1 00:00:00,070 --> 00:00:02,530 Speaker 1: All right, guys, we're dipping into the archive again, into 2 00:00:02,590 --> 00:00:05,970 Speaker 1: our ACDC story. This is part two. This was released 3 00:00:05,990 --> 00:00:09,170 Speaker 1: about a year ago, November of 2025, a couple of 4 00:00:09,190 --> 00:00:12,380 Speaker 1: years after part one. I decided that there was more 5 00:00:12,490 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: left on the ACDC bone. ACDC is one of my 6 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: favorite bands of all time. And I really wanted to 7 00:00:17,300 --> 00:00:20,099 Speaker 1: tell the story of Phil Rudd, their drummer, and the 8 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,579 Speaker 1: murder for hire saga that was going on. And I 9 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,300 Speaker 1: wanted to get more into Malcolm Young as well, who 10 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:30,340 Speaker 1: was really the engine behind ACDC, who passed away some 11 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,620 Speaker 1: years ago. Just one of the greatest, greatest rock and 12 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: roll guitarists of all time. Angus gets a lot of 13 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: the attention, but Malcolm was the engine. Anyways, this story 14 00:00:39,540 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 1: is crazy, as is the story of ACDC's manager and 15 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: his murder. And of course, the whole Phil Rudd of 16 00:00:46,700 --> 00:00:49,650 Speaker 1: it all. ACDC, still out there touring. Still out there 17 00:00:49,690 --> 00:00:52,190 Speaker 1: doing it. You ever seen ACDC? What do you think? 18 00:00:52,210 --> 00:00:54,350 Speaker 1: You seen him lately? Let me know. Let me know 19 00:00:54,370 --> 00:00:57,810 Speaker 1: what you think of the episode. Here's ACDC part two. 20 00:00:58,450 --> 00:01:13,430 Speaker 1: In Disgraceland. Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis. This 21 00:01:13,490 --> 00:01:19,490 Speaker 1: is a story about contract killings, death threats, drinking with ghosts, rock, 22 00:01:20,150 --> 00:01:23,450 Speaker 1: and roll. And a part two continuation of our story 23 00:01:23,510 --> 00:01:26,270 Speaker 1: on one of the greatest bands of all time, ACDC. 24 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:31,220 Speaker 1: A band that made great music. Yes, some of the 25 00:01:31,260 --> 00:01:33,620 Speaker 1: greatest rock and roll music these years have ever heard. 26 00:01:34,300 --> 00:01:36,180 Speaker 1: Unlike that music I played for you at the top 27 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: of the show. That wasn't great music. That was a 28 00:01:39,740 --> 00:01:43,910 Speaker 1: preset loop from my Mellotron called Jack and Bloke MK1. 29 00:01:45,690 --> 00:01:47,990 Speaker 1: I played you that loop because I can't afford the 30 00:01:48,070 --> 00:01:51,810 Speaker 1: rights to Shake It Off by Taylor Swift. Then why 31 00:01:51,850 --> 00:01:55,670 Speaker 1: would I play you that specific slice of pre-Kelsey cheese? 32 00:01:55,730 --> 00:01:59,500 Speaker 1: Could I afford it? Because that was the number one 33 00:01:59,540 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: song in America on November 16th, 2014. And that was 34 00:02:05,140 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: the day ACDC's Phil Rudd was arrested on charges that 35 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: would make the musician seem strangely alike one of the 36 00:02:12,180 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: murderous characters in one of the band's best songs, Dirty 37 00:02:16,220 --> 00:02:24,679 Speaker 1: Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. On this episode, Concrete Shoes, Cyanide, Neckties, Contracts, 38 00:02:25,020 --> 00:02:31,110 Speaker 1: High Voltage, and Part 2 ACBC's story. I'm Jake Brennan, 39 00:02:31,910 --> 00:03:00,210 Speaker 1: and this is Disgraceland. Chapter 1. Do anything you want 40 00:03:00,230 --> 00:03:06,930 Speaker 1: me to. To transmitters in Queensland and the Northern Territory, 41 00:03:07,230 --> 00:03:08,430 Speaker 1: this is ABC. 42 00:03:08,889 --> 00:03:12,710 Speaker 2: Meet this honest John, the villain of the year. A 43 00:03:12,750 --> 00:03:17,410 Speaker 2: crummy crumb, a no-good bum who sports a sneaky sneer. 44 00:03:17,790 --> 00:03:18,590 Speaker 1: Watch the birdie. 45 00:03:19,110 --> 00:03:21,290 Speaker 2: You think I was kidding when I said I'd be 46 00:03:21,350 --> 00:03:26,150 Speaker 2: glad to knock you off? I have some gorgonzola for 47 00:03:26,190 --> 00:03:27,310 Speaker 2: his little schnozola. 48 00:03:30,010 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: Shazmat. No, no, no, no. Angus and Malcolm Young of 49 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: ACDC never forgot where they came from. The working class. 50 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,980 Speaker 1: The kind of home where the television babysat the kids 51 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: because there was no other option. And they never forgot 52 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,510 Speaker 1: what made them. Family. The two brothers launched their band 53 00:03:53,530 --> 00:03:56,930 Speaker 1: in the early 70s under the guidance of their older brother, George, who, 54 00:03:57,410 --> 00:04:00,630 Speaker 1: along with his friend Harry Vanda, had already achieved pop 55 00:04:00,670 --> 00:04:04,350 Speaker 1: chart success with his band, The Easy Beats. The Easy 56 00:04:04,390 --> 00:04:07,810 Speaker 1: Beats single, Friday on My Mind, reached number 16 on 57 00:04:07,830 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: the Billboard Hot 100 in America in 1966 and was 58 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:16,580 Speaker 1: covered by David Bowie on his album, Pin Ups, in 73. 59 00:04:16,580 --> 00:04:19,460 Speaker 1: In the environment that Angus and Malcolm were raised in, 60 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:24,190 Speaker 1: hard work and disciplines were of utmost importance. It didn't 61 00:04:24,230 --> 00:04:27,110 Speaker 1: matter if you were mixing cement, as their father had done, 62 00:04:27,290 --> 00:04:29,750 Speaker 1: or playing guitar in a band with your brother on 63 00:04:29,830 --> 00:04:36,180 Speaker 1: stage and your other brother behind the board. Concrete shoes, cyanide, neckties, 64 00:04:36,630 --> 00:04:40,780 Speaker 1: contract killings, this kind of work, the dirty deeds, the 65 00:04:40,820 --> 00:04:44,940 Speaker 1: kind that Dishonest John promised to deliver dirt cheap. Dishonest 66 00:04:44,980 --> 00:04:47,820 Speaker 1: John was a character from Angus' favorite cartoon growing up, 67 00:04:48,100 --> 00:04:52,500 Speaker 1: The Beanie and Cecil Show. Even this type of work 68 00:04:52,820 --> 00:04:58,460 Speaker 1: required discipline. But for Angus and Malcolm, who in 1975 69 00:04:58,460 --> 00:05:01,700 Speaker 1: were putting together the lyrics with ACDC singer Bon Scott 70 00:05:01,779 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: for their third album, contract killings and the like were 71 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:10,180 Speaker 1: just violent fantasy. Typical of the type of transgressions demonstrated 72 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,060 Speaker 1: by the characters dreamed up by Bon. Men on the 73 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,849 Speaker 1: outer edge of society, thieves, broke-down dreamers, schemers, stalkers, and yes, 74 00:05:19,550 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: even killers. Men on the Fringe, like the main character 75 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,219 Speaker 1: in the title track from their forthcoming album, Dirty Deeds 76 00:05:27,339 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: Done Dirt Cheap. A song inspired partly by Bond's vivid imagination, 77 00:05:32,550 --> 00:05:37,210 Speaker 1: partly from Angus' childhood infatuation with the Dishonest John cartoon character, 78 00:05:37,830 --> 00:05:41,330 Speaker 1: and partly from those bad, bad men Humphrey Bogart portrayed 79 00:05:41,370 --> 00:05:46,390 Speaker 1: in his early films. The song, Dirty Deeds, was great, 80 00:05:46,830 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: no doubt about it. Beneath the story of Bond's bad, 81 00:05:50,380 --> 00:05:54,060 Speaker 1: bad man hiring himself out to solve his customers' problems 82 00:05:54,100 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: with all manner of criminal violence and in typical Bond 83 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,810 Speaker 1: humor to do so cheaply, beneath all of that, there 84 00:06:00,820 --> 00:06:07,390 Speaker 1: was a killer riff and a rhythm that swung. ACDC 85 00:06:07,450 --> 00:06:10,910 Speaker 1: is often categorized as being a hard rock band, but 86 00:06:11,510 --> 00:06:16,310 Speaker 1: that couldn't be more untrue. ACDC is a rock and 87 00:06:16,390 --> 00:06:20,010 Speaker 1: roll band. The rock part of the equation is the 88 00:06:20,050 --> 00:06:23,219 Speaker 1: part that sounds hard, and the roll part is the 89 00:06:23,260 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 1: part that's hard to do. It's the part that swings. 90 00:06:27,220 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: Think of the Rolling Stones. Hard riffs from Keith, but 91 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,620 Speaker 1: songs that feel good and make you want to dance 92 00:06:32,700 --> 00:06:36,150 Speaker 1: because of Charlie. Because Charlie Watts knew how to swing. 93 00:06:36,930 --> 00:06:40,089 Speaker 1: The swing is subtle. Most rock bands get it wrong. 94 00:06:40,690 --> 00:06:43,750 Speaker 1: And well, they're not rock and roll bands. They're just 95 00:06:44,350 --> 00:06:50,170 Speaker 1: rock bands. Malcolm Young was... hell-bent on being a rock 96 00:06:50,210 --> 00:06:53,470 Speaker 1: and roll band. Being just a rock band wasn't good enough. 97 00:06:54,029 --> 00:06:56,590 Speaker 1: You might as well be hauling concrete or watching cartoons. 98 00:06:57,750 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: Being in a great rock and roll band was something 99 00:06:59,690 --> 00:07:04,140 Speaker 1: that would last. And finally, on this album, on Dirty Deeds, 100 00:07:04,860 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: Malcolm had what he wanted. That's because now, after a 101 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:13,540 Speaker 1: series of early releases with different bandmates, inconsistent repertoire and 102 00:07:13,580 --> 00:07:17,940 Speaker 1: distribution issues, ACDC seemed to finally be putting it all 103 00:07:17,980 --> 00:07:21,980 Speaker 1: together on one great full-length album that was bound to 104 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: break the band in America. Malcolm knew what anyone who 105 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:30,690 Speaker 1: saw ACDC back in the 70s quickly learned. ACDC was 106 00:07:30,710 --> 00:07:33,730 Speaker 1: the greatest rock and roll band on the planet. Pete 107 00:07:33,770 --> 00:07:36,310 Speaker 1: Townshend from The Who saw them live and loved them. 108 00:07:36,870 --> 00:07:40,450 Speaker 1: Cheap Trick found other brothers from Down Under. Kiss was 109 00:07:40,490 --> 00:07:43,630 Speaker 1: intimidated by them. And Van Halen was afraid to follow 110 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:48,910 Speaker 1: them on stage. ACDC was that good. And a big 111 00:07:48,970 --> 00:07:52,590 Speaker 1: reason why was because in addition to Angus' schoolboy guitar 112 00:07:52,630 --> 00:07:56,410 Speaker 1: hero antics and Bond's bad boy soul strip and Malcolm's 113 00:07:56,610 --> 00:08:00,410 Speaker 1: iron fist behind it all, ACDC had a drummer who 114 00:08:00,450 --> 00:08:06,070 Speaker 1: could swing. Phil Rudd. With Phil now behind the kit, 115 00:08:06,750 --> 00:08:08,890 Speaker 1: Malcolm Young was on his way to building a band 116 00:08:08,930 --> 00:08:13,100 Speaker 1: that was the rock and roll representation of raw, working-class power. 117 00:08:13,750 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 1: A machine that could withstand fame, addiction, death, and even murder. 118 00:08:22,420 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: But Atlantic Records didn't hear a single. And Dirty Deeds 119 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: Done Dirt Cheap was shelved in America. It disappeared into limbo, unreleased. 120 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,970 Speaker 1: Not until years later did American audiences get to hear it. 121 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 1: For the time being, partly to prevent being dropped by 122 00:08:38,660 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: their label, and partly as a giant fuck you to 123 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,570 Speaker 1: the label that clearly didn't believe in his band, Malcolm 124 00:08:44,590 --> 00:08:51,010 Speaker 1: Young took ACDC back into the studio and created a masterpiece, 125 00:08:51,030 --> 00:08:53,550 Speaker 1: 1977's Let There Be Rock. Let the label try to 126 00:08:53,590 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: ignore this. They couldn't. Neither could audiences. The band toured 127 00:08:59,010 --> 00:09:03,660 Speaker 1: relentlessly through Europe and America. ACDC quickly followed Let There 128 00:09:03,700 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: Be Rock with 1978's Powerage, quite literally the greatest rock 129 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: and roll album of all time, by the way, but 130 00:09:11,110 --> 00:09:13,490 Speaker 1: I'm not here to start arguments you can't win. I'm 131 00:09:13,530 --> 00:09:15,650 Speaker 1: here to tell you a story about dirty deeds, so 132 00:09:16,010 --> 00:09:20,270 Speaker 1: I'll just keep going. With Power Ridge came more touring 133 00:09:20,620 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: and plans for another record, this one to hopefully do 134 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:28,059 Speaker 1: what others hadn't, break the band in America. But touring 135 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:32,900 Speaker 1: was taking its toll, as touring does. People think that 136 00:09:32,940 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 1: the lives of touring musicians are glamorous, and to some extent, 137 00:09:37,130 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: It is dancing girls and champagne on ice, as Bon 138 00:09:40,420 --> 00:09:45,380 Speaker 1: Scott once sang, but it's also incredibly taxing physically and mentally. 139 00:09:46,020 --> 00:09:49,300 Speaker 1: It'll drive even the best of them crazy. And people 140 00:09:49,340 --> 00:09:51,730 Speaker 1: also think that being in a band is being part 141 00:09:51,750 --> 00:09:55,070 Speaker 1: of a brotherhood, and it most definitely is. But the 142 00:09:55,110 --> 00:09:57,830 Speaker 1: part that often gets left out is, what if one 143 00:09:57,850 --> 00:09:59,970 Speaker 1: of your brothers goes shithouse nuts every now and again? 144 00:10:00,670 --> 00:10:04,620 Speaker 1: What then? Every band knows what I'm talking about. Bon 145 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:08,660 Speaker 1: Scott definitely knew about this. So much so that in 1978, 146 00:10:08,660 --> 00:10:11,140 Speaker 1: he took some time off from partying on the road 147 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:17,020 Speaker 1: to write a letter to his sister. Valerie, Bon wrote 148 00:10:17,260 --> 00:10:21,030 Speaker 1: on Hilton Stationery. Well, as you can see, Bond's in 149 00:10:21,090 --> 00:10:24,190 Speaker 1: downtown Pittsburgh today. I've just come over from the West 150 00:10:24,250 --> 00:10:26,230 Speaker 1: Coast where I spent a couple of days in L.A. 151 00:10:26,290 --> 00:10:30,140 Speaker 1: doing Midnight Special. Bond goes on, and you can feel 152 00:10:30,179 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 1: the natural charm in his words and the sweetness he 153 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:36,780 Speaker 1: has in reserve for his sibling. You can also instantly 154 00:10:36,860 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: feel his concern for a friend. Bond is telling Valerie 155 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:45,910 Speaker 1: that he's scouting drummers to fill in for ACDC's Phil Rudd, saying, quote, 156 00:10:46,390 --> 00:10:49,420 Speaker 1: Phil had a bit of a nervous breakdown. And Bond 157 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,380 Speaker 1: goes on to say that Phil had to spend a 158 00:10:51,420 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: lot of time with the shrink, and that it was 159 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,060 Speaker 1: real bad, but luckily he got over it quickly enough 160 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 1: not to upset the band. And we had to treat 161 00:10:59,980 --> 00:11:02,540 Speaker 1: him with kid gloves for a bit, but he's okay now. 162 00:11:05,340 --> 00:11:07,980 Speaker 1: According to Bond Scott, Phil Rudd had gone a bit 163 00:11:08,020 --> 00:11:12,090 Speaker 1: off the rails. A loose cannon drummer was exactly the 164 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:14,930 Speaker 1: type of drummer a musician as serious-minded as Malcolm Young 165 00:11:15,270 --> 00:11:20,569 Speaker 1: could not abide. Yet Malcolm needed Phil. Malcolm had played 166 00:11:20,590 --> 00:11:23,110 Speaker 1: with other drummers, and other drummers were a dead end. 167 00:11:23,929 --> 00:11:27,110 Speaker 1: Phil swung in a special way, and Malcolm couldn't go 168 00:11:27,170 --> 00:11:29,349 Speaker 1: back to the way it was, to being just a 169 00:11:29,510 --> 00:11:34,670 Speaker 1: rock band. So Malcolm closed ranks, dealt with Phil's problem internally, 170 00:11:34,980 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 1: and kept trudging toward success in America with Phil behind 171 00:11:37,860 --> 00:11:40,820 Speaker 1: the kit for the recording of the band's next album, again, 172 00:11:41,179 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: the one they hoped would break them in the States. 173 00:11:44,500 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: But now the label was interfering once more, and for 174 00:11:47,340 --> 00:11:50,470 Speaker 1: this next record, ACDC would need to part ways with 175 00:11:50,490 --> 00:11:54,110 Speaker 1: their longtime producer, their brother, George Young, and work with 176 00:11:54,150 --> 00:11:57,609 Speaker 1: someone who better understood what American audiences were looking for. 177 00:11:58,710 --> 00:12:02,380 Speaker 1: The meddling stung. Being forced to break the bond with 178 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:08,500 Speaker 1: their older brother stung even worse. Atlantic suggested legendary producer 179 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: Eddie Kramer, he of Jimi Hendrix fame. Eddie Kramer suggested 180 00:12:12,980 --> 00:12:16,010 Speaker 1: Malcolm and Angus record the young rascals Good Lovin' as 181 00:12:16,050 --> 00:12:19,430 Speaker 1: their first single. Malcolm called his manager and told him 182 00:12:19,450 --> 00:12:21,510 Speaker 1: to get Eddie Kramer the fuck out of the studio 183 00:12:21,550 --> 00:12:23,460 Speaker 1: and on the first thing smoking back to wherever the 184 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:27,179 Speaker 1: hell he came from. Atlantic then shipped in Mutt Lang, 185 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,500 Speaker 1: fresh off crafting a number one hit for the Boomtown Rats. 186 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: Mutt told Malcolm and Bond that the backing vocals on 187 00:12:34,620 --> 00:12:36,940 Speaker 1: the demos needed to be sung in a certain way. 188 00:12:37,940 --> 00:12:41,450 Speaker 1: Malcolm told Mutt he wasn't no dirty Boomtown Rat singing 189 00:12:41,490 --> 00:12:44,690 Speaker 1: for the charts. Mutt then went in and sang the 190 00:12:44,730 --> 00:12:49,209 Speaker 1: suggested vocal part perfectly. Malcolm took the note, and so 191 00:12:49,230 --> 00:12:53,189 Speaker 1: did Bon. Mutt was on another level, and he understood 192 00:12:53,230 --> 00:12:56,610 Speaker 1: what made ACDC work. For the most part, he just 193 00:12:56,630 --> 00:12:59,390 Speaker 1: got out of the way and let them cook. What 194 00:12:59,450 --> 00:13:04,210 Speaker 1: emerged was a masterpiece, Highway to Hell. The album did 195 00:13:04,250 --> 00:13:06,450 Speaker 1: for the band what It and Atlantic had long hoped 196 00:13:06,470 --> 00:13:10,500 Speaker 1: to achieve. It broke them in America. To date, the 197 00:13:10,580 --> 00:13:13,260 Speaker 1: album has sold almost 8 million copies in the United 198 00:13:13,300 --> 00:13:18,329 Speaker 1: States and more than 15 million worldwide. But if ACDC 199 00:13:18,350 --> 00:13:20,550 Speaker 1: was going to be built to last, there was another 200 00:13:20,590 --> 00:13:24,330 Speaker 1: mile marker on the highway to pass. Even greater success. 201 00:13:25,030 --> 00:13:31,910 Speaker 1: International success. Malcolm was relentless, a workhorse. He and Angus 202 00:13:31,990 --> 00:13:34,809 Speaker 1: wrote tirelessly for what they were certain would be an 203 00:13:35,050 --> 00:13:37,030 Speaker 1: album that would blow the rest of the world wide 204 00:13:37,130 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: open for ACDC. As 1980 progressed and high school kids 205 00:13:41,980 --> 00:13:44,900 Speaker 1: across the United States dug into the massive riffs on 206 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,020 Speaker 1: Highway to Hell, The band was already set to record 207 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: a follow-up. Now it was Bon's turn. He looked up 208 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,300 Speaker 1: from the notebook he was writing in and closed it. 209 00:13:56,510 --> 00:14:00,610 Speaker 1: It was February in London. Cold and dreary. But Bon 210 00:14:00,630 --> 00:14:04,969 Speaker 1: was feeling celebratory. He'd done it. He'd finished writing the 211 00:14:05,010 --> 00:14:10,660 Speaker 1: lyrics for ACDC's next album. Finally. And so, it was 212 00:14:10,740 --> 00:14:45,940 Speaker 1: time to get drunk. There are no handbooks in rock 213 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: and roll. There's no index you can leaf through. No 214 00:14:49,780 --> 00:14:54,090 Speaker 1: dead singer section filed under D. Therefore, there were no 215 00:14:54,150 --> 00:14:58,570 Speaker 1: instructions for ACDC when they learned in February 1980 that 216 00:14:58,590 --> 00:15:03,430 Speaker 1: their singer, the inimitable and seemingly irreplaceable Bon Scott, had died. 217 00:15:04,950 --> 00:15:08,220 Speaker 1: One of Bon's girlfriends at the time, Silver Smith, claims 218 00:15:08,250 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: that Bond finished writing the lyrics for ACDC's next album 219 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,820 Speaker 1: in the London flat that he was renting and went 220 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: out afterward to celebrate with his friends from the band 221 00:15:16,420 --> 00:15:19,820 Speaker 1: UFO at a club called The Music Machine. Bond then 222 00:15:19,900 --> 00:15:22,620 Speaker 1: blacked out drunk in the back of a Renault 5, 223 00:15:22,620 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: choked on his own vomit, and died senselessly. And now, Malcolm, Angus, 224 00:15:30,060 --> 00:15:32,820 Speaker 1: and everyone else in the ACDC camp was trying to 225 00:15:32,860 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: figure out how to get their dead singer back to Australia. 226 00:15:36,890 --> 00:15:39,270 Speaker 1: From first class on the plane while they waited to 227 00:15:39,310 --> 00:15:42,570 Speaker 1: fly out, you could see Bond's coffin coming down the 228 00:15:42,630 --> 00:15:45,790 Speaker 1: baggage conveyor belt, mixed in with the rest of the luggage. 229 00:15:46,830 --> 00:15:50,650 Speaker 1: Fuck this. Angus wouldn't have it. He wasn't flying home 230 00:15:50,730 --> 00:15:53,290 Speaker 1: first class with his friend being hauled underneath the plane 231 00:15:53,310 --> 00:15:56,210 Speaker 1: with the rest of the cargo. The band moved back 232 00:15:56,230 --> 00:16:01,150 Speaker 1: to coach and back to Australia. And Bond Scott was buried. 233 00:16:04,290 --> 00:16:07,710 Speaker 1: And then the band moved on through their grief. Each 234 00:16:07,770 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: band member, Malcolm, Angus, Phil, and bassist Cliff Williams worked tirelessly. 235 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,020 Speaker 1: The first order of business was to find a replacement 236 00:16:16,060 --> 00:16:20,500 Speaker 1: for Bond, a task that seemed impossible, but somehow was 237 00:16:20,540 --> 00:16:24,450 Speaker 1: accomplished when they found Brian Johnson, a singer who once 238 00:16:24,510 --> 00:16:27,750 Speaker 1: impressed Bond and a singer who, as it's long been rumored, 239 00:16:28,170 --> 00:16:32,150 Speaker 1: was recommended to ACDC by a fan. Next up, they 240 00:16:32,190 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: needed to complete the album they started putting together before 241 00:16:34,900 --> 00:16:37,820 Speaker 1: Bond's death. When they emerged from the studio, they were 242 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: wielding a tribute to Bond called Back in Black, an 243 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: album that would sell ungodly amounts of records, largely on 244 00:16:44,900 --> 00:16:47,979 Speaker 1: the strength of the band's new songs, songs that fit 245 00:16:48,020 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: their new singer perfectly, and also on the strength of 246 00:16:51,180 --> 00:16:54,660 Speaker 1: the group's relentless touring. When all was said and done, 247 00:16:55,230 --> 00:16:57,950 Speaker 1: Back in Black did what Malcolm intended it to do, 248 00:16:58,830 --> 00:17:02,090 Speaker 1: broke the band beyond America, throughout the rest of the world. 249 00:17:02,730 --> 00:17:05,340 Speaker 1: It was a global smash. one that would go on 250 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: to sell 50 million copies and become the second biggest 251 00:17:08,100 --> 00:17:12,399 Speaker 1: selling full-length album of all time, behind only Michael Jackson's Thriller. 252 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: Back in Black's follow-up, For Those About to Rock, We 253 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:20,540 Speaker 1: Salute You, sold incredibly well also, deepening ACDC's connection with 254 00:17:20,580 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 1: American gearheads and FM radio listeners. They continued to tour 255 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:28,050 Speaker 1: and became, quite literally, the biggest band on the planet 256 00:17:28,090 --> 00:17:30,830 Speaker 1: before hunkering down to create their next album, Flick of 257 00:17:30,850 --> 00:17:33,880 Speaker 1: the Switch. And that's when the pressure of it all 258 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,700 Speaker 1: started to grind the gears on Malcolm's well-oiled rock and 259 00:17:36,740 --> 00:17:49,390 Speaker 1: roll machine. Phil Rudd, ACDC's drummer, the man who rolled 260 00:17:49,470 --> 00:17:54,290 Speaker 1: and swung mightily, was coming apart again. He played nightly 261 00:17:54,330 --> 00:17:56,550 Speaker 1: to tens of thousands of adoring fans and did his 262 00:17:56,670 --> 00:17:59,070 Speaker 1: best to outrun the death of one of his best friends, 263 00:17:59,130 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: Bon Scott, all while enjoying the trappings of success Bond 264 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,700 Speaker 1: always wanted but never achieved. It was a lot, and 265 00:18:06,740 --> 00:18:10,260 Speaker 1: the guilt was no doubt white hot. Phil cooled it 266 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:15,750 Speaker 1: with alcohol, gallons and gallons of alcohol. Of course, in 267 00:18:15,810 --> 00:18:18,810 Speaker 1: rock and roll, drinking is not only tolerated, it's encouraged. 268 00:18:19,390 --> 00:18:22,210 Speaker 1: But for a band leader like Malcolm Young, the only 269 00:18:22,230 --> 00:18:24,950 Speaker 1: thing that was sacred was your playing. If the drink 270 00:18:25,010 --> 00:18:29,980 Speaker 1: impacted the gig, then you could get fucked. Offstage in 271 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,590 Speaker 1: a hotel room in Nebraska, Phil Rudd was drinking with ghosts. 272 00:18:35,250 --> 00:18:36,950 Speaker 1: They were right there at the edge of his bed. 273 00:18:37,910 --> 00:18:40,330 Speaker 1: Who were these people pulling from the same bottle that 274 00:18:40,369 --> 00:18:45,510 Speaker 1: he was? Groupies, fans. Some spoke in adoring, kiss-ass tones. 275 00:18:46,109 --> 00:18:50,470 Speaker 1: Some taunted Phil. They talked of ACDC songs and fast cars, 276 00:18:50,550 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 1: and all Phil heard was Bond's voice. When one of them, 277 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:58,860 Speaker 1: just a high school head, asked Phil for a light, 278 00:18:59,540 --> 00:19:03,180 Speaker 1: Phil heard Bon ask for a light. When the lady 279 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,790 Speaker 1: with the dude who was icing her got frustrated and 280 00:19:05,830 --> 00:19:08,950 Speaker 1: wanted to know where the coke was, Phil heard Bon 281 00:19:09,030 --> 00:19:12,730 Speaker 1: question him. When two guys near the bathroom nearly came 282 00:19:12,750 --> 00:19:15,670 Speaker 1: to blows over a girl sitting on Phil's bed, Phil 283 00:19:15,710 --> 00:19:20,590 Speaker 1: heard Bon arguing with himself. Phil had a thought. Was 284 00:19:20,630 --> 00:19:25,710 Speaker 1: this it? Were the distractions, the gigs, the sessions, the responsibilities, 285 00:19:26,380 --> 00:19:30,330 Speaker 1: were they no longer enough? Phil may have been pissed drunk, 286 00:19:30,390 --> 00:19:34,810 Speaker 1: but he knew what this was. Unresolved grief finally coming 287 00:19:34,850 --> 00:19:37,449 Speaker 1: to the surface, bleeding out all over the room in 288 00:19:37,510 --> 00:19:41,050 Speaker 1: ghostly white heat, filling the atmosphere within these four walls 289 00:19:41,090 --> 00:19:45,070 Speaker 1: with a pressure he'd never imagined. Manifest in the words 290 00:19:45,109 --> 00:19:49,090 Speaker 1: of the fans, his new fair-weather friends, speaking in Bon 291 00:19:49,109 --> 00:19:53,500 Speaker 1: Scott's voice. and now increasingly in tongues. The sound of 292 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,140 Speaker 1: it filled his head with dense pressure. It was intense, 293 00:19:57,940 --> 00:20:00,300 Speaker 1: more intense than the pressure of being on stage in 294 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: front of tens of thousands, and more intense than staring 295 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,540 Speaker 1: down Malcolm, stronger than the fear of letting Angus down. 296 00:20:07,170 --> 00:20:09,980 Speaker 1: It was the pressure of admitting he was gone and 297 00:20:10,020 --> 00:20:13,120 Speaker 1: that there was nothing he or anyone else could do 298 00:20:13,180 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 1: about it. The bond was gone. And these fuckers in 299 00:20:18,380 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: the room had to go next. But Phil was helpless. 300 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:25,070 Speaker 1: He called his road manager, Ian. Ian would know what 301 00:20:25,109 --> 00:20:28,630 Speaker 1: to do. Road managers always knew what to do. Ian 302 00:20:28,670 --> 00:20:30,629 Speaker 1: headed straight over to Phil's room to clear out the 303 00:20:30,690 --> 00:20:33,270 Speaker 1: groupies and the fans so that ACDC's drummer could get 304 00:20:33,290 --> 00:20:38,270 Speaker 1: some rest. But when Ian entered the room, It was empty. 305 00:20:39,910 --> 00:20:43,290 Speaker 1: Empty with the exception of Phil. And there were no groupies, 306 00:20:43,850 --> 00:20:49,340 Speaker 1: no fans, only a ghost. Phil Rudd had tripped beyond 307 00:20:49,420 --> 00:20:54,360 Speaker 1: some invisible line. And things would not get better. Phil 308 00:20:54,420 --> 00:20:57,679 Speaker 1: Rudd continued drinking with the ghost of Bon Scott. Until 309 00:20:57,780 --> 00:21:02,369 Speaker 1: on October 8th, 1983, Phil walked on stage in Uniondale, 310 00:21:02,410 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: New York, wasted, sat down behind his kit, and bashed 311 00:21:06,540 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 1: away until he fell off his stool in a piss-drunk stupor. 312 00:21:09,890 --> 00:21:14,970 Speaker 1: He recovered, sort of, and finished the set. Afterward, Malcolm 313 00:21:15,010 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: Young walked up to his drummer backstage and walloped him 314 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,300 Speaker 1: in the face with his fist. That was it. Phil 315 00:21:21,340 --> 00:21:24,260 Speaker 1: could fuck off. He was out of the group, and 316 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 1: ACDC was now just another rock band. We'll be right 317 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:43,790 Speaker 1: back after this word, word, word. Chapter four, the high 318 00:21:43,830 --> 00:21:49,129 Speaker 1: school head. Who said you needed a swing? Plenty of 319 00:21:49,190 --> 00:21:52,970 Speaker 1: bands who merely rocked had enjoyed massive success. It was 320 00:21:52,970 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 1: 1990 and the billboard charts were peppered with rock bands 321 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,010 Speaker 1: turning on teenage heads all over the world. Jon Bon 322 00:22:00,050 --> 00:22:02,990 Speaker 1: Jovi made Jersey Girls swoon with Blaze of Glory, which 323 00:22:03,050 --> 00:22:06,090 Speaker 1: went to number one. Billy Idol rocked the Cradle of 324 00:22:06,170 --> 00:22:08,889 Speaker 1: Love all the way up to number two. Faith No 325 00:22:08,930 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 1: More soared into the top ten at number nine with 326 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:15,220 Speaker 1: their single, Epic. And in the same year, Nelson, Heart, 327 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: and Skid Row all competed on the charts alongside ACDC's 328 00:22:19,380 --> 00:22:22,939 Speaker 1: single Thunderstruck, the band's biggest hit since You Shook Me 329 00:22:22,980 --> 00:22:26,450 Speaker 1: All Night Long, which drove their new album, The Razor's Edge, 330 00:22:26,830 --> 00:22:30,950 Speaker 1: to multi-platinum status. the band's best-selling record since Back in Black. 331 00:22:32,210 --> 00:22:36,270 Speaker 1: All of these songs were rock. Bon Jovi, Billy Idol, Nelson, Heart, 332 00:22:36,310 --> 00:22:40,180 Speaker 1: Skid Row, etc. They weren't rock and roll. Thunderstruck by 333 00:22:40,260 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 1: ACDC wasn't rock and roll either. It's about as meat 334 00:22:43,340 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: and potato as hard rock as you can get. It's great, 335 00:22:46,500 --> 00:22:48,340 Speaker 1: don't get me wrong, but it isn't Highway to Hell 336 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,300 Speaker 1: or Let There Be Rock. It doesn't come anywhere near 337 00:22:51,340 --> 00:22:53,959 Speaker 1: the greatness the band achieved creatively when Phil Rudd was 338 00:22:54,010 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: in the band. Neither were the full-length recordings that preceded 339 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,180 Speaker 1: The Razor's Edge, or followed the last album to feature Phil, 340 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:04,380 Speaker 1: which was Flick of the Switch. Those albums being Fly 341 00:23:04,420 --> 00:23:08,050 Speaker 1: on the Wall and Blow Up Your Video. Simon Wright 342 00:23:08,109 --> 00:23:10,909 Speaker 1: replaced Phil Rudd on those albums, and Chris Slade of 343 00:23:10,950 --> 00:23:15,290 Speaker 1: The Firm replaced Simon on The Razor's Edge. This was 344 00:23:15,390 --> 00:23:20,930 Speaker 1: a creative era of inconsistency for ACDC. Some fans, the purists, 345 00:23:21,109 --> 00:23:24,930 Speaker 1: blame Bon Scott's replacement, singer Brian Johnson, for the band's 346 00:23:25,010 --> 00:23:29,149 Speaker 1: lackluster recordings during this time. Specifically fly on the wall 347 00:23:29,210 --> 00:23:32,149 Speaker 1: and blow up your video. But Brian wasn't the issue. 348 00:23:32,950 --> 00:23:36,690 Speaker 1: The drumming was the issue. Sure, Malcolm made it work 349 00:23:36,730 --> 00:23:40,820 Speaker 1: with Thunderstruck, but deep down, I think he knew. They 350 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: weren't the same band without Phil Rudd. They weren't a 351 00:23:43,780 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: rock and roll band. And something needed to change. And 352 00:23:47,660 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: that something was brought on by the dirtiest of deeds. Murder. 353 00:23:57,100 --> 00:24:05,710 Speaker 1: Chapter 5. We'll get round him. We'll have ourselves a ball. Christmas, 1983. 354 00:24:05,710 --> 00:24:10,190 Speaker 1: ACDC is once again on top. One of the biggest 355 00:24:10,230 --> 00:24:13,550 Speaker 1: bands in the world. And their manager, Crispin Dye, had 356 00:24:13,609 --> 00:24:17,700 Speaker 1: many reasons to celebrate that evening in Sydney, Australia. There 357 00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:20,540 Speaker 1: was the success of the band he managed, and then 358 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:22,820 Speaker 1: there was the joy he felt over releasing his own 359 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: debut album. So Crispin went out to hit the pubs. 360 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,270 Speaker 1: Upon leaving one of those watering holes in the Darlinghurst neighborhood, 361 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:36,790 Speaker 1: he was attacked. Three men, or was it just one? 362 00:24:37,550 --> 00:24:41,750 Speaker 1: It's doubtful Crispin ever saw the attack coming. The head 363 00:24:41,790 --> 00:24:46,030 Speaker 1: trauma likely came first from a blunt instrument, then the punches, 364 00:24:46,170 --> 00:24:49,060 Speaker 1: the kicks. When you fell, then your brain has been 365 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 1: so severely bashed that you can feel it loosening itself 366 00:24:52,220 --> 00:24:54,919 Speaker 1: from the inside of your skull. The hits to the 367 00:24:54,980 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: body don't really register. You're in shock, confused, and you 368 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,620 Speaker 1: know something's happening to you, but you're not sure what. 369 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 1: There's fear, yes, but that fear isn't of your attackers. 370 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:12,139 Speaker 1: It's deeper now. You can feel yourself slipping away. Holding 371 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 1: on is no longer a tangible challenge. It's metaphysical. and 372 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,369 Speaker 1: you try to concentrate, but the hits keep on coming, 373 00:25:19,690 --> 00:25:22,130 Speaker 1: and your mind is pulling you into a darkness you've 374 00:25:22,150 --> 00:25:25,810 Speaker 1: never known. A darkness with a promise of peace so 375 00:25:25,890 --> 00:25:28,129 Speaker 1: real you can feel it wrap itself around you and 376 00:25:28,230 --> 00:25:30,750 Speaker 1: shield you from the pain being inflicted upon your body. 377 00:25:31,810 --> 00:25:36,270 Speaker 1: But there's a trade-off. Nothing's free. Slipping into that peace 378 00:25:36,410 --> 00:25:40,910 Speaker 1: means slipping into oblivion. So you fight. If not physically, 379 00:25:41,430 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: then mentally. You will yourself to survive. But when they 380 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:49,850 Speaker 1: find you, You're unconscious, bloodied, broken, lying in the street 381 00:25:49,869 --> 00:25:52,629 Speaker 1: like a Christian thrown to the lions. And they gather 382 00:25:52,670 --> 00:25:55,730 Speaker 1: up what's left of you, because remarkably you're still breathing. 383 00:25:56,150 --> 00:25:57,830 Speaker 1: And they bring you to the hospital where you do 384 00:25:57,850 --> 00:26:00,859 Speaker 1: your best to hang on. But that pull towards something 385 00:26:00,980 --> 00:26:04,700 Speaker 1: better than what you've been given, it's too strong. So 386 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:09,380 Speaker 1: you give in and succumb to your injuries the next day. Christmas, 387 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:12,619 Speaker 1: the day you meet your maker at the age of 388 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:21,230 Speaker 1: just 41. ACDC's manager, Crispin Dye, was murdered. They never 389 00:26:21,270 --> 00:26:26,030 Speaker 1: caught his killers. And this case is steeped in hate. First, 390 00:26:26,250 --> 00:26:29,510 Speaker 1: there was the supposed eyewitness accusation that three Pacific Islanders 391 00:26:29,530 --> 00:26:32,909 Speaker 1: were seen standing over Crispin's body, a lead that went nowhere. 392 00:26:33,550 --> 00:26:35,530 Speaker 1: And then there was the fact that Crispin was gay, 393 00:26:35,850 --> 00:26:38,330 Speaker 1: walking late at night in an area known for its 394 00:26:38,369 --> 00:26:41,950 Speaker 1: gay nightlife. But the death was investigated as a robbery, 395 00:26:42,450 --> 00:26:45,950 Speaker 1: not a hate crime. And nothing came of it. Until 396 00:26:45,990 --> 00:26:50,010 Speaker 1: in 2023, Thirty years later, it was revealed that the 397 00:26:50,050 --> 00:26:53,889 Speaker 1: forensic testing of Dye's bloodstained clothing had been botched by authorities. 398 00:26:54,790 --> 00:26:57,820 Speaker 1: And when the forensics were run again, a DNA match 399 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: linked the crime to a violent convicted felon with a 400 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 1: criminal history, including a 1993 assault with an iron bar, 401 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,859 Speaker 1: a blunt instrument, and another attack of a tourist in Sydney. 402 00:27:11,900 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 1: That convicted felon killed himself in 2002. then the case 403 00:27:15,910 --> 00:27:22,020 Speaker 1: of the murder of ACDC's manager remains unsolved. What isn't 404 00:27:22,060 --> 00:27:26,300 Speaker 1: a mystery, however, is what this murder, this unfortunate event, 405 00:27:26,540 --> 00:27:30,580 Speaker 1: did for the band that Crispin Dye managed. At his funeral, 406 00:27:31,180 --> 00:27:35,359 Speaker 1: members of ACDC, past and present, were in attendance. And 407 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 1: this was where Malcolm Young ran into Phil Rudd for 408 00:27:38,140 --> 00:27:40,919 Speaker 1: the first time in years and was reminded of what 409 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,630 Speaker 1: he'd been missing in ACDC. that dirty swing that only 410 00:27:44,730 --> 00:27:48,670 Speaker 1: Phil was capable of bringing. You would think that a 411 00:27:48,710 --> 00:27:52,230 Speaker 1: guy in Malcolm Young's position in 1994 would be content. 412 00:27:53,270 --> 00:27:56,210 Speaker 1: He was a guitarist in a massive band, a band 413 00:27:56,250 --> 00:27:58,869 Speaker 1: he built with his brothers. So it was more than 414 00:27:58,890 --> 00:28:02,890 Speaker 1: a band, it was a giant, successful family business. He'd 415 00:28:02,950 --> 00:28:06,650 Speaker 1: written and recorded iconic music that would outlive him for decades. 416 00:28:07,540 --> 00:28:10,420 Speaker 1: He had the respect of his peers and heroes, the 417 00:28:10,500 --> 00:28:14,730 Speaker 1: Rolling Stones... They famously offered ACDC millions of dollars to 418 00:28:14,830 --> 00:28:17,630 Speaker 1: open up for them for one show, and Malcolm said no, 419 00:28:17,950 --> 00:28:21,670 Speaker 1: because ACDC opened for no one, not even his heroes. 420 00:28:22,890 --> 00:28:25,629 Speaker 1: Malcolm's band made him more money than he'd ever be 421 00:28:25,710 --> 00:28:28,990 Speaker 1: able to spend, so why mess around with what was 422 00:28:29,130 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 1: clearly working? Because true artists never rest. There's always a 423 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,100 Speaker 1: fear that if what you're making isn't great, then everything, 424 00:28:38,780 --> 00:28:43,340 Speaker 1: all of it, will disappear. Malcolm Young from his earliest 425 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,820 Speaker 1: days in ACDC wanted a band that could last, that 426 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:48,700 Speaker 1: could not be toppled by an outside force. And that 427 00:28:48,740 --> 00:28:51,100 Speaker 1: meant staying true to what he and his brother believed 428 00:28:51,140 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 1: was the best version of rock and roll they grew 429 00:28:53,140 --> 00:28:56,780 Speaker 1: up on and set out to make. Thunderstruck wasn't enough 430 00:28:57,180 --> 00:29:00,180 Speaker 1: because Malcolm knew there was a version of ACDC that 431 00:29:00,220 --> 00:29:03,620 Speaker 1: was better. And that version had to include the wild 432 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:09,700 Speaker 1: card Phil Rudd on drums. The encounter at the funeral 433 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:11,620 Speaker 1: set off a chain of events that would end with 434 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: Phil replacing Chris Slade and taking back his rightful seat 435 00:29:15,060 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 1: behind the kit in 1994, first with an informal jam 436 00:29:18,900 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: session with Angus and Malcolm, and then in rehearsals for 437 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 1: the band's next album, Ballbreaker, produced with Rick Rubin. The 438 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,740 Speaker 1: idea was that, with Phil back, Rubin would shepherd the 439 00:29:29,780 --> 00:29:33,380 Speaker 1: band to its stripped-down 70s sound. But that didn't really 440 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:37,180 Speaker 1: work out. Rick Rubin and Malcolm and Angus clashed creatively. 441 00:29:37,530 --> 00:29:42,700 Speaker 1: and the album suffered as a result. ACDC's real return 442 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,420 Speaker 1: to form didn't come until the next album, 2000's Stiff 443 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: Upper Lip, produced by Malcolm and Angus' brother, George Young. 444 00:29:51,690 --> 00:29:54,470 Speaker 1: After Atlantic Records forced George out before Highway to Hell, 445 00:29:54,830 --> 00:29:57,270 Speaker 1: his reunion with the band was a reset Malcolm had 446 00:29:57,290 --> 00:30:00,990 Speaker 1: been waiting for. With Phil Rudd anchoring the rhythm and 447 00:30:01,050 --> 00:30:05,690 Speaker 1: George behind the board, ACDC once again sounded exactly as 448 00:30:05,770 --> 00:30:09,190 Speaker 1: Malcolm always knew the band should. Stiff Upper Lip may 449 00:30:09,210 --> 00:30:12,209 Speaker 1: be an overlooked record from ACDC's catalog, but it's the 450 00:30:12,260 --> 00:30:15,220 Speaker 1: band's best record with Brian Johnson that's not named Back 451 00:30:15,260 --> 00:30:19,700 Speaker 1: in Black. And after nearly two decades of creative inconsistency, 452 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:22,460 Speaker 1: the band was ready to charge into the new millennium 453 00:30:22,500 --> 00:30:25,660 Speaker 1: with the same white-hot intensity they'd owned in the 70s. 454 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:30,210 Speaker 1: But along the way, Malcolm would face challenges to that vision. 455 00:30:31,190 --> 00:30:34,070 Speaker 1: And none of those challenges was more shocking than when 456 00:30:34,150 --> 00:30:38,170 Speaker 1: Phil Rudd once again stopped drumming for ACDC and became 457 00:30:38,210 --> 00:30:41,340 Speaker 1: a real-life character ripped from the lyrics of Dirty Deeds 458 00:30:41,410 --> 00:30:48,820 Speaker 1: Done Dirty. A true dishonest John. Time to do my 459 00:30:48,860 --> 00:31:07,940 Speaker 1: bad deeds for the day. We'll get back into this 460 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:09,740 Speaker 1: story in a couple seconds, guys. But I wanted to 461 00:31:09,780 --> 00:31:11,900 Speaker 1: bring up what you may have heard me mention in 462 00:31:11,940 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: the last block. The fact that Bon Scott's girlfriend claimed 463 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:18,660 Speaker 1: that he actually finished the lyrics for ACDC's next album 464 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:22,730 Speaker 1: before he died. That would be the Back in Black album. 465 00:31:23,170 --> 00:31:27,110 Speaker 1: But Bon Scott isn't credited as a lyricist or songwriter 466 00:31:27,170 --> 00:31:30,590 Speaker 1: on Back in Black. This controversy has been debated by 467 00:31:30,690 --> 00:31:35,210 Speaker 1: ACDC fans for years. Did Bon Scott actually write some 468 00:31:35,250 --> 00:31:38,190 Speaker 1: of the lyrics and for the massively successful Back in 469 00:31:38,230 --> 00:31:43,090 Speaker 1: Black album. And was Brian Johnson credited instead? There's too 470 00:31:43,110 --> 00:31:44,930 Speaker 1: much to get into about the story in this full 471 00:31:44,970 --> 00:31:48,670 Speaker 1: episode of Disgraceland, but we do dive in more fully 472 00:31:48,830 --> 00:31:53,450 Speaker 1: in this week's accompanying mini episode, which Disgraceland All Access 473 00:31:53,490 --> 00:31:56,830 Speaker 1: members can hear in their Apple Podcasts or Patreon apps. 474 00:31:56,870 --> 00:32:00,230 Speaker 1: Go to disgracelandpod.com slash membership to become a member today 475 00:32:00,470 --> 00:32:02,490 Speaker 1: for just $ 5. 99. And we're going to get back to 476 00:32:02,530 --> 00:32:11,460 Speaker 1: our full ACDC story right now. Chapter 6. Just ring 362436. Hey, 477 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:17,110 Speaker 1: I lead a life of crime. On April 16, 2014, 478 00:32:17,110 --> 00:32:22,910 Speaker 1: ACDC issued a statement that read in part, After 40 479 00:32:22,910 --> 00:32:27,330 Speaker 1: years of life dedicated to ACDC, guitarist and founding member 480 00:32:27,390 --> 00:32:30,170 Speaker 1: Malcolm Young is taking a break from the band due 481 00:32:30,190 --> 00:32:33,960 Speaker 1: to ill health. ACDC asked that Malcolm and his family's 482 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 1: privacy be respected during this time. The band will continue 483 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 1: to make music. ACDC will get together in May in 484 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:45,370 Speaker 1: Vancouver to record. It seemed that not even Malcolm Young's 485 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:49,010 Speaker 1: own sickness, which was revealed six months later in September 486 00:32:49,030 --> 00:32:53,010 Speaker 1: of 2014 to be dementia, could deny him of his 487 00:32:53,090 --> 00:32:57,219 Speaker 1: goal to keep ACDC moving forward. So it was no 488 00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:00,080 Speaker 1: surprise when a few months later, on November 6, 2014, 489 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:03,300 Speaker 1: that the band would pledge to continue on in the 490 00:33:03,380 --> 00:33:06,860 Speaker 1: face of even more unbelievable news from the ACDC camp. 491 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 2: The drummer of the rock band ACDC is accused in 492 00:33:10,780 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 2: an alleged murder plot. Phil Rudd was charged in a 493 00:33:13,900 --> 00:33:17,090 Speaker 2: New Zealand court with attempting to hire a hitman to 494 00:33:17,140 --> 00:33:20,350 Speaker 2: kill two people. If convicted, Rudd could face 10 years 495 00:33:20,410 --> 00:33:21,090 Speaker 2: behind bars. 496 00:33:22,750 --> 00:33:25,970 Speaker 1: Drummer Phil Rudd. had just been arrested for offering a 497 00:33:26,010 --> 00:33:30,530 Speaker 1: hitman large amounts of cash to have two men taken out, murdered, 498 00:33:31,190 --> 00:33:36,250 Speaker 1: a contract killing, by a real-life dishonest John. Phil was 499 00:33:36,410 --> 00:33:40,110 Speaker 1: also charged with possessing large amounts of methamphetamine and cannabis. 500 00:33:41,210 --> 00:33:44,110 Speaker 1: The victims, the men the police were charging Phil Rudd 501 00:33:44,150 --> 00:33:49,150 Speaker 1: for threatening to kill, were supposed business associates. These men, 502 00:33:49,390 --> 00:33:52,060 Speaker 1: the identity of the victims has never been disclosed, were 503 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:55,460 Speaker 1: allegedly responsible for the existence, and from Phil's point of view, 504 00:33:55,480 --> 00:34:00,180 Speaker 1: the failure of his solo album, Head Job. The record bombed, 505 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:04,290 Speaker 1: and Phil was pissed, and most likely way high on meth, 506 00:34:04,790 --> 00:34:07,710 Speaker 1: and that drug-induced thinking caused Phil Rudd to threaten to 507 00:34:07,810 --> 00:34:11,250 Speaker 1: kill the two men who had worked for him. On 508 00:34:11,270 --> 00:34:15,030 Speaker 1: the day of Phil Rudd's arrest, ACDC wasted no time. 509 00:34:15,650 --> 00:34:19,270 Speaker 1: A statement was issued. It read, We've only become aware 510 00:34:19,310 --> 00:34:21,850 Speaker 1: of Phil's arrest as the news was breaking. We have 511 00:34:21,950 --> 00:34:25,470 Speaker 1: no further comment. Phil's absence will not affect the release 512 00:34:25,510 --> 00:34:28,490 Speaker 1: of our new album Rock or Bust, an upcoming tour 513 00:34:28,690 --> 00:34:34,589 Speaker 1: next year. Rock or Bust, indeed. There was nothing, not 514 00:34:34,630 --> 00:34:37,850 Speaker 1: the sickness of their band's founding and most influential member, 515 00:34:38,210 --> 00:34:41,200 Speaker 1: not even the arrest of their drummer on a murder-for-hire charge, 516 00:34:41,530 --> 00:34:45,779 Speaker 1: that could stop ACDC from moving forward. The show, as 517 00:34:45,820 --> 00:34:51,210 Speaker 1: they say, must go on. Two weeks after Phil's arrest, 518 00:34:51,469 --> 00:34:54,710 Speaker 1: Rock or Bust, an album he played on alongside Angus, 519 00:34:54,750 --> 00:34:58,450 Speaker 1: Brian Cliff, and Malcolm and Angus' nephew, Stevie Young, was released. 520 00:34:59,430 --> 00:35:03,969 Speaker 1: Five months later, on April 10th, 2015, at Coachella, ACDC 521 00:35:04,030 --> 00:35:07,169 Speaker 1: kicked off the band's latest tour with Chris Slade back 522 00:35:07,250 --> 00:35:11,500 Speaker 1: behind the kit in place of Phil. Again, Rock or Bust, 523 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:15,759 Speaker 1: not Rock and Roll or Bust. Ten days later, on 524 00:35:15,820 --> 00:35:19,660 Speaker 1: April 20th, halfway across the world in New Zealand, Phil 525 00:35:19,700 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: Rudd went before the judge, and by then the murder-for-hire 526 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:25,700 Speaker 1: charge had been dropped due to insufficient evidence, but the 527 00:35:25,780 --> 00:35:29,730 Speaker 1: death threats and drug charges stuck, and Phil pleaded guilty. 528 00:35:30,850 --> 00:35:33,830 Speaker 1: He was released on bail to await sentencing, and the 529 00:35:33,890 --> 00:35:38,790 Speaker 1: judge noted Phil's fragile mental health and his drug addiction. Meanwhile, 530 00:35:39,390 --> 00:35:42,410 Speaker 1: ACDC tore a path across the United States and Europe. 531 00:35:43,370 --> 00:35:47,320 Speaker 1: On July 9, 2015, Phil Rudd went before the judge again, 532 00:35:47,940 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 1: this time for his sentencing. He was given just eight 533 00:35:51,300 --> 00:35:54,440 Speaker 1: months of home detention in order to abstain from drugs 534 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 1: and undergo rehab. The judge warned that a breach of 535 00:35:57,900 --> 00:36:01,589 Speaker 1: these orders could land the drummer in jail. But the 536 00:36:01,630 --> 00:36:05,330 Speaker 1: judge was apparently as softy. Because just days after Phil 537 00:36:05,350 --> 00:36:08,989 Speaker 1: was confined to house arrest, he was arrested for associating 538 00:36:09,010 --> 00:36:12,489 Speaker 1: with prostitutes at his house. And the judge let him 539 00:36:12,550 --> 00:36:15,170 Speaker 1: off with a warning. There was no getting around the 540 00:36:15,210 --> 00:36:19,110 Speaker 1: house arrest, though. The entire eight-month sentence would have to 541 00:36:19,150 --> 00:36:22,850 Speaker 1: be served. Phil's lawyer argued this would mean that Phil 542 00:36:22,870 --> 00:36:27,550 Speaker 1: would miss ACDC's Japanese tour. His attorney voiced Malcolm Young's 543 00:36:27,610 --> 00:36:31,110 Speaker 1: point of view. Phil's drummer was integral to the band's sound. 544 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:36,380 Speaker 1: Why should the band suffer because of Phil's actions? The 545 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 1: judge disagreed and replied that Queen replaced Freddie Mercury. Apparently, 546 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:46,620 Speaker 1: the judge wasn't aware that ACDC replaced Bon Scott. Everyone, 547 00:36:47,060 --> 00:36:51,510 Speaker 1: even Malcolm Young, was replaceable. So Phil Rudd was sentenced 548 00:36:52,190 --> 00:36:55,210 Speaker 1: and out of the band, where he remains to this day, 549 00:36:56,050 --> 00:36:59,910 Speaker 1: while the band continues to tour, even after Malcolm Young's 550 00:37:00,010 --> 00:37:05,049 Speaker 1: death in 2017. And of course, they're touring without their 551 00:37:05,090 --> 00:37:07,890 Speaker 1: best drummer, Phil Rudd, who lives out on the fringe. 552 00:37:08,870 --> 00:37:11,589 Speaker 1: Just like one of those characters his friend Bon Scott 553 00:37:11,739 --> 00:37:15,740 Speaker 1: used to write about in his songs, specifically in Dirty 554 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:20,290 Speaker 1: Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Like a real dishonest John, and 555 00:37:20,330 --> 00:37:42,830 Speaker 1: a true disgrace. I'm Jake Brennan, and this is Disgraceland. Alright, 556 00:37:42,870 --> 00:37:44,969 Speaker 1: thanks for listening to this episode of Disgraceland. If you 557 00:37:44,989 --> 00:37:47,370 Speaker 1: want to hear more about the controversy around Bon Scott 558 00:37:47,469 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: allegedly writing the lyrics for Back in Black, what? The 559 00:37:51,100 --> 00:37:53,180 Speaker 1: second biggest selling album of all time, you're going to 560 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:56,080 Speaker 1: need to check out today's mini episode, okay? All access 561 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:58,870 Speaker 1: and Apple subscribers already have it in their fees. Everyone else, 562 00:37:59,150 --> 00:38:02,390 Speaker 1: head to DisgracelandPod.com and sign up for all access to 563 00:38:02,489 --> 00:38:06,540 Speaker 1: unlock mini episodes. Ad-free listening and uncensored music history you 564 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:10,340 Speaker 1: will not get anywhere else. Here's the kicker. Bon Scott's 565 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:13,410 Speaker 1: friends and girlfriends swore he finished writing the lyrics for 566 00:38:13,450 --> 00:38:16,009 Speaker 1: Back in Black before he died. But the notebook he 567 00:38:16,050 --> 00:38:18,549 Speaker 1: wrote them in disappeared the night he was found dead. 568 00:38:18,570 --> 00:38:21,110 Speaker 1: So where did it go? And why hasn't it ever resurfaced? 569 00:38:21,150 --> 00:38:23,430 Speaker 1: That's what we're digging into in the mini episode. Now, 570 00:38:23,830 --> 00:38:26,270 Speaker 1: this week's question of the week. If Back in Black 571 00:38:26,390 --> 00:38:28,870 Speaker 1: is the greatest selling rock and roll record of all time, 572 00:38:28,890 --> 00:38:31,339 Speaker 1: what's the one record you'd put above it? You can 573 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:33,980 Speaker 1: only pick one. Is it Exile on Main Street? London Calling? 574 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:39,859 Speaker 1: Abbey Road? Something else? Maybe another ACDC record. Call me. 617-906-6638. 575 00:38:39,900 --> 00:38:41,979 Speaker 1: Let me know. Leave a voicemail. Send me a text. 576 00:38:42,020 --> 00:38:44,990 Speaker 1: You can also hit me on the socials at DisgracelandPod 577 00:38:45,050 --> 00:38:47,430 Speaker 1: or get me direct on the Patreon chat. Credits are 578 00:38:47,450 --> 00:38:52,550 Speaker 1: coming up right now. Disgraceland was created by yours truly 579 00:38:52,570 --> 00:38:55,710 Speaker 1: and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for 580 00:38:55,750 --> 00:38:58,110 Speaker 1: this episode can be found on the show notes page 581 00:38:58,150 --> 00:39:01,850 Speaker 1: at DisgracelandPod.com. Rate and review the show and follow us 582 00:39:01,910 --> 00:39:05,890 Speaker 1: on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook at DisgracelandPod and on 583 00:39:05,930 --> 00:39:11,110 Speaker 1: YouTube at YouTube.com slash at DisgracelandPod. Rock-a-rola. 584 00:39:15,340 --> 00:39:16,880 Speaker 2: He's a bad, bad man. 585 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:20,959 Speaker 1: All right, guys, that's ACDC part two. Let me know 586 00:39:20,980 --> 00:39:25,190 Speaker 1: what you think. 617-906-6638, voicemail and text. Get at me 587 00:39:25,230 --> 00:39:28,630 Speaker 1: with your thoughts on this archive episode of Disgraceland.