am already looking forward to finding some time on my next holiday to pick it up and work through it once again.
Make sure you check out AC/DC The Early Years With Bon Scott for yourself HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls