1 00:00:00,710 --> 00:00:04,500 Speaker 1: All right, guys, welcome into another episode of Disgraceland Rewind. 2 00:00:04,540 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: We're dipping into our archive here to bring you our 3 00:00:07,700 --> 00:00:12,700 Speaker 1: ACDC episode part one. This was originally released back on 4 00:00:12,820 --> 00:00:19,500 Speaker 1: February 21st, 2023. I remember being shaken to my core 5 00:00:20,420 --> 00:00:24,020 Speaker 1: with the research here regarding Richard Ramirez and the Night Stalker, 6 00:00:24,060 --> 00:00:26,240 Speaker 1: a story that I knew, and I knew about his 7 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:30,330 Speaker 1: association with ACDC. but I did not know the depths 8 00:00:30,670 --> 00:00:34,260 Speaker 1: of this man's evil and how it pertained to their music. 9 00:00:34,860 --> 00:00:37,500 Speaker 1: This is a fascinating story. Also, the music we made 10 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,620 Speaker 1: for this episode is some of my favorite that we've 11 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: done for any episode of Disgraceland. I was highly inspired 12 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: by All Quiet on the Western Front, the remake that 13 00:00:47,420 --> 00:00:51,229 Speaker 1: came out on Netflix before we put this episode together. 14 00:00:51,270 --> 00:00:52,660 Speaker 1: I think you'll be able to hear that in the 15 00:00:52,710 --> 00:00:53,210 Speaker 1: music here. 16 00:00:53,630 --> 00:00:57,060 Speaker 2: Check it out. Let us know what you think. This 17 00:00:57,100 --> 00:01:00,060 Speaker 2: episode contains content that may be disturbing to some listeners. 18 00:01:00,620 --> 00:01:05,819 Speaker 2: Please check the show notes for more information. The connections 19 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:07,060 Speaker 2: between ACDC. 20 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:24,270 Speaker 1: And Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker, are insane. ACDC song 21 00:01:24,370 --> 00:01:29,070 Speaker 1: Night Prowler inspired the killer's moniker. An ACDC hat was 22 00:01:29,130 --> 00:01:31,789 Speaker 1: the first and for a time only clue in the 23 00:01:31,830 --> 00:01:36,339 Speaker 1: serial homicide case that gripped greater Los Angeles in the 1980s. 24 00:01:37,130 --> 00:01:41,230 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker, carved a pentagram, a satanic symbol, 25 00:01:41,550 --> 00:01:45,229 Speaker 1: into one victim's body, painted the symbol on another victim's wall, 26 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: and carved it into the palm of his hand. And 27 00:01:48,540 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: Bon Scott, ACDC's lead singer wore a pentagram around his 28 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,100 Speaker 1: neck on the cover of the Highway to Hell album, 29 00:01:55,780 --> 00:01:59,410 Speaker 1: a detail that was not lost on the sensationalist news media. 30 00:02:00,330 --> 00:02:04,410 Speaker 1: The Night Stalker killed 13 people that we know about. Men, women, 31 00:02:04,470 --> 00:02:09,470 Speaker 1: and children savagely beaten, strangled, stabbed, shot, and raped, most 32 00:02:09,550 --> 00:02:14,170 Speaker 1: while sleeping peacefully in their homes. Richard Ramirez loved to kill, 33 00:02:14,930 --> 00:02:21,250 Speaker 1: and Richard Ramirez loved ACDC's music. Great music. Unlike that 34 00:02:21,310 --> 00:02:23,230 Speaker 1: music I played for you at the top of the show. 35 00:02:23,830 --> 00:02:27,290 Speaker 1: That wasn't great music. That was a preset loop from 36 00:02:27,330 --> 00:02:33,209 Speaker 1: my Mellotron called UK Limo MK2. I played you that 37 00:02:33,270 --> 00:02:36,230 Speaker 1: loop because I can't afford the rights to Can't Fight 38 00:02:36,270 --> 00:02:40,690 Speaker 1: This Feeling by REO Speedwagon. And why would I play 39 00:02:40,730 --> 00:02:45,579 Speaker 1: you that specific slice of crawl-upon-the-floor cheese could I afford it? 40 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 2: Because that. 41 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:52,500 Speaker 1: Was the number one song in America on March 17th, 1985. 42 00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:55,190 Speaker 1: And that was the day that a California serial killer 43 00:02:55,570 --> 00:02:58,470 Speaker 1: left his ACDC hat at the scene of a homicide, 44 00:02:59,210 --> 00:03:02,510 Speaker 1: dragging the band into a media circus that would haunt 45 00:03:02,570 --> 00:03:06,389 Speaker 1: them for the rest of the decade. On this episode, 46 00:03:06,790 --> 00:03:10,900 Speaker 1: a satanic serial killer, a police manhunt, a media witch 47 00:03:10,940 --> 00:03:12,620 Speaker 1: hunt in ACDC. 48 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:14,700 Speaker 2: I'm Jake Brennan. 49 00:03:15,650 --> 00:03:52,340 Speaker 1: And this is Disgraceland. The headlines were ridiculous. Mass killer 50 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,740 Speaker 1: driven by rock and devil worship. ACDC music made me kill, 51 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,660 Speaker 1: Night Stalker admits. Angus Young, the guitar player for ACDC, 52 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,690 Speaker 1: was annoyed. The haircut sitting across from him and lead 53 00:04:05,750 --> 00:04:09,230 Speaker 1: singer Brian Johnson was as ridiculous as the headlines for 54 00:04:09,250 --> 00:04:12,810 Speaker 1: which he and his ilk were responsible. His questions proved it. 55 00:04:13,550 --> 00:04:18,750 Speaker 1: Did ACDC stand for Antichrist Devil's Child? The question was 56 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,300 Speaker 1: so dumb it didn't even deserve an answer. But there 57 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:26,340 Speaker 1: Angus was, answering it. Uh, no. We got ACDC off 58 00:04:26,380 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: of our sister's sewing machine. It stands for power. It 59 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: was all a game, and the haircut knew it too. 60 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,539 Speaker 1: You couldn't spend five minutes talking to Angus, Brian, Angus' 61 00:04:36,660 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: brother Malcolm, or any other member of ACDC past or present, 62 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,180 Speaker 1: and walk away thinking, oh yeah, those guys are devil worshippers. 63 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: They were too down to earth, too grounded. Salt of 64 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,870 Speaker 1: the earth Aussies. Meat and Potatoes working class. That background, 65 00:04:51,990 --> 00:04:55,210 Speaker 1: along with the aforementioned power, was reflected in their music. 66 00:04:56,190 --> 00:04:58,010 Speaker 2: Music that had spread all over the world. 67 00:04:59,010 --> 00:05:02,330 Speaker 1: Since releasing their seventh album in four years, Highway to Hell, 68 00:05:02,390 --> 00:05:05,910 Speaker 1: in 1979, and its follow-up, Back in Black, in 1980, 69 00:05:05,910 --> 00:05:11,130 Speaker 1: the band had become an international best-selling sensation, knocking off 70 00:05:11,190 --> 00:05:15,229 Speaker 1: nearly $ 15 million in record sales by mid-decade in the U.S. alone. 71 00:05:16,020 --> 00:05:18,340 Speaker 1: You'd be hard-pressed to find a high school in America 72 00:05:18,500 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: in 1985 without legions of long-haired ACDC fans. Their music 73 00:05:23,250 --> 00:05:26,330 Speaker 1: was powerful, sure, and it played with familiar dark rock 74 00:05:26,350 --> 00:05:29,570 Speaker 1: and roll themes, especially from back when Bon Scott, their 75 00:05:29,610 --> 00:05:33,670 Speaker 1: original singer, helmed the group. But the truth was, ACDC 76 00:05:33,710 --> 00:05:37,410 Speaker 1: was a straightforward, fun-loving rock and roll band. And though 77 00:05:37,430 --> 00:05:38,990 Speaker 1: they made their living on the same side of the 78 00:05:39,029 --> 00:05:42,130 Speaker 1: street as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, the truth was 79 00:05:42,170 --> 00:05:45,430 Speaker 1: that ACDC had more in common with the seemingly, for 80 00:05:45,490 --> 00:05:48,890 Speaker 1: their era anyway, conservative rock and roll stylings of Chuck 81 00:05:48,910 --> 00:05:52,450 Speaker 1: Berry than they did the demonic imagery and devil-infused themes 82 00:05:52,510 --> 00:05:55,339 Speaker 1: of Sabbath and Zeppelin. But that was the truth of it. 83 00:05:55,710 --> 00:05:58,450 Speaker 1: And the truth didn't matter. Like I said, it was 84 00:05:58,490 --> 00:06:01,450 Speaker 1: all a game. And when it came to the media, 85 00:06:01,870 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: the game, of course, was, as it still is, all 86 00:06:05,150 --> 00:06:09,219 Speaker 1: about the narrative. And at that moment, in 1985, regarding 87 00:06:09,260 --> 00:06:14,090 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez, the notorious Night Stalker serial killer, ACDC was 88 00:06:14,130 --> 00:06:16,370 Speaker 1: a big part of the narrative. 89 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 3: Richard Ramirez, the so-called Night Stalker, accused of murdering 15 90 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:33,460 Speaker 3: people in California, was influenced by the ACDC song Night Prowler. 91 00:06:34,260 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 4: That song, it's been completely taken out of context. 92 00:06:41,610 --> 00:06:44,050 Speaker 3: Congress has been holding hearings recently on the subject of 93 00:06:44,089 --> 00:06:46,909 Speaker 3: whether there should be warning labels on records whose lyrics 94 00:06:46,970 --> 00:06:54,909 Speaker 3: are judged objectionable. Some people say that stands for Antichrist 95 00:06:55,070 --> 00:06:55,950 Speaker 3: Devil's Child. 96 00:06:56,529 --> 00:06:58,450 Speaker 4: Antichrist Devil's Child. 97 00:06:58,730 --> 00:07:01,089 Speaker 2: Antichrist Devil's Child. 98 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,350 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez put his back into his pool shot. all 99 00:07:10,510 --> 00:07:12,670 Speaker 1: 6'1 and 160. 100 00:07:12,190 --> 00:07:12,710 Speaker 2: Pounds of them. 101 00:07:13,710 --> 00:07:17,180 Speaker 1: He was tall and thin, and like his favorite band, ACDC, 102 00:07:17,270 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: whose music was blasting throughout the pool hall at that moment, 103 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez was powerful. He looked it, physically and otherwise. 104 00:07:27,060 --> 00:07:30,100 Speaker 1: His hair was black and sore as eyes, and he 105 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,330 Speaker 1: was dark-skinned, but beyond that, he seemed to possess a 106 00:07:33,370 --> 00:07:35,809 Speaker 1: layer of filth that perpetually. 107 00:07:35,210 --> 00:07:35,930 Speaker 2: Covered his body. 108 00:07:36,770 --> 00:07:39,060 Speaker 1: When he walked into a room, A cloud of stench 109 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: arrived about 30 seconds prior. 110 00:07:41,580 --> 00:07:42,300 Speaker 2: He was filthy. 111 00:07:42,860 --> 00:07:44,980 Speaker 1: His teeth were rotting out of his head despite his 112 00:07:45,020 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: tender age of 24, a combination of his lack of 113 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:49,420 Speaker 1: hygiene and drug use. 114 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 2: Cocaine, mostly. And despite all of this, his good looks 115 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:55,460 Speaker 2: were irrepressible. 116 00:07:56,060 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 1: He wore all black, tight black jeans, black Avia sneakers, 117 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:04,290 Speaker 1: black members-only jacket, and a dark, near-black, midnight blue ACDC hat. 118 00:08:04,990 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: The band's music drove him. especially their Highway to Hell album. 119 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 2: It spoke to him. 120 00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:14,660 Speaker 1: Or more accurately, Richard believed Satan spoke to him through 121 00:08:14,700 --> 00:08:19,340 Speaker 1: ACDC's music. Richard Ramirez believed he was the chosen one, 122 00:08:20,060 --> 00:08:23,650 Speaker 1: a dark soul hand-selected by Lucifer himself to do the 123 00:08:23,710 --> 00:08:28,290 Speaker 1: devil's business here on Earth. Satan spoke to Richard in 124 00:08:28,330 --> 00:08:32,370 Speaker 1: ways that went beyond ACDC as well. There was the 125 00:08:32,410 --> 00:08:35,189 Speaker 1: pentagram tattoo on that whore's thigh and the skin flick 126 00:08:35,290 --> 00:08:37,870 Speaker 1: on screen at the Cameo Theater from earlier in the night. 127 00:08:38,630 --> 00:08:39,370 Speaker 2: Then there was. 128 00:08:39,350 --> 00:08:42,620 Speaker 1: Perry and Dick's complete and total lack of remorse inside 129 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: the Cutter family's home. Capote had it dead to rights. 130 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,700 Speaker 1: In cold blood, no doubt. And that scene from the 131 00:08:49,740 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Pam's long walk in those short red shorts. 132 00:08:55,340 --> 00:09:00,179 Speaker 1: All those teeth and human bones. and the devil's taunting 133 00:09:00,220 --> 00:09:04,510 Speaker 1: of Father Karras through Regan's body in The Exorcist. Karras, 134 00:09:04,570 --> 00:09:05,630 Speaker 1: that smug prick. 135 00:09:06,230 --> 00:09:08,290 Speaker 2: He must have all the display of power. 136 00:09:09,590 --> 00:09:12,849 Speaker 1: All of it fed Richard Ramirez, and he needed to 137 00:09:12,929 --> 00:09:15,710 Speaker 1: feed the devil. He split from the pool hall. 138 00:09:16,410 --> 00:09:19,010 Speaker 2: It was time. Whores wouldn't do it. 139 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: They laughed at him, at his teeth, at his weird 140 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,650 Speaker 1: foot fetish. Plus, there was no power in paying for it. 141 00:09:26,380 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: Taking it was where the juice was. 142 00:09:29,290 --> 00:09:29,790 Speaker 2: Charged him. 143 00:09:30,770 --> 00:09:33,650 Speaker 1: He needed to get out of downtown L.A., out into 144 00:09:33,690 --> 00:09:38,930 Speaker 1: the unsuspecting suburbs. Outside the pool hall, he hot-wired a Toyota, 145 00:09:39,390 --> 00:09:46,410 Speaker 1: popped the clutch, and went hunting. Richard hit the highway, 146 00:09:46,670 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: and soon enough, the off-ramp. Rosemead, California. He cruised slow, 147 00:09:52,260 --> 00:09:55,580 Speaker 1: the windows down. In his head, he recited the lyrics 148 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: to ACDC's Night Prowler. 149 00:09:57,980 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 2: It calmed him. Instead he just grows. adrenaline. 150 00:10:01,500 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: The lyrics, with their dark tale of breaking and entering, 151 00:10:05,100 --> 00:10:08,940 Speaker 1: prowling about in pursuit of an unsuspecting victim's virginity or worse. 152 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,140 Speaker 1: Outside their windows, on the other side of the blinds, 153 00:10:12,780 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 1: an unimaginable. 154 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 2: Creepy fear. 155 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,439 Speaker 1: And that fear that the prowler caused, Richard longed for it, 156 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:24,010 Speaker 1: fed off of it. chills and the murderous terror. It 157 00:10:24,030 --> 00:10:27,590 Speaker 1: was all there, from Bon Scott's lips to Satan's ears. 158 00:10:28,650 --> 00:10:31,830 Speaker 1: Richard searched for a house. It needed to be just right. 159 00:10:32,570 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 1: The perfect mix of quiet and potential. There, a tiny 160 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:42,420 Speaker 1: little condo, an unassuming, petite, attractive brunette, Maria Hernandez, pulling 161 00:10:42,460 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: her gold Camaro under the rising automated door of her 162 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: condominium's garage. 163 00:10:47,460 --> 00:10:48,460 Speaker 2: Richard cut the engine. 164 00:10:49,020 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: Used his muscular forearms to pull the Toyota's now manual 165 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: steering wheel to the curb, glided over the gravel to 166 00:10:55,440 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: a near-silent stop, and watched. As the condo's garage door 167 00:11:00,860 --> 00:11:04,070 Speaker 1: began to wrench itself to a close, Richard sprung from 168 00:11:04,110 --> 00:11:07,210 Speaker 1: his stolen car and sprinted. Before the door could shut, 169 00:11:07,570 --> 00:11:14,330 Speaker 1: Richard slid underneath. Inside, Maria Hernandez heard an unexpected sound, turned, 170 00:11:14,350 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: and there he was. Six feet of stacked evil, staring 171 00:11:20,700 --> 00:11:24,809 Speaker 1: at her, less than 20 feet away. Maria quickly turned 172 00:11:24,850 --> 00:11:26,570 Speaker 1: to insert her house key into the lock on the 173 00:11:26,610 --> 00:11:31,570 Speaker 1: door that led into her apartment. Richard began walking toward her, slowly, 174 00:11:31,950 --> 00:11:34,530 Speaker 1: with intent. The lock wouldn't take the key. 175 00:11:35,030 --> 00:11:39,380 Speaker 2: Maria turned. Richard continued his approach. Now, he had a. 176 00:11:39,090 --> 00:11:43,220 Speaker 1: 22 pistol pointed straight at her. The garage door fully closed. 177 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,630 Speaker 1: All the light in the garage was completely blacked out. 178 00:11:47,250 --> 00:11:51,179 Speaker 1: Maria could smell Richard's hellfire breath. No, God, please don't, 179 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,620 Speaker 1: she said as she reflexively raised her hands in front 180 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:54,179 Speaker 1: of her face. 181 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,500 Speaker 2: Then, the loud, blinding light of the. 22 pistol. 182 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,420 Speaker 1: Maria fell to the ground, and Richard kicked the door 183 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,910 Speaker 1: open and entered the condo with authority. There, in the kitchen, 184 00:12:06,309 --> 00:12:11,069 Speaker 1: another petite and attractive brunette, Dale Akazaki, Maria's roommate. She 185 00:12:11,130 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 1: ducked behind the counter. She didn't know Richard saw her. 186 00:12:14,309 --> 00:12:16,750 Speaker 1: Richard slowly approached the counter from the other side and 187 00:12:16,830 --> 00:12:17,709 Speaker 1: stood silent. 188 00:12:18,610 --> 00:12:19,350 Speaker 2: Richard waited. 189 00:12:20,170 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: Nothing. He knew it wouldn't be long. He knew she 190 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 1: would stand up sooner or later. 191 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:27,820 Speaker 2: Sure enough, when. 192 00:12:27,740 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 1: Dale stood to take stock of the horrifying situation she 193 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,339 Speaker 1: was in, she was staring into the cold black eyes 194 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,099 Speaker 1: of her killer. Richard Ramirez pulled the trigger of his. 195 00:12:37,070 --> 00:12:40,210 Speaker 1: 22 from point-blank range, firing a single bullet into the 196 00:12:40,330 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: middle of the victim's forehead. She fell dead instantly. Richard 197 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: ignored the sexual charge rising up inside of him. He 198 00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: turned and headed for the front door, and as he 199 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: headed out into the night, there. 200 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:57,090 Speaker 2: On the walkway, in the front yard, unbelievably, Maria Hernandez. 201 00:12:58,090 --> 00:13:00,010 Speaker 1: The bullet he'd fired at her in the garage had 202 00:13:00,050 --> 00:13:02,670 Speaker 1: been blocked by the house keys in her hand. She 203 00:13:02,740 --> 00:13:05,620 Speaker 1: spoke to her would-be killer in spurts. Please don't, please don't, 204 00:13:05,660 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: please don't shoot me again. Richard lowered his gaze and 205 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:13,939 Speaker 1: walked past her, toward his stolen car. As he drove off, 206 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,670 Speaker 1: he realized his ACDC hat was missing. He steered the 207 00:13:17,710 --> 00:13:21,270 Speaker 1: hot Toyota back toward downtown LA and blasted his Walkman 208 00:13:21,309 --> 00:13:25,609 Speaker 1: at full volume. ACDC's Highway to Hell filled his ears. 209 00:13:26,670 --> 00:13:28,809 Speaker 2: Living easy, living free. 210 00:13:32,450 --> 00:13:36,020 Speaker 1: Living easy and living free was right. Those lyrics from 211 00:13:36,059 --> 00:13:39,900 Speaker 1: Bon Scott on ACDC's Highway to Hell title track were 212 00:13:39,940 --> 00:13:42,939 Speaker 1: basically a mantra. It was how Bon lived his life. 213 00:13:43,420 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: It was how Bon Scott was living his life at 214 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:49,500 Speaker 1: this exact moment back in 1977, prior to the recording 215 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,630 Speaker 1: of Highway to Hell. He was stuck riding bitch between 216 00:13:52,690 --> 00:13:55,810 Speaker 1: two new friends in the backseat of a big American V8. 217 00:13:55,450 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 2: Somewhere in Florida. Florida loved ACVC. So did Texas. 218 00:14:01,140 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: Radio stations and live audiences in those two big American states... 219 00:14:05,429 --> 00:14:08,990 Speaker 1: were almost entirely responsible for ACDC breaking through in the 220 00:14:09,050 --> 00:14:12,310 Speaker 1: United States on the heels of their 77 full-length effort, 221 00:14:12,390 --> 00:14:16,010 Speaker 1: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Bond was in a great mood, 222 00:14:16,610 --> 00:14:19,430 Speaker 1: as he was on most nights. He screamed along to 223 00:14:19,470 --> 00:14:22,450 Speaker 1: the Sex Pistols song blasting from the car radio, and 224 00:14:22,490 --> 00:14:26,430 Speaker 1: all was well until the Quaaludes kicked in. How many 225 00:14:26,490 --> 00:14:29,990 Speaker 1: Bond took, he didn't know. He also didn't know how 226 00:14:30,030 --> 00:14:30,670 Speaker 1: much he drank. 227 00:14:31,390 --> 00:14:33,410 Speaker 2: Blue Nun, sweet German wine. 228 00:14:34,090 --> 00:14:37,790 Speaker 1: It washed the lewds down quick. Everything around it raced 229 00:14:37,890 --> 00:14:41,930 Speaker 1: by at its normal speed as Bon Scott powered down 230 00:14:41,970 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: and sank deeper and deeper into the 70s. 231 00:14:44,490 --> 00:14:46,230 Speaker 2: Living, you see. 232 00:14:46,270 --> 00:15:24,330 Speaker 1: Living. 1977, Los Angeles, Sunset Strip, the Continental Hyatt House, a.k.a. 233 00:15:24,730 --> 00:15:25,510 Speaker 2: The Riot House. 234 00:15:26,530 --> 00:15:29,490 Speaker 1: The notorious hotel was the scene of many a 70s 235 00:15:29,570 --> 00:15:33,990 Speaker 1: rock star's debaucherous escapades. Tonight it was Bon Scott from 236 00:15:34,070 --> 00:15:37,970 Speaker 1: ACDC's turn. He strolled the hotel with a bottle of 237 00:15:38,030 --> 00:15:41,170 Speaker 1: Jack Daniels in one hand and a tall buxom blonde 238 00:15:41,210 --> 00:15:43,930 Speaker 1: in the other. His band was in town for a 239 00:15:43,980 --> 00:15:46,260 Speaker 1: set of shows up the strip at the Whiskey A Go-Go. 240 00:15:47,230 --> 00:15:51,109 Speaker 1: But tonight was for letting loose. Bond had steam to 241 00:15:51,150 --> 00:15:54,550 Speaker 1: blow off. Since arriving in America in support of their 242 00:15:54,570 --> 00:15:58,570 Speaker 1: latest album, the beyond excellent Let There Be Rock, living 243 00:15:58,630 --> 00:16:01,420 Speaker 1: easy and living free was proving to be easier said 244 00:16:01,460 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: than done. 245 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 2: The critics were not impressed. 246 00:16:06,020 --> 00:16:08,740 Speaker 1: The New York Times said that, quote, the band is tight, 247 00:16:08,820 --> 00:16:12,460 Speaker 1: but the singer is undistinguished. The Los Angeles Times claimed 248 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,729 Speaker 1: that Bond Scott himself was utterly unlistenable. What did the 249 00:16:16,830 --> 00:16:17,890 Speaker 1: critics know, anyway? 250 00:16:18,590 --> 00:16:22,450 Speaker 2: Nothing. The media were nothing but vultures. Kids knew the truth. 251 00:16:23,150 --> 00:16:26,450 Speaker 1: They flooded radio station request lines for ACDC after every 252 00:16:26,470 --> 00:16:27,410 Speaker 1: show the band played. 253 00:16:28,350 --> 00:16:31,580 Speaker 2: Rock and roll was a lifestyle. The kids understood that. 254 00:16:32,140 --> 00:16:34,940 Speaker 2: It was a commitment. You needed to live the. 255 00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:37,500 Speaker 1: Life, walk the walk, talk the talk, so to speak, 256 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,580 Speaker 1: and Bon Scott did that. Concertgoers latched on to Bon 257 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: Scott's rock and roll authenticity. And in my opinion, There 258 00:16:45,900 --> 00:16:47,620 Speaker 1: is no better example of what a rock and roll 259 00:16:47,660 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 1: frontman should be than Bon Scott. 260 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 2: Voice? 261 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: Check. 262 00:16:52,060 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 2: There's none better in the genre. 263 00:16:53,730 --> 00:16:58,570 Speaker 1: Raspy, knowing, bluesy, mysterious, powerful, and unlike anything before or since. 264 00:16:59,130 --> 00:17:01,229 Speaker 1: Probably my favorite rock singer of all time. 265 00:17:01,830 --> 00:17:05,300 Speaker 2: Looks? Check. Bon Scott looked like he'd fight you, fuck. 266 00:17:05,100 --> 00:17:06,979 Speaker 1: You, be your best friend, and break your heart all 267 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: in the same night regardless of what sex you were. 268 00:17:10,030 --> 00:17:10,910 Speaker 2: Bond had it all. 269 00:17:11,150 --> 00:17:15,710 Speaker 1: He was utterly serious looking. Tattoos, broken teeth, yet totally irreverent. 270 00:17:16,270 --> 00:17:17,170 Speaker 2: Violently handsome. 271 00:17:17,369 --> 00:17:19,330 Speaker 1: A rough piece of trade he could take home to mom. 272 00:17:19,369 --> 00:17:21,530 Speaker 2: Well, not my mom, but you get the idea. 273 00:17:22,730 --> 00:17:25,859 Speaker 1: Stage presence check. Bond Scott commanded the stage with a unique, 274 00:17:25,930 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: powerful presence. No easy task when you're positioned up there 275 00:17:29,260 --> 00:17:33,260 Speaker 1: next to Angus Young. A constant whirling ball of sugar-infused 276 00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: heavy metal energy in a schoolboy's uniform with a Gibson SG. 277 00:17:36,710 --> 00:17:38,990 Speaker 1: who split his time stripping down to his skivvies and 278 00:17:39,050 --> 00:17:42,899 Speaker 1: melting faces. Even in the face of that, Bon Scott 279 00:17:42,980 --> 00:17:45,699 Speaker 1: did more than hold his own. He owned the audience 280 00:17:45,740 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: with raw power, just like the rest of his band. 281 00:17:49,300 --> 00:17:50,379 Speaker 2: Lyrics, check. 282 00:17:50,859 --> 00:17:54,180 Speaker 1: Bon Scott was a natural rock and roll storyteller, cut 283 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: from the same cloth as the great one Chuck Berry. 284 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,190 Speaker 1: ACDC's latest long player, Let There Be Rock, had Bon 285 00:18:00,230 --> 00:18:02,310 Speaker 1: on the top of his game lyrically with songs like 286 00:18:02,570 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: Whole Lotta Rosie, a song about the virtues of the 287 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,820 Speaker 1: full-bodied female, and the title track, Let There Be Rock. 288 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,380 Speaker 2: Which took the listener through a blitzkrieg rock and roll 289 00:18:10,420 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 2: history lesson. 290 00:18:13,990 --> 00:18:18,770 Speaker 1: Bon Scott commanded audiences, and he told stories offstage, too, 291 00:18:19,690 --> 00:18:22,330 Speaker 1: as he was now doing at the Hyatt House, surrounded 292 00:18:22,369 --> 00:18:26,310 Speaker 1: by friends. Problem child, so the story went, was a 293 00:18:26,330 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: song about Angus. But Bon was coming clean. Maybe the 294 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:34,330 Speaker 1: Jack Daniels was talking. The song, he said, was actually 295 00:18:34,369 --> 00:18:40,899 Speaker 1: about himself. 1963, 16-year-old Bon Scott. 296 00:18:41,380 --> 00:18:42,540 Speaker 2: Those other boys had it coming. 297 00:18:43,020 --> 00:18:45,699 Speaker 1: Bon took on the lot of them, bare-knuckled. He would 298 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,420 Speaker 1: have prevailed if it weren't for the cop who broke 299 00:18:47,460 --> 00:18:49,510 Speaker 1: it up, and the cop who caught one of Bon's 300 00:18:49,570 --> 00:18:52,389 Speaker 1: flailing fists. And that little move ended up with the 301 00:18:52,450 --> 00:18:56,270 Speaker 1: charge escalating to assault on a police officer. Bon did 302 00:18:56,270 --> 00:18:59,730 Speaker 1: 12 months in a juvenile home for boys. And then 303 00:18:59,770 --> 00:19:02,859 Speaker 1: there was the story about Deep Purple. They were supposed 304 00:19:02,900 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: to headline the Sunbury Festival back on ACDC's Australian home 305 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,940 Speaker 1: turf back in 75. Deep Purple were huge at the time. 306 00:19:11,500 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: Bond had barely been in ACDC a couple of months. 307 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,850 Speaker 1: Deep Purple backed out, and the promoter hired local upstarts 308 00:19:17,930 --> 00:19:22,030 Speaker 1: ACDC to fill in. Then Deep Purple showed up in 309 00:19:22,050 --> 00:19:24,630 Speaker 1: their fucking Rolls Royces, no less, and they demanded to play. 310 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:27,379 Speaker 1: but one of the roadies took a swing at ACDC's 311 00:19:27,420 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: manager and Bon Scott pounced, leveled the dude. 312 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:32,419 Speaker 2: All hell broke loose backstage. 313 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:35,220 Speaker 1: Angus spilled out onto the stage to chill out the 314 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:36,899 Speaker 1: kids in the crowd who were desperate to know what 315 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,290 Speaker 1: was happening and eager to lend their countrymen a hand 316 00:19:39,330 --> 00:19:41,710 Speaker 1: when they found out they were doing battle backstage with 317 00:19:41,730 --> 00:19:45,150 Speaker 1: an English rock group. Angus chilled them out, but not 318 00:19:45,190 --> 00:19:48,130 Speaker 1: before seeing his lead singer, Bon Scott, being whipped. 319 00:19:47,950 --> 00:19:49,850 Speaker 2: Around on the back of a deep purple roadie he 320 00:19:50,010 --> 00:19:50,830 Speaker 2: held in a headlock. 321 00:19:51,750 --> 00:19:54,630 Speaker 1: Eventually, the melee came to an end and all parties 322 00:19:54,690 --> 00:19:57,709 Speaker 1: laughed off the incident, but it made for a good story. 323 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,879 Speaker 1: Just like the story about when Bon found himself at 324 00:20:01,900 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: the maternity ward visiting two different women at the same time, 325 00:20:06,020 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 1: both of whom were delivering his babies. 326 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:12,810 Speaker 2: It's true. That happened. According to Bon Scott, anyway. Another 327 00:20:12,850 --> 00:20:14,310 Speaker 2: one of his good stories. 328 00:20:15,650 --> 00:20:19,859 Speaker 1: But nothing taught Bon appearing on Australian national television to 329 00:20:19,910 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: perform in 1975, fully in drag, dressed as a schoolgirl. Pigtails, 330 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: blue eyeliner, lipstick, skirt. Australia would never be the same. 331 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,699 Speaker 1: Half the country was still horrified and half was still laughing, 332 00:20:33,220 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: like Bon. 333 00:20:34,650 --> 00:20:35,450 Speaker 2: It was all a joke. 334 00:20:36,050 --> 00:20:39,750 Speaker 1: The arrests, the time, the drink, the fights, the unwed pregnancies, 335 00:20:39,770 --> 00:20:43,129 Speaker 1: the shock and outrage. None of it was serious. It 336 00:20:43,170 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: was all a put-on. 337 00:20:45,180 --> 00:20:46,820 Speaker 2: Living easy. Living free. 338 00:20:47,820 --> 00:20:50,540 Speaker 1: The only thing that mattered was the show. Giving the 339 00:20:50,580 --> 00:20:54,510 Speaker 1: kids what they wanted. And beyond power, what kids in 340 00:20:54,530 --> 00:21:01,470 Speaker 1: the 1970s wanted was darkness. Richard Ramirez was one of 341 00:21:01,510 --> 00:21:04,770 Speaker 1: those kids. Hell ain't a bad place to be. If 342 00:21:04,810 --> 00:21:08,570 Speaker 1: you want blood, you got it. Dirty deeds done dirt cheap. 343 00:21:09,109 --> 00:21:12,670 Speaker 1: What's next to the moon? Night prowler and highway to hell. 344 00:21:13,510 --> 00:21:18,409 Speaker 1: Indiscriminate murder, contract killing, violent crimes of passion, a glorification 345 00:21:18,430 --> 00:21:22,570 Speaker 1: of Satan. All this darkness is present in these ACDC songs. 346 00:21:23,310 --> 00:21:28,730 Speaker 1: Tremendous transgressive rock and roll storytelling delivered with ACDC's trademark power. 347 00:21:29,410 --> 00:21:34,060 Speaker 1: Incredibly compelling stuff for disaffected teenagers everywhere, never mind those 348 00:21:34,130 --> 00:21:39,459 Speaker 1: living in a post-Charles Manson Los Angeles. 1985 LA was 349 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: its own kind of hell. The air itself was toxic, 350 00:21:43,380 --> 00:21:45,379 Speaker 1: and the homeless problem like it is now was out 351 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 1: of control. 352 00:21:46,540 --> 00:21:48,260 Speaker 2: And the elite shuffled aimlessly up in. 353 00:21:48,260 --> 00:21:51,120 Speaker 1: Their Hollywood Hills mansions as coke and crack addicts roamed 354 00:21:51,140 --> 00:21:54,430 Speaker 1: the streets below, turning tricks and getting stoned in decaying 355 00:21:54,510 --> 00:21:58,430 Speaker 1: bus terminals and hourly motels. It was in this hell 356 00:21:59,020 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 1: that Richard Ramirez found himself listening to ACDC, communing with Satan, 357 00:22:04,740 --> 00:22:07,180 Speaker 1: and about to pay the devil his due. 358 00:22:11,230 --> 00:22:13,909 Speaker 2: We'll be right back after this word, word, word. 359 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: The Catholic Church compels its followers to develop a daily 360 00:22:24,290 --> 00:22:28,189 Speaker 1: relationship with God, to speak to him, to pray to him, 361 00:22:28,630 --> 00:22:33,010 Speaker 1: to commune with him. Richard Ramirez did the opposite. He 362 00:22:33,090 --> 00:22:40,250 Speaker 1: spoke with Satan. From behind the wheel of his stolen car, 363 00:22:40,670 --> 00:22:43,689 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez absorbed the sounds of Highway to Hell and 364 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 1: spoke in a trance. Hail Satan, thank you for being 365 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,709 Speaker 1: a stabilizing force in my life. for driving me, for 366 00:22:51,750 --> 00:22:54,750 Speaker 1: accepting me into your army, for enlisting me in your 367 00:22:54,810 --> 00:22:58,490 Speaker 1: fight against Christ, for giving me purpose, for showing me 368 00:22:58,530 --> 00:23:01,100 Speaker 1: the power and total domination. 369 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 2: Hail Satan. 370 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,300 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez believed that Jesus Christ was the enemy and 371 00:23:08,340 --> 00:23:12,270 Speaker 1: that he, Richard Ramirez, was part of Satan's army here 372 00:23:12,369 --> 00:23:12,700 Speaker 1: on earth. 373 00:23:13,530 --> 00:23:14,590 Speaker 2: And who are we to argue? 374 00:23:15,390 --> 00:23:20,790 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez's evil was beyond compare. Especially on the night 375 00:23:20,810 --> 00:23:28,290 Speaker 1: of March 26, 1985. At around 2 a.m., Richard Ramirez 376 00:23:28,369 --> 00:23:31,129 Speaker 1: slowed his new stolen car to a stop outside a 377 00:23:31,230 --> 00:23:35,990 Speaker 1: tidy-looking home on Strong Avenue in Whittier, California. He crept 378 00:23:36,070 --> 00:23:39,149 Speaker 1: slowly into the yard, peered into the living room window. 379 00:23:39,850 --> 00:23:42,270 Speaker 1: On the sofa, a man sleeping in front of the 380 00:23:42,310 --> 00:23:45,629 Speaker 1: television in his underwear. Richard crept to the back of 381 00:23:45,670 --> 00:23:49,820 Speaker 1: the house. He peered into a bedroom window. There, on 382 00:23:49,859 --> 00:23:54,940 Speaker 1: the bed, a woman, sleeping, mid-forties. The sight of her 383 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:59,379 Speaker 1: and the thought of imminent sex charged Richard. Richard turned 384 00:23:59,420 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: toward the front of the house, steadied himself with his. 385 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,629 Speaker 1: 22 pistol aimed in combat position, and burst through the 386 00:24:05,670 --> 00:24:08,490 Speaker 1: front door. The man on the couch woke in a start, 387 00:24:08,810 --> 00:24:11,830 Speaker 1: and Richard immediately fired off a round. The bullet entered 388 00:24:11,850 --> 00:24:14,630 Speaker 1: the man's skull just above his ear. A thin stream 389 00:24:14,670 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 1: of blood shot out of the man's head and painted 390 00:24:16,740 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 1: the living room wall three feet away. The man fell 391 00:24:19,500 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: to the floor, dying. The sound of the shot woke 392 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,139 Speaker 1: the woman in the bedroom. Horror chilled her veins. 393 00:24:24,900 --> 00:24:28,090 Speaker 2: When she saw Richard enter the room. She screamed, and 394 00:24:28,150 --> 00:24:29,190 Speaker 2: Richard screamed. 395 00:24:28,910 --> 00:24:29,850 Speaker 1: Back,''. 396 00:24:29,170 --> 00:24:31,530 Speaker 4: Where' s the fucking money, bitch? 397 00:24:32,150 --> 00:24:33,409 Speaker 2: Richard didn't wait for an answer. 398 00:24:33,710 --> 00:24:35,930 Speaker 1: He quickly grabbed a necktie from the closet and bound 399 00:24:35,950 --> 00:24:38,619 Speaker 1: the woman to the bed. Then he continued ransacking her 400 00:24:38,670 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 1: bedroom for valuables. But while he was distracted, the woman 401 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: loosened the sloppily tied necktie, undid herself, and made for 402 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 1: the shotgun her husband kept under the bed. Richard heard her, 403 00:24:49,220 --> 00:24:51,859 Speaker 1: turned around, and was shocked to see the woman had 404 00:24:51,900 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: the drop on him. She focused her aim, strengthened her grip, 405 00:24:56,300 --> 00:24:57,300 Speaker 1: pulled the trigger in. 406 00:25:00,340 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 2: No shotgun shells. Richard flew into a rage. How dare 407 00:25:05,060 --> 00:25:06,140 Speaker 2: she try to hurt him? 408 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 1: He was an agent of Satan. She was a weak pawn, 409 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 1: insignificant sacrificial fodder. He quickly raised his. 22 and shot 410 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:17,550 Speaker 1: her three times. Then, he hit the kitchen and grabbed 411 00:25:17,570 --> 00:25:20,350 Speaker 1: the biggest knife he could find. When he returned, he 412 00:25:20,450 --> 00:25:22,570 Speaker 1: pounced on the woman on the bed. He ripped off 413 00:25:22,609 --> 00:25:24,850 Speaker 1: her shirt and proceeded to attempt to cut her heart 414 00:25:24,890 --> 00:25:27,210 Speaker 1: out of her chest, but the knife wasn't strong enough 415 00:25:27,260 --> 00:25:28,899 Speaker 1: and wouldn't penetrate the ribcage. 416 00:25:29,580 --> 00:25:30,540 Speaker 2: It was a disappointment. 417 00:25:31,190 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: Richard took the knife and carved a deep, bloody, upside-down 418 00:25:34,340 --> 00:25:37,940 Speaker 1: cross into the woman's chest in homage to Satan. Without 419 00:25:37,980 --> 00:25:40,859 Speaker 1: her heart as a souvenir, he turned his attention to 420 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,379 Speaker 1: her eyes. He took his knife and with precision, he 421 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,750 Speaker 1: cut her eyeballs out of her skull and carefully placed 422 00:25:47,790 --> 00:25:51,990 Speaker 1: them into the woman's small jewelry box. His anger returned. 423 00:25:52,310 --> 00:25:55,670 Speaker 1: He stabbed her repeatedly in the throat, in the stomach, 424 00:25:55,930 --> 00:25:58,959 Speaker 1: in the vagina. Richard then tried to have sex with 425 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 1: the dead woman's body, but his anger prevented him from 426 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:05,090 Speaker 1: getting an erection. He exited the house frustrated and covered 427 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:08,870 Speaker 1: in blood. He took the shotgun and the woman's eyes. 428 00:26:12,170 --> 00:26:15,890 Speaker 1: On May 29th, it was a different home, in Monrovia. 429 00:26:16,790 --> 00:26:17,690 Speaker 2: Richard broke in. 430 00:26:18,730 --> 00:26:21,440 Speaker 1: He prowled the entryway into the kitchen, where he found 431 00:26:21,500 --> 00:26:24,900 Speaker 1: a hammer. Moving to the bedrooms, he found and tied 432 00:26:24,940 --> 00:26:28,900 Speaker 1: up both residents of the Monrovia home. Two women, sisters, 433 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:33,860 Speaker 1: in their 80s, one of them disabled. They helplessly took 434 00:26:33,940 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 1: blows from that hammer, the claws of it gouging and 435 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:41,139 Speaker 1: breaking their bodies. Richard's bloodlust fed his libido. What he 436 00:26:41,180 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 1: wanted to do in Whittier, he did to the disabled 437 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:48,459 Speaker 1: woman in Monrovia. Afterwards, he shocked the one sister with 438 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:51,399 Speaker 1: an electric cord, took her lipstick and drew pentagrams on 439 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,699 Speaker 1: her thigh and on the walls of the house. The 440 00:26:54,740 --> 00:26:59,710 Speaker 1: two women's bodies weren't found for days. The very next night, 441 00:27:00,070 --> 00:27:03,390 Speaker 1: in Burbank, he used handcuffs instead of rope to bind 442 00:27:03,430 --> 00:27:07,129 Speaker 1: a 42-year-old woman and her 11-year-old son. He threw the 443 00:27:07,150 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: kid in the closet and dragged the mom around the house, 444 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:11,899 Speaker 1: making her show him all the valuables he could steal. 445 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 2: And then he raped her repeatedly, shouting at her the 446 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 2: whole time. 447 00:27:15,500 --> 00:27:16,179 Speaker 1: Don't look at me. 448 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:17,510 Speaker 2: I said don't look at me. 449 00:27:17,540 --> 00:27:19,940 Speaker 1: Don't you fucking look at me. I won't. I won't. 450 00:27:19,980 --> 00:27:22,170 Speaker 2: I swear to God, I won't. Don't swear to God. 451 00:27:22,190 --> 00:27:22,910 Speaker 4: Swear to Satan. 452 00:27:24,070 --> 00:27:24,139 Speaker 1: Why? 453 00:27:24,670 --> 00:27:25,690 Speaker 2: And the Night Stalker. 454 00:27:26,710 --> 00:27:30,090 Speaker 1: Richard liked making his victims swear to the devil. A 455 00:27:30,109 --> 00:27:32,649 Speaker 1: 63-year-old survivor from Monterey Park was made to pledge her 456 00:27:32,670 --> 00:27:35,790 Speaker 1: allegiance to Lucifer. During a robbery in Sun Valley, he 457 00:27:35,850 --> 00:27:37,750 Speaker 1: demanded the widow of the man he'd just shot in 458 00:27:37,770 --> 00:27:39,850 Speaker 1: the head swear to Satan that she'd given up all 459 00:27:39,869 --> 00:27:42,909 Speaker 1: her jewelry. And on another night in Diamond Bar, he 460 00:27:42,950 --> 00:27:44,859 Speaker 1: made a different woman swear to the devil that she 461 00:27:44,900 --> 00:27:50,060 Speaker 1: would stay quiet while he raped her. Every scene was raw, uncut, 462 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:54,500 Speaker 1: nightmare fuel. And then, There was the attempted. 463 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:58,700 Speaker 2: Murder of Whitney Bennett. Stop, stop, she shouted, her mouth 464 00:27:58,780 --> 00:27:59,500 Speaker 2: full of blood. 465 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:03,300 Speaker 1: The tire iron came down on her head, over and over, 466 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,830 Speaker 1: pummeling her innocent 16-year-old face. Richard had snuck in her 467 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:11,070 Speaker 1: unlocked bedroom window with the tire iron in hand, and 468 00:28:11,130 --> 00:28:13,570 Speaker 1: as he brought it down again, her hand swatted at 469 00:28:13,590 --> 00:28:16,510 Speaker 1: him in a useless defense. She had been asleep a 470 00:28:16,550 --> 00:28:19,970 Speaker 1: minute ago, and she quickly slipped back into unconsciousness under 471 00:28:20,010 --> 00:28:23,420 Speaker 1: the assault. Richard stepped out into the kitchen for a knife, 472 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,379 Speaker 1: but struggled to find one. Instead, he decided to finish 473 00:28:27,420 --> 00:28:31,050 Speaker 1: the job by strangulation. An electric cord laced around her 474 00:28:31,130 --> 00:28:35,210 Speaker 1: neck pulled taut. He yanked it harder, watched her skin 475 00:28:35,270 --> 00:28:39,690 Speaker 1: go pale, and then purple. Suddenly, the electric cord sparked 476 00:28:39,750 --> 00:28:42,170 Speaker 1: and fritzed, filling the air above her body with a 477 00:28:42,350 --> 00:28:45,690 Speaker 1: blue haze. It was as if her soul was visibly 478 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:50,410 Speaker 1: leaving her body. Except instead of dying, the 16-year-old began 479 00:28:50,510 --> 00:28:54,850 Speaker 1: gasping for air and waking up again. For once, Richard 480 00:28:54,890 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: Ramirez was the scared one. The blue haze over the 481 00:28:58,100 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: girl's body had freaked him out. Clearly, this was a 482 00:29:01,100 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: sign of divine rather than satanic intervention. Her soul, he 483 00:29:05,180 --> 00:29:10,030 Speaker 1: saw it, he swore. That was what scared him. Jesus intervening, 484 00:29:10,610 --> 00:29:14,050 Speaker 1: overpowering Satan. Richard booked it out of the house and 485 00:29:14,420 --> 00:29:18,370 Speaker 1: Whitney Bennett survived after 500 stitches and some plastic surgery. 486 00:29:21,810 --> 00:29:25,290 Speaker 1: Following this gruesome string of murders, it wasn't long before 487 00:29:25,310 --> 00:29:27,470 Speaker 1: the press picked up on the fact that a serial 488 00:29:27,510 --> 00:29:30,170 Speaker 1: killer was in their midst. When they found out one 489 00:29:30,190 --> 00:29:32,990 Speaker 1: of the only clues was an ACDC hat left behind 490 00:29:33,050 --> 00:29:35,510 Speaker 1: at the scene of the Dale Akazaki murder in March 491 00:29:35,530 --> 00:29:39,810 Speaker 1: of 85, the media feeding frenzy really kicked in. They 492 00:29:39,830 --> 00:29:42,010 Speaker 1: even had a name for the killer. It was a 493 00:29:42,050 --> 00:29:45,690 Speaker 1: take on his favorite band, ACDC's song Night Prowler. 494 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 2: And they called him the Night Stalker. 495 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,220 Speaker 4: The so-called Night Stalker is blamed for seven murders in 496 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,130 Speaker 4: the Los Angeles area. Now, police have linked the killer 497 00:29:58,150 --> 00:30:00,130 Speaker 4: to a murder in San Francisco last weekend. 498 00:30:01,090 --> 00:30:03,180 Speaker 2: Murder in San Francisco. 499 00:30:06,500 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 4: Officials in Los Angeles are offering a $ 10, 000 reward to 500 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:17,650 Speaker 4: the capture of the so-called Night Stalker. The same man 501 00:30:17,710 --> 00:30:19,810 Speaker 4: is suspected in six to eight murders and 25 to 502 00:30:19,810 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 4: 30 attacks. The latest victim, a 35-year-old man shot in 503 00:30:25,100 --> 00:30:28,180 Speaker 4: the head last Thursday. Shot in the head last Thursday. 504 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:34,970 Speaker 1: I'm afraid for everybody, elderly, young, everybody. 505 00:30:35,770 --> 00:30:37,570 Speaker 4: I've been very apprehensive. 506 00:30:37,670 --> 00:30:40,330 Speaker 1: I keep my doors locked and my guns loaded. 507 00:30:40,670 --> 00:30:43,670 Speaker 4: My guns loaded, guns loaded, guns loaded. Night star, night star, 508 00:30:43,710 --> 00:30:48,060 Speaker 4: night star. Callers are flooding the sheriff's department with reported sightings, 509 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:55,150 Speaker 4: but so far, no solid leads. 510 00:30:56,430 --> 00:31:01,790 Speaker 1: And if ACDC embodied Bon Scott, Richard Ramirez unfortunately embodied 511 00:31:01,810 --> 00:31:05,460 Speaker 1: the violent themes Bon Scott incorporated into his music. 512 00:31:07,970 --> 00:31:08,190 Speaker 3: The hat. 513 00:31:08,310 --> 00:31:18,150 Speaker 1: Midnight blue. Near black. Glittery ACDC logo emblazoned across the front. 514 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: It fell off of Richard Ramirez's head most likely when 515 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,810 Speaker 1: he scooted under Maria Hernandez's garage door before attempting to 516 00:31:43,870 --> 00:31:46,770 Speaker 1: shoot her point-blank in the face. It was one of 517 00:31:46,830 --> 00:31:49,830 Speaker 1: his first violent break-ins and the first clue he left 518 00:31:49,870 --> 00:31:53,729 Speaker 1: for police. It would be months before the media would 519 00:31:53,770 --> 00:31:56,290 Speaker 1: learn about that hat. And when they did, they looked 520 00:31:56,330 --> 00:31:59,670 Speaker 1: into Richard Ramirez's favorite band. It was 1985, and ACDC's 521 00:31:59,690 --> 00:32:04,140 Speaker 1: latest album, Fly on the Wall, was released. was a 522 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,620 Speaker 1: mediocre recording and commercial release for a band as successful 523 00:32:07,700 --> 00:32:11,590 Speaker 1: as ACDC. However, journalists on the hunt for a narrative 524 00:32:12,110 --> 00:32:14,290 Speaker 1: didn't need to do much digging to connect the straight 525 00:32:14,350 --> 00:32:17,610 Speaker 1: line between the murderous actions of Richard Ramirez and the 526 00:32:17,670 --> 00:32:21,590 Speaker 1: influence of ACDC. All they needed to do was trace 527 00:32:21,610 --> 00:32:24,850 Speaker 1: the band's discography back a few years to 1979 to 528 00:32:25,430 --> 00:32:29,540 Speaker 1: their album, Highway to Hell. On its cover, Angus Young 529 00:32:29,620 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 1: sports his trademark schoolboy hat, modified with devil horns, and 530 00:32:33,580 --> 00:32:36,060 Speaker 1: holds a long point to Devil's Tail in his hand. 531 00:32:36,870 --> 00:32:38,910 Speaker 1: You'd have to be a complete fucking idiot to take 532 00:32:38,930 --> 00:32:41,430 Speaker 1: the image of him seriously, but then again, we are 533 00:32:41,490 --> 00:32:44,870 Speaker 1: talking about the American media. Perhaps more serious is the 534 00:32:44,950 --> 00:32:47,990 Speaker 1: image of Bon Scott next to Angus. He's sporting a 535 00:32:48,090 --> 00:32:50,980 Speaker 1: goofy smile. The photographer caught him in the middle of 536 00:32:51,020 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: a laugh. It's a very Bon type of image, one 537 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,180 Speaker 1: a thousand fans have seen before. 538 00:32:57,040 --> 00:32:57,500 Speaker 2: As always. 539 00:32:58,020 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: He's not taking himself too seriously. However, on his necklace 540 00:33:02,100 --> 00:33:06,700 Speaker 1: hangs a very serious symbol. A five-pointed pentagram representing the 541 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 1: five wounds of Jesus. Add a goat's head to the 542 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:12,540 Speaker 1: pentagram and you have the official symbol of the Church 543 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:17,850 Speaker 1: of Satan. Catholic exorcists believe that symbols like the pentagram 544 00:33:17,930 --> 00:33:21,790 Speaker 1: or perhaps even this podcast are used by the devil 545 00:33:21,850 --> 00:33:24,230 Speaker 1: as entry points into the lives of men and women. 546 00:33:25,230 --> 00:33:26,930 Speaker 2: Richard Ramirez believed this too. 547 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:31,720 Speaker 1: After he was captured on August 31st, 1985, he stood 548 00:33:31,740 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 1: in court at his arraignment and flashed the palm of 549 00:33:34,060 --> 00:33:37,900 Speaker 1: his hand. On it, a massive pentagram carved into the 550 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:41,340 Speaker 1: flesh above the number 666, the number. 551 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:41,620 Speaker 2: Of the beast. 552 00:33:42,540 --> 00:33:45,300 Speaker 1: In case there was any doubt, after he pleaded innocent 553 00:33:45,420 --> 00:33:49,740 Speaker 1: to murdering 13 people, Richard Ramirez yelled out Hail Satan 554 00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:52,440 Speaker 1: to the judge and the rest of the court, including 555 00:33:52,460 --> 00:33:56,620 Speaker 1: some victims' family members and members of the media. Media 556 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,780 Speaker 1: who had already connected Richard's intentions to more than just 557 00:33:59,820 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: Bon Scott's pentagram on the cover of Highway to Hell. 558 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:05,790 Speaker 1: They also connected the dots to Bon Scott's lyrics in 559 00:34:05,810 --> 00:34:09,730 Speaker 1: the slow, evil menace of the album's final track, Night Prowler, 560 00:34:10,310 --> 00:34:13,250 Speaker 1: which lyrically seemed to detail the creepy B & E 561 00:34:13,290 --> 00:34:17,110 Speaker 1: murders of Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker. Many in the 562 00:34:17,170 --> 00:34:19,989 Speaker 1: media went as far as to directly blame ACDC for 563 00:34:20,050 --> 00:34:25,080 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez's actions. The members of ACDC vehemently denied any 564 00:34:25,160 --> 00:34:29,210 Speaker 1: serious connection to or influence from Satan, despite the imagery 565 00:34:29,270 --> 00:34:33,450 Speaker 1: and themes they explored on record. Richard Ramirez did the opposite, 566 00:34:33,550 --> 00:34:36,790 Speaker 1: saying in court, I love all that blood. I love 567 00:34:36,830 --> 00:34:40,540 Speaker 1: to kill people. I love watching them die. I believe 568 00:34:40,580 --> 00:34:45,140 Speaker 1: in Satan. I am beyond good and evil. Satanists need 569 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:49,779 Speaker 1: to have more faith than Christians. Richard went further. He 570 00:34:49,860 --> 00:34:53,380 Speaker 1: treated his trial like some sort of demonic celebrity come-out party. 571 00:34:53,900 --> 00:34:57,200 Speaker 1: He dressed in a dark suit, wore sunglasses in the courtroom, 572 00:34:57,460 --> 00:35:00,460 Speaker 1: and let his hair grow up. If you squinted, you 573 00:35:00,500 --> 00:35:04,020 Speaker 1: could see the resemblance to ACDC's previous singer, Bon Scott, 574 00:35:04,700 --> 00:35:08,540 Speaker 1: who passed away tragically, drunk and stoned and drowned in 575 00:35:08,580 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: his own vomit in the front seat of a French 576 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 1: supermini on a cold English night five years prior in 1979. 577 00:35:14,060 --> 00:35:14,700 Speaker 2: Living easy, living free. 578 00:35:19,260 --> 00:35:22,230 Speaker 1: Dead on your own puke inside the cold interior of 579 00:35:22,290 --> 00:35:26,530 Speaker 1: a Renault 5. For a moment, the courtroom stage allowed 580 00:35:26,570 --> 00:35:29,250 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez to fill the void left by Bon Scott. 581 00:35:30,010 --> 00:35:33,270 Speaker 1: Richard was now the rock star. The explosion of media 582 00:35:33,330 --> 00:35:35,950 Speaker 1: coverage around his trial that blasted his evil rock star 583 00:35:36,010 --> 00:35:39,710 Speaker 1: image all over television newscasts and newspapers daily led to 584 00:35:39,770 --> 00:35:42,989 Speaker 1: a torrent of groupies. These were women who wrote to 585 00:35:43,030 --> 00:35:46,930 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez, pledging their love. They sent him nudes, proposed 586 00:35:47,030 --> 00:35:50,330 Speaker 1: polyamorous domesticity, and even hung out in and around the 587 00:35:50,390 --> 00:35:55,750 Speaker 1: courtroom during his trial. One, Doreen Leoy, even married Richard 588 00:35:55,830 --> 00:35:58,319 Speaker 1: after he was convicted and sent to San Quentin with 589 00:35:58,380 --> 00:36:02,180 Speaker 1: a death sentence. Perhaps Doreen's love was a parting gift 590 00:36:02,219 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 1: to Richard from the devil, paying his dues. Perhaps, as 591 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:11,310 Speaker 1: Bon Scott sang in 1977, hell ain't a bad place 592 00:36:11,370 --> 00:36:17,279 Speaker 1: to be. Evil Richard Ramirez was a special kind of evil, 593 00:36:17,940 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 1: proof that Satan does indeed walk among us. The Night 594 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 1: Stalker died in prison on June 7, 2013. In the end, 595 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,460 Speaker 1: it wasn't the electric chair or lethal injection. It was 596 00:36:30,580 --> 00:36:36,650 Speaker 1: B-cell lymphoma, cancer, bad blood. He was 53 years old. 597 00:36:38,150 --> 00:36:41,150 Speaker 1: Richard Ramirez spent 20 more years on this earth than 598 00:36:41,190 --> 00:36:44,520 Speaker 1: Bon Scott, who died at the age of 33. 599 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,340 Speaker 2: But only one of these men died a disgrace. 600 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:54,610 Speaker 1: I'm Jake Brennan, and this is Disgraceland. 601 00:36:54,770 --> 00:36:56,109 Speaker 2: Shazam. Nanu nanu. 602 00:37:06,550 --> 00:37:09,290 Speaker 1: Disgraceland was created by yours truly and is produced in 603 00:37:09,330 --> 00:37:12,750 Speaker 1: partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for this episode can be 604 00:37:12,790 --> 00:37:16,799 Speaker 1: found on the show notes page at disgracelandpod.com. If you're 605 00:37:16,820 --> 00:37:19,819 Speaker 1: listening as a Disgraceland All Access member, thank you for 606 00:37:19,860 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 1: supporting the show. We really appreciate it. And if not, 607 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:24,980 Speaker 1: you can become a member right now by going to 608 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:30,469 Speaker 1: disgracelandpod.com slash membership. Members can listen to every episode of 609 00:37:30,530 --> 00:37:32,109 Speaker 1: Disgraceland ad-free. 610 00:37:32,430 --> 00:37:35,920 Speaker 2: Plus, you'll get one brand new exclusive episode every month. 611 00:37:36,340 --> 00:37:40,440 Speaker 1: Weekly unscripted bonus episodes, special audio collections, and early access 612 00:37:40,500 --> 00:37:46,180 Speaker 1: to merchandise and events. Visit DisgracelandPod.com slash membership for details. 613 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:49,480 Speaker 1: Rate and review the show and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, 614 00:37:49,580 --> 00:37:54,180 Speaker 1: and Facebook at DisgracelandPod. And on YouTube at YouTube.com slash 615 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:55,700 Speaker 1: at DisgracelandPod. 616 00:37:56,700 --> 00:37:57,340 Speaker 2: Rock and roll up. 617 00:37:59,980 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 1: He's a bad, bad man. All right, guys, that's ACDC 618 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:06,500 Speaker 1: part one. We got part two coming up for you 619 00:38:06,780 --> 00:38:07,480 Speaker 1: right now.