1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis. This is a 2 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: story about contract killings, death threats, drinking with ghosts, rock 3 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: and roll, and a part two continuation of our story 4 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: on one of the greatest bands of all time, ACDC, 5 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: A band that made great music. Yes, some of the 6 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: greatest rock and roll music these ears have ever heard. 7 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: Unlike that music I played for you at the top 8 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: of the show. That wasn't great music. That was a 9 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: preset loop from my melotron called Jack and Bloke MK one. 10 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: I played you that loop because I can't afford the 11 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: rights to Shake it Off by Taylor Swift. Then why 12 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: would I play you that specific slice of pre Kelsey Cheese? 13 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: Could I afford it? Because that was the number one 14 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: song in America on November sixteenth, twenty fourteen. Then that 15 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: was the day a CDC's Phil Rudd was arrested on 16 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: charges that would make the musicians seem strangely alike one 17 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: of the murderous characters in one of the band's best songs, 18 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. On this episode, concrete Shoes, Cyanide, neckties, contracts, 19 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: high voltage. In Part two of our ACDC story, I'm 20 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,199 Speaker 1: Jake Brennan and this his disgrace. 21 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 2: Land Chapter one. 22 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: Do anything you want me to? We transmitters in Queensland 23 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: and the Northern Territory. This is ab this honest John, 24 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: the villain of the year. Call me come my no 25 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: good mom. Who's worts? 26 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 3: The Seeky's here? 27 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I watched the Birdie. 28 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 3: You'll think I was kidding when I said I'd be 29 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 3: glad to knock you up. I have some Gorganzola for 30 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 3: his little snazzola. 31 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, a shot. No Angus and Malcolm Young of a 32 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: c DC never forgot where they came from, the working class, 33 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 1: the kind of home where the television baby sat the 34 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: kids because there was no other option, and they never 35 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: forgot what made them family. The two brothers launched their 36 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: band in the early seventies under the guidance of their 37 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: older brother George, who, along with his friend Harry Vanda, 38 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: had already achieve pop chart success with his band The 39 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: Easy Beats. The Easy Beats single Friday on My Mind 40 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: reached number sixteen on the Billboard Hot one hundred in 41 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,519 Speaker 1: America in nineteen sixty six and was covered by David 42 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: Bowie on his album Pin Ups in seventy three. In 43 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 1: the environment that Angus and Malcolm were raised in, hard 44 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: work and discipline were of utmost importance. It didn't matter 45 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: if you were mixing cement as their father had done, 46 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: or playing guitar in a band with your brother on 47 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: stage and your other brother behind the board. Concrete shoes, cyanide, neckties, 48 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: contract killings. This kind of work the Dirty Deeds, the 49 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: kind that Dishonest John promised to deliver Dirt Cheat. Dishonest 50 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: John was a character from Angus's favorite cartoon growing up, 51 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: The Beanie and Cecil Showy. Even this type of work 52 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: required discipline, But for Angus and Malcolm, who in nineteen 53 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: seventy five were putting together the lyrics with ACDC singer 54 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: Bond Scott for the third album, Contract Killings and the 55 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: like were just violent fantasy, typical the type of transgressions 56 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: demonstrated by the characters dreamed up by Bond. Men on 57 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: the outer edge of society, thieves, broke down, dreamers, schemers, stalkers, 58 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: and yes, even killers, Men on the fringe, like the 59 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,279 Speaker 1: main character and the title track from their forthcoming album, 60 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheat, a song inspired partly by 61 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: Bond's vivid imagination, and partly from Angus's childhood infatuation with 62 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: the dishonest John cartoon character, and partly from those bad 63 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: bad men Humphrey Bogart portrayed in his early films. The 64 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: song Dirty Deeds was great, no doubt about it. Beneath 65 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: the story of Bond's bad bad man hiring himself out 66 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: to solve his customers problems with all manner of criminal violence, 67 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: and in typical Bond humor, to do so cheaply. Beneath 68 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: all of that, there was a killer riff and a 69 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: rhythm that swung. ACDC is often categorized as being a 70 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: hard rock band, but that couldn't be more untrue. ACDC 71 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 1: is a rock and roll band. The rock part of 72 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: the equation is the part that sounds hard, and the 73 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: roll part is the part that's hard to do. It's 74 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: the part that swings. Think of the rolling stones, hard 75 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 1: riffs from Keith, but songs that feel good and make 76 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: you want to dance because of Charlie. Because Charlie Watts 77 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 1: knew how to swing. The swing is subtle. Most rock 78 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 1: bands get it wrong, and well, they're not rock and 79 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: roll bands. They're just rock bands. Malcolm Young was hell 80 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: bent on being a rock and roll band. Being just 81 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 1: a rock band wasn't good enough. You might as well 82 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: be hauling concrete or watching cartoons. Being in a great 83 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: rock and roll band was something that would last, and finally, 84 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 1: on this album, on Dirty Deeds, Malcolm had what he wanted. 85 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: That's because now, after a series of early releases with 86 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: different bandmates, inconsistent repertoire, and distribution issues, ac DC seemed 87 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: to finally be putting it all together on one great 88 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 1: full length album that was bound to break the band 89 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: in America. Malcolm knew what anyone who saw ACDC back 90 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: in the seventies quickly learn. Ac DC was the greatest 91 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: rock and roll band on the planet. Pete Townsend from 92 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: the who saw them live and loved them to Trick 93 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: found other brothers from down Under Kiss was intimidated by them, 94 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 1: and Van Halen was afraid to follow them on stage. 95 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: Ac DC was that good, and a big reason why 96 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: was because, in addition to Angus's schoolboy guitar hero antics 97 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: and Bond's bad boy soul strip and Malcolm's iron fist 98 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: behind it all, ACDC had a drum who could swing, 99 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: Phil Rudd. With Phil now behind the kid, Malcolm Young 100 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: was on his way to building a band that was 101 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: the rock and roll representation of raw, working class power, 102 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: a machine that could withstand fame, addiction, death, and even murder. 103 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: But Atlantic Records didn't hear a single, and Dirty Deeds 104 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: Done Dirt Cheap was shelved in America, it disappeared into 105 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: Limbo unreleased. Not until years later did American audiences get 106 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: to hear it. For the time being, partly to prevent 107 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: being dropped by their label, and partly as a giant 108 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: fuck you to the label that clearly didn't believe in 109 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: his band. Malcolm Young took ACDC back into the studio 110 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: and created a masterpiece, nineteen seventy seven's Let There Be Rock. 111 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: Let the label try to ignore this. They couldn't, neither 112 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: could audiences. The band toured relentlessly through Europe and America. 113 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: ACDC quickly followed Let There Be Rock with nineteen seventy 114 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: eight's Powerridge quite literally the greatest rock and roll album 115 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: of all time, by the way, but I'm not here 116 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: to start arguments you can't win. I'm here to tell 117 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: you a story about Dirty Deeds, so I'll just keep 118 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: going with Poweradge came more touring and plans for another record, 119 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: this one to hopefully do what others hadn't break the 120 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: band in America. But touring was taking its toll. As 121 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: touring does. People think that the lives of touring musicians 122 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 1: are glamorous, and to some extent it is dancing girls 123 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: and champagne on ice, as Bond Scott wants saying, but 124 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: it's also incredibly taxing physically and mentally. It'll drive even 125 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: the best of them crazy. And people also think that 126 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: being in a band is being part of a brotherhood, 127 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: and it most definitely is. But the part that often 128 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: gets left out is what if one of your brothers 129 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: goes shit house nuts every now and again? What then 130 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 1: every band knows what I'm talking about. Bon Scott definitely 131 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: knew about this, so much so that in nineteen seventy 132 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,839 Speaker 1: eight he took some time off from partying on the 133 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: road to write a letter to his sister, Valerie. Bonn 134 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: wrote on Hilton Stationary, well, as you can see Bond's 135 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: in downtown Pittsburgh today, I've just come over from the 136 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: West Coast, where I spent a couple of days in 137 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: La doing midnight special Bond goes on, and you can 138 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: feel the natural charm in his words and the sweetness 139 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: he has in reserve for his sibling. You can also 140 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: instantly feel his concern for a friend. Bonn is telling 141 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: Valerie that he's scouting drummers to fill in for ac 142 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: DC's Phil Rudd, saying quote, Phil had a bit of 143 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: a nervous breakdown, and Bonn goes on to say that 144 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: Phil had to spend a lot of time with a 145 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: shrink and that it was real bad, but luckily he 146 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 1: got over it quickly enough not to upset the band, 147 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: and we had a tree with kid gloves for a bit. 148 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: But he's okay now. According to Bond Scott, Phil Rudd 149 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: had gone a bit off the rails. A loose cannon 150 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: drummer was exactly the type of drummer a musician as 151 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: serious minded as Malcolm Young could not abide. Yet Malcolm 152 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: needed Phil. Malcolm had played with other drummers, and other 153 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:25,319 Speaker 1: drummers were a dead end. Phil swung in a special 154 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: way and Malcolm couldn't go back to the way it 155 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: was to be in just a rock band. So Malcolm 156 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 1: closed ranks, dealt with Phil's problem internally and kept trudging 157 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 1: towards success in America, with Phil behind the kit for 158 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 1: the recording of the band's next album, again the one 159 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: they hope would break them in the States. But now 160 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: the label was interfering once more, and for this next record, 161 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: ACDC would need to part ways with their longtime producer, 162 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: their brother George Young, and work with someone who better 163 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: understood what American audiences were looking for. The meddling stung. 164 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: Being forced to break the bond with their older brothers 165 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: stung even worse. Atlantic suggested legendary producer Eddie Kramer, he 166 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: of Jimmy Hendrick's fame. Eddie Kramer suggested Malcolm and Angus 167 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: record the Young Rascals Good Loving as their first single. 168 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: Malcolm called his manager and told him to get Eddie 169 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: Kramer the fuck out of the studio and on the 170 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: first thing smoking back to wherever the hell he came from. 171 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,719 Speaker 1: Atlantic then shipped in Mutt Lang, fresh off crafting a 172 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: number one hit for the Boomtown Rats. Mutt told Malcolm 173 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: and Bond that the backing vocals on the demos needed 174 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: to be sung in a certain way. Malcolm told Mutt 175 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: he wasn't no dirty Boomtown Rats. Singing for the charts, 176 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: and Mutt then went in and sang the suggested vocal 177 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 1: part perfectly. Malcolm took the note, and so did Bond. Mutt, 178 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,679 Speaker 1: who's on another level, and he understood what made ACDC work. 179 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,079 Speaker 1: For the most part, he just got out of the 180 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 1: way and let them cook. What emerge was a masterpiece. 181 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: Highway to Hell. The album did for the band what 182 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,079 Speaker 1: it in Atlantic had long hoped to achieve. It broke 183 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: them in America. To date. The album that sold almost 184 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: eight million copies in the United States and more than 185 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:18,719 Speaker 1: fifteen million worldwide. But if a CDC was going to 186 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 1: be built to last, there was another mile marker on 187 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 1: the highway to pass even greater success international success. Malcolm 188 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: was relentless a workhorse. He and Angus wrote tirelessly for 189 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: what they were certain would be an album that would 190 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: blow the rest of the world wide open for ac DC. 191 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: As nineteen eighty progressed and high school kids across the 192 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: United States dug into the massive riffs on Highway to Hell, 193 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,719 Speaker 1: the band was already set to record a follow up. 194 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: Now it was Bondstern. He looked up from the notebook 195 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: he was writing in and closed it It was February 196 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: in London, cold and dreary, but Bond was feeling celebratory. 197 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,359 Speaker 1: He'd done it. He'd finished writing the lyrics for acdc's 198 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: next album finally, and so it was time to get drunk. 199 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: Chapter two Neckties. There are no handbooks in rock and roll. 200 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: There's no index you can leave through, no dead singer 201 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: section filed under d and therefore there were no instructions 202 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: for ACDC when they learned in February nineteen eighty that 203 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: their singer, the inimitable and seemingly irreplaceable Bond Scott, had died. 204 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: One of Bond's girlfriends at the time. Silver Smith claims 205 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: that Bond finished writing the lyrics for acdc's next album 206 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: in the London flat that he was renting, and went 207 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: out afterward to celebrate with his friends from the band 208 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: UFO at a club called the Music Machine. Bond then 209 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: blacked out drunk in the back of it over No. Five, 210 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: choked on his own vomit, and died senselessly. And now 211 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: Malcolm Angus and everyone else in the ACDC camp was 212 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: trying to figure out how to get their dead singer 213 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: back to Australia from first class on the plane. While 214 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 1: they waited to fly out, you could see Bond's coffin 215 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 1: coming down the baggage conveyor belt mixed in with the 216 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: rest of the luggage. Fucked this, Angus wouldn't have it. 217 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: He wasn't flying home first class with his friend being 218 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: hauled underneath the plane with the rest of the cargo. 219 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: The band moved back to coach and back to Australia 220 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: on Scott was buried, and then the band moved on 221 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: through their grief. Each band member, Malcolm, Angus, phil and 222 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: bassist Cliff Williams worked tirelessly. The first order of business 223 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: was to find a replacement for Bond, a task that 224 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: seemed impossible but somehow was accomplished when they found Brian Johnson, 225 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: a singer who once impressed Bond and a singer who, 226 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: as it's long been rumored, was recommended to ac DC 227 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: by a fan. Next up, they needed to complete the 228 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: album they started putting together before Bond's death, but when 229 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: they emerged from the studio they were wielding a tribute 230 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: to Bond called Back in Black, an album that would 231 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: sell ungodly amounts of records, largely on the strength of 232 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: the band's new songs, songs that fit their new singer perfectly, 233 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: and also on the strength of the group's relentless touring. 234 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: When all was said and done, Back in Black did 235 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: what Malcolm intended it to do, broke the band beyond 236 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: America throughout the rest of the world. It was a 237 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: global smash, one that would go on to sell fifty 238 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: million copies and become the second biggest selling full length 239 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: album of all time, behind only Michael Jackson's Thriller. Back 240 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: in Black's follow up for Those About to Rock, We 241 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: Salute You, sold incredibly well, also deepening ac DC's connection 242 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: with American gearheads and FM radio listeners. They continued to 243 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: tour and became quite literally the biggest band on the 244 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: planet before hunkering down to create their next album, Flick 245 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: of the Switch. And that's when the pressure of it 246 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 1: all started to grind the gears on Malcolm's well oiled 247 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: rock and roll machine. Chapter three, Pick up the Phone, 248 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: Leave Her Alone. Phil Rudd, acdc's drummer, the man who 249 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: rolled and swung mightily, was coming apart again. He played 250 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: nightly to tens of thousands of adoring fans and did 251 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: his best to outrun the death of one of his 252 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: best friends, Bond Scott, all while enjoying the trappings of 253 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: success Bond always wanted but never achieved. It was a lot. 254 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: The guilt was, no doubt, white hot. Phil cooled it 255 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:15,719 Speaker 1: with alcohol, gallons and gallons of alcohol. Of course, in 256 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 1: rock and roll, drinking is not only tolerated, it's encouraged. 257 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: But for a band leader like Malcolm Young, the only 258 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: thing that was sacred was you're playing. If the drink 259 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 1: impacted the gig, then you could get fucked off stage. 260 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: In a hotel room in Nebraska, Phil Rudd was drinking 261 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: with ghosts. They were right there at the edge of 262 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 1: his bed. Who were these people pulling from the same 263 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: bottle that he was? Groupies fans, Some spoke and adoring 264 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: kiss ass tones. Some taunted Phil. They talked of ACDC 265 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 1: songs and fast cars, and all Phil heard was Bond's voice. 266 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:58,120 Speaker 1: When one of them, just a high school ahead, asked 267 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: Phil flight bonn ask for a life. When the lady 268 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 1: with the dude, who was icinger, got frustrated and wanted 269 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: to know where the coke was, Phil heard Bond question him. 270 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: When two guys near the bathroom nearly came to blows 271 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: over a girl sitting on Phil's bed, Phil heard Bonn 272 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: arguing with himself. Phil had a thought, was this It 273 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: were the distractions, the gigs, the sessions, the responsibilities. Were 274 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: they no longer enough? Phil may have been pissed, drunk, 275 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: but he knew what this was. Unresolved grief finally coming 276 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: to the surface, bleeding out all over the room in 277 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 1: ghostly white heat, filling the atmosphere within these four walls 278 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: with the pressure he never imagined, manifest in the words 279 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: of the fans, his new Fairweather friends, speaking in bon 280 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: Scott's voice and now increasingly in tongues. The sound of 281 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: it filled his head with dense pressure. It was intense, 282 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: more intense than the pressure of being on stage age 283 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: in front of tens of thousands, and more intense than 284 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:06,640 Speaker 1: staring down Malcolm. Stronger than the fear of letting Angus down. 285 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: It was the pressure of admitting he was gone and 286 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: that there was nothing he or anyone else could do 287 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: about it. Bond was gone, and these fuckers in the 288 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: room had to go next. But Phil was helpless. He 289 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 1: called his road manager, Ian. Ian would know what to do. 290 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 1: Road managers always knew what to do. Ian headed straight 291 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 1: over to Phil's room to clear out the groupies and 292 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: the fans so that acdc's drummer could get some rest. 293 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: But when Ian entered the room, it was empty, empty, 294 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: with the exception of Phil, and there were no groupies 295 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: and no fans, only a ghost. Phil Rudd had tripped 296 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: beyond some invisible line and things would not get better. 297 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: Phil Rudd continued drinking with the ghost of bon Scott 298 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 1: until on October eighth, nineteen eighty three, Phil walked on 299 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 1: stage in Uniondale, New York, wasted, sat down behind his 300 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: kit and bashed away until he fell off his stool 301 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: in a pissed drunk stupor. He recovered, sort of and 302 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: finished the set. Afterward, Malcolm Young walked up to his 303 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: drummer backstage and walloped him in the face with his fist, 304 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: and that was it. Phil could fuck off. He was 305 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 1: out of the group and ACDC was now just another 306 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: rock band. We'll be right back after this. 307 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 2: We're We're Where. 308 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 1: Chapter four The high school head who said you needed 309 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: a swing. Plenty of bands who merely rocked had enjoyed 310 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: massive success. It was nineteen ninety and the billboard charts 311 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: were peppered with rock bands turning on teenage heads all 312 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: over the world. Jovi made Jersey girls swoon with Blaze 313 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: of Glory, which went to number one. Billy Idol rocked 314 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: the Cradle of Love all the way up to number two. 315 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 1: Faith No More soared into the top ten at number 316 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: nine with their single Epic, and in the same year, Nelson, 317 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: Heart and skid Row all competed on the charts alongside 318 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: ac DC's single Thunderstruck, the band's biggest hit since You 319 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,479 Speaker 1: Shook Me All Night Long, which drove their new album 320 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,400 Speaker 1: The Razor's Edge to multi platinum status, the band's best 321 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: selling records since Back in Black. All of these songs 322 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: were rock bon Jovi, Billy Idol, Nelson, Heart, skid Row, etc. 323 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 1: They weren't rock and roll. Thunderstruck by ac DC wasn't 324 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: rock and roll either. It's about as meat and potato 325 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,640 Speaker 1: as hard rock as you can get. It's great, don't 326 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: get me wrong, But it isn't Highway to Hell or 327 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 1: Let There Be Rock. It doesn't come anywhere near the 328 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: greatness the band achieved creatively when Phil Rubb was in 329 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 1: the band. Neither were the full length recordings that preceded 330 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,480 Speaker 1: the Razor's Edge or followed the last the album to 331 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: feature Phil, which was Flick at the Switch. Those albums 332 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: being Fly on the Wall and Blow Up Your Video. 333 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: Simon Wright replaced Phil Rudd on those albums, and Chris 334 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: Slade of the Firm replaced Simon on the Razor's Edge. 335 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: This was a creative era of inconsistency for ACDC. Some 336 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 1: fans the purest blame Bond Scott's replacement singer Brian Johnson 337 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: for the band's lackluster recordings during this time, specifically Fly 338 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 1: on the Wall and Blow Up Your Video. But Brian 339 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:36,160 Speaker 1: wasn't the issue. The drumming was the issue. Sure, Malcolm 340 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: made it work with Thunderstruck, but deep down I think 341 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: he knew they weren't the same band without Phil Rudd. 342 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 1: They weren't a rock and roll band and something needed 343 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 1: to change. And that's something was brought on by the 344 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: Dirtiest deads Murder Chapter five. We'll get round Him, We'll 345 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: have Her sells a ball. Christmas nineteen eighty three, ACDC 346 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: is once again on top, one of the biggest bands 347 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: in the world, and their manager, Crispin Dy had many 348 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 1: reasons to celebrate that evening. In Sydney, Australia. There was 349 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: the success of the band he managed, and then there 350 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 1: was the joy he felt over releasing his own debut album. 351 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 1: So Crispin went out to hit the pubs. Upon leaving 352 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: one of those watering holes in the Darlinghurst neighborhood, he 353 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 1: was attacked three men or was it just one. It's 354 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: doubtful Crispin ever saw the attack coming, and the head 355 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: trauma likely came first from a blunt instrument, then the punches, 356 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,919 Speaker 1: the kicks. But when you felled and your brain has 357 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: been so severely bashed that you could feel it loosening 358 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: itself from the inside of your skull, the hits to 359 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 1: the body don't really register. You're in shock, confused, and 360 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: you know something's happening to you, but you're not sure what. 361 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 1: There's fear, yes, but that fear isn't of your attackers. 362 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: It's deeper now. You can feel yourself slipping away. Holding 363 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: on is no longer a tangible challenge. It's metaphysical that 364 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,479 Speaker 1: you try to concentrate, but the hits keep on coming, 365 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,160 Speaker 1: and your mind is pulling you into a darkness you've 366 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,679 Speaker 1: never known, a darkness with a promise of peace so 367 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:28,159 Speaker 1: real you can feel it wrap itself around you and 368 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: shield you from the pain being inflicted upon your body. 369 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 1: But there's a trade off. Nothing's free. Slipping into that 370 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: piece means slipping into oblivion. So you fight, if not physically, 371 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:45,360 Speaker 1: then mentally, you will yourself to survive. But when they 372 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 1: find you, you're unconscious, bloodied, broken, lying in the street 373 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 1: like a Christian thrown to the lions, and they gather 374 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: up what's left of you, because remarkably you're still breathing, 375 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 1: and they bring you to the hospital where you do 376 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 1: your best to hang on, but that pull towards something 377 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 1: better than what you've been given it's too strong, so 378 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 1: you give in and succumb to your injuries. The next day, Christmas, 379 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 1: the day you meet your maker at the age, which 380 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 1: is forty one, acdc's manager Crispinde was murdered. They never 381 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: caught his killers, and this case is steeped in hate. First, 382 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: there was a supposed eyewitness accusation of the three Pacific 383 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 1: Islanders were seen standing over Crispin's body, a lead that 384 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: went nowhere. And then there was the fact that Crispin 385 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: was gay walking late at night in an area known 386 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: for its gay night life, but the death was investigated 387 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: as a robbery, not a hate crime, and nothing came 388 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 1: of it until in twenty twenty three, thirty years later, 389 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: it was revealed that the forensic testing of Die's blood 390 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 1: stained clothing have been botched by authorities and when the 391 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,639 Speaker 1: forensics will run again. A DNA match linked the crime 392 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:03,120 Speaker 1: to a violent, convicted felon with a criminal history, including 393 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:07,120 Speaker 1: a nineteen ninety three assault with an iron bar, a 394 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: blunt instrument and another attack of a tourist in Sydney. 395 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: That convicted felon killed himself in two thousand and two, 396 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: and the case of the murder of acdc's manager remains unsolved. 397 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: What isn't a mystery, however, is what this murder, this 398 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 1: unfortunate event, did for the band that Crispin Dye managed. 399 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:33,680 Speaker 1: At his funeral, members of ACDC passed and present were 400 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:37,440 Speaker 1: in attendance, and this was where Malcolm Young ran into 401 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:40,159 Speaker 1: Phil Rudd for the first time in years and was 402 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: reminded of what he'd been missing in ACDC, that dirty 403 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: swing that only Phil was capable of bringing. You would 404 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: think that a guy in Malcolm Young's position in nineteen 405 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 1: ninety four would be content. He was a guitarist and 406 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: a massive band, a band he built with his brothers, 407 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: so it was more than a band. It was a giant, 408 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 1: successful family business. He'd written and recorded iconic music that 409 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: would outlive him for decades. He had the respect of 410 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:12,959 Speaker 1: his peers and heroes, the Rolling Stones. They famously offered 411 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 1: ACDC millions of dollars to open up for them for 412 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 1: one show, and Malcolm said no because ACDC opened for 413 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: no one, not even his heroes. Malcolm's band made him 414 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,440 Speaker 1: more money than he'd ever be able to spend, so 415 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:31,880 Speaker 1: why mess around with what was clearly working? Because true 416 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: artists never rest. There's always a fear that if what 417 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 1: you're making isn't great, then everything, all of it, will disappear. 418 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: Malcolm young from his earliest days and ac DC wanted 419 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 1: a band that could last, that could not be toppled 420 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 1: by an outside force, and that meant staying true to 421 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: what he and his brother believed was the best version 422 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: of rock and roll they grew up on and set 423 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:58,439 Speaker 1: out to make. Thunderstruck wasn't enough, because Malcolm knew there 424 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: was a version of ACDC that was better, and that 425 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: version had to include the wild card Phil Rudd on drums. 426 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: The encounter at the funerals set off a chain of 427 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: events that would end with Phil replacing Chris Slade and 428 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 1: taking back his rightful seat behind the kit in nineteen 429 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: ninety four, first with an informal jam session with Angus 430 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 1: and Malcolm, and then in rehearsals for the band's next album, Ballbreaker, 431 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 1: produced with Rick Rubin. The idea was that with Phil back, 432 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: Rubin would shepherd the band to its stripped down seventy sound. 433 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: That didn't really work out. Rick Rubin and Malcolm and 434 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: Angus clashed creatively, and the album suffered as a result. 435 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 1: A CDC's real return to form didn't come until the 436 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: next album two thousand, Stiff Upper Lip, produced by Malcolm 437 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 1: and Angus's brother Georgia, after Atlantic Records forced George out 438 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: before Highway to Hell. His reunion with the band was 439 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: a reset Malcolm had been waiting for. With Phil Rudd 440 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 1: anchoring the rhythm and George behind the board, ac DC 441 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: once again sounded exactly as Malcolm always knew the band should. 442 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: Stiff Upper Lip maybe an overlooked record from a CDC's catalog, 443 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 1: but it's the band's best record with Brian Johnson, that's 444 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:18,240 Speaker 1: not named Back in Black, and after nearly two decades 445 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 1: of creative inconsistency, the band was ready to charge into 446 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: the new millennium with the same white hot intensity they'd 447 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 1: owned in the seventies. But along the way, Malcolm would 448 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 1: face challenges to that vision, and none of those challenges 449 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: was more shocking than when Phil Rudd once again stopped 450 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 1: drumming for a C d C and became a real 451 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 1: life character written from the lyrics of dirty Deeds Done 452 00:29:41,720 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: dirt Chy, a true dishonest John. We'll get back into 453 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: this story in a couple seconds, guys, but I wanted 454 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: to bring up what you may have heard me mention 455 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 1: in the last block, the fact that bon Scott's girlfriend 456 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 1: claimed that he actually finished the lyrics for acdc's next 457 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: album before he died. That would be the Back in 458 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: Black album. But bon Scott isn't credited as a lyricist 459 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:29,560 Speaker 1: or a songwriter on Back in Black. This controversy has 460 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: been debated by ACDC fans for years. Did Bond Scott 461 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: actually write some of the lyrics for the massively successful 462 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: Back in Black album? And was Brian Johnson credited instead? 463 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 1: There's too much to get into about the story in 464 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: this full episode of Disgraceland, but we do dive in 465 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 1: more fully in this week's accompanying mini episode, which Disgrace 466 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: and All Access members can hear in their Apple podcasts 467 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 1: or Patreon apps. Go to disgracelandpod dot com slash membership 468 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 1: to become a member today for just five ninety nine, 469 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 1: and we're going to get back to our full ACDC 470 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 1: story right now, Chapter six. Just ring three six two 471 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: four three six, Hey, I lead a life of crime. 472 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: On April sixteenth, twenty fourteen, ACDC issued a statement that read, 473 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: in part, after forty years of life dedicated to ac DC, 474 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 1: guitarist and founding member Malcolm Young is taking a break 475 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 1: from the band due to ill health. ACDC asks that 476 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 1: Malcolm and his family's privacy be respected during this time. 477 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: The band will continue to make music. Ac DC will 478 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 1: get together in May and Vancouver to record. It seemed 479 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: that not even Malcolm Young's own sickness, which was revealed 480 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 1: six months later in September of twenty fourteen to be dementia, 481 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 1: could deny him of his goal to keep ac DC 482 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 1: moving forward. So it was no surprise when a few 483 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: months later on November sixth, twenty fourteen, that the band 484 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 1: would pledge to continue on in the face of even 485 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 1: more unbelievable news from the ac DC camp. 486 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 3: The drummer of the rock band ac DC is accused 487 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 3: in an alleged murder plot. Phil Rudd was charged in 488 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 3: a New Zealand court with attempting to hire a hitman 489 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 3: to kill two people. If convicted, Rudd could face ten 490 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 3: years behind bars. 491 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 1: Drummer Phil Rudd had just been arrested for offering a 492 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: hit man large amounts of cash to have two men 493 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: taken out murdered, a contract killing by a real life 494 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 1: dishonest John. Phil was also charged with possessing large amounts 495 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 1: of meta amphetamine in cannabis. The victims, the men the 496 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 1: police were charging Phil Rudd for threatening to kill, were 497 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: supposed business associates. These men, the identity of the victims 498 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 1: has never been disclosed, were allegedly responsible for the existence and, 499 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 1: from Phil's point of view, the failure of his solo 500 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 1: album head Job the Record, and Phil was pissed and 501 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 1: most likely way high on meth and that drug induced 502 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:08,480 Speaker 1: thinking caused Phil Rudd to threaten to kill the two 503 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 1: men who had worked for him. On the day of 504 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:16,880 Speaker 1: Phil Rudd's arrest, ACDC wasted no time a statement was issued. 505 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 1: It read We've only become aware of Phil's arrest as 506 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 1: the news was breaking. We have no further comment. Phil's 507 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: absence will not affect the release of our new album, 508 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 1: Rock or Bust and upcoming tour next year Rock or Bust. Indeed, 509 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 1: there was nothing, not the sickness of their band's founding 510 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: and most influential member, not even the arrest of their 511 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: drummer on a murder for higher charge, that could stop 512 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: ac DC from moving forward. The show, as they say, 513 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 1: must go on. Two weeks after Phil's arrest, Rock or Bust, 514 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: an album he played on alongside Angus, Brian Cliff and 515 00:33:55,520 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 1: Malcolm and Angus's nephew Stevie Young, was released. Five months later. 516 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: On April tenth, twenty fifteen, at Coachella, ACDC kicked off 517 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:07,640 Speaker 1: the band's latest tour, with Chris Slade back behind the 518 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: kit in place of Phil again, Rock or Bust, not 519 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: Rock and Roll or Bust. Ten days later, on April twentieth, 520 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: halfway across the world in New Zealand, Phil Rudd went 521 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 1: before the judge and by then the murder for higher 522 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:25,719 Speaker 1: charge had been dropped due to insufficient evidence, but the 523 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:29,800 Speaker 1: death threats and drug charges stuck and Phil pleaded guilty. 524 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 1: He was released on bail to await sentencing, and the 525 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:38,920 Speaker 1: judge noted Phil's fragile mental health in his drug addiction. Meanwhile, 526 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 1: ACDC tore a path across the United States and Europe. 527 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,719 Speaker 1: On July ninth, twenty fifteen, Phil Rudd went before the 528 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: judge again, this time for his sentencing. He was given 529 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:53,840 Speaker 1: just eight months of home detention in order to abstain 530 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:57,360 Speaker 1: from drugs and undergo rehab, and the judge warned that 531 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:59,960 Speaker 1: a breach of these orders could land the drummer in jail. 532 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:04,760 Speaker 1: But the judge was apparently as softy because just days 533 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 1: after Phil was confined to house arrest, he was arrested 534 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:12,200 Speaker 1: for associating with prostitutes at his house, and the judge 535 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:14,800 Speaker 1: let him off with a warning there was no getting 536 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: around the house arrest. Though the entire eight month sentence 537 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:22,279 Speaker 1: would have to be served. Phil's lawyer argued this would 538 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 1: mean that Phil would miss a CDC's Japanese tour. His 539 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:29,560 Speaker 1: attorney voiced Malcolm Young's point of view. Phil's drummer was 540 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 1: integral to the band's sound. Why should the band suffer 541 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:38,359 Speaker 1: because of Phil's actions? The judge disagreed and replied that 542 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 1: Queen replaced Freddy Mercury. Apparently the judge wasn't aware that 543 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 1: ACDC replaced Bond Scott. Everyone, even Malcolm Young, was replaceable. 544 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:53,040 Speaker 1: So Phil Rudd was sentenced and out of the band, 545 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:57,320 Speaker 1: where he remains to this day. While the band continues 546 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 1: to tour even after Malcolm Young's death in twenty seventeen. 547 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:06,440 Speaker 1: And of course they're touring without their best drummer, Phil Rudd, 548 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 1: who lives out on the fringe, just like one of 549 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:12,479 Speaker 1: those characters his friend Bon Scott used to write about 550 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:17,160 Speaker 1: in his songs, specifically in Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. 551 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: It's like a real dishonest John and a true disgrace. 552 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 1: I'm Jake Brennan, and this this Disgraceland. All right, thanks 553 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 1: for listening to this episode of Disgraceland. If you want 554 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: to hear more about the controversy around Bond Scott allegedly 555 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:51,360 Speaker 1: writing the lyrics for Back in Black, what the second 556 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:53,400 Speaker 1: biggest selling album of all time, you're gonna need to 557 00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 1: check out today's mini episode. Okay, all Access and Apple 558 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:59,279 Speaker 1: subscribers already have it in their fees. Everyone else had 559 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 1: to disgraceland pod dot com and sign up for all 560 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 1: Access to unlock many episodes, add free listening in uncensored 561 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 1: music history you will not get anywhere else. Here's the kicker. Bond. 562 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:13,360 Speaker 1: Scott's friends and girlfriends swore he finished writing the lyrics 563 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 1: for Back in Black before he died, But the notebook 564 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 1: he wrote them and disappeared the night he was found dead. 565 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:21,120 Speaker 1: So where did it go? And why hasn't it ever resurface? 566 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,560 Speaker 1: That's what we're digging into in the mini episode. Now, 567 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:26,320 Speaker 1: this week's question of the week. If Back in Black 568 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,879 Speaker 1: is the greatest selling rock and roll record of all time, 569 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,359 Speaker 1: what's the one record you put above it? You can 570 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:33,640 Speaker 1: only pick one? Is it Exile on Main Street London? 571 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:37,359 Speaker 1: Calling Abbey Road? Something else? Maybe another ACDC record? Call 572 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:39,640 Speaker 1: me six one seven nine oh six six six three 573 00:37:39,719 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 1: eight Let me know, leave a voicemail, send me a text. 574 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,920 Speaker 1: You can also hit me on the socials at disgracelamppod 575 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 1: or get me direct on the Patreon Chat. Credits are 576 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:52,520 Speaker 1: coming up right now. Disgraceland was created by yours truly 577 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:55,719 Speaker 1: and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for 578 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:58,120 Speaker 1: this episode can be found on the show notes page 579 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:01,440 Speaker 1: at disgracelampod dot com. Rate and review the show and 580 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 1: follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook at disgracelamdpod 581 00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:09,640 Speaker 1: and on YouTube at YouTube dot com slash at disgracelampod. 582 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:11,160 Speaker 1: Rock a Roller. 583 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:16,919 Speaker 3: He's a bad down man.