Edison versus Tesla in the first person: A musical.

I

Bon Scott

1946 - 1980

I would like to start this blog with a disclaimer: I DIG BON SCOTT. If you think that the following exercise in the obvious is in anyway disrespecting the deceased, then you need to punch yourself in the a-hole as hard as you can. Think about that for a minute.... Ouch, and really???

That's how Bon would want it. Difficult, destructive, fun, painful, confusing and just damn crazy.

Bon Scott is one of my favorite rock stars for several reasons. He was anti-everything. He was the opposite of a rock star. He was a perverted silly drunk, and the baddest muther to ever grace vinyl. He was older than the other kids in the band, yet he absolutely understood what they needed to portray. Neigh, he portrayed himself into that band. Converting them from another heavy blues band, into the monster they became. Yet Bon was too cool to hang around to reap the rewards. Like the best rock starts, he burned out before he faded away.

Bon's voice, as nontraditional as it was, complimented the distorted 3 open chord 4/4 back drop that was AC/DC. The 70's AC/DC was amazing (and I don't throw that word around lightly). That band, with all of it's short comings musically, was the complete package. Gimmick, Sound & Attitude + the ability to burn a hole in a stage live, made for a perfect storm that is something we don't see anymore.  It just doesn't exist... Not even AC/DC is that good anymore.

Ahh.... Yes. He was great, but this a study into the first person. 

As great as Bon Scott was, his songwriting consisted of scattered moments of brilliance combined with some seriously delusional self image fantasy that would make Twain proud.

I picture a 70's AC/DC band meeting going something like this:

Angus: Ok lads, I have this riff... (strumming A..E.. E...D) whaddaya think?

Bon: I like it, I have some lyrics, whaddaya think about: "I'm a candy dealer, dealing shit to your little girl..."

Malcom: Um... It's good Bon, but maybe you could be something else?

Bon: Ok, yeah... How about this: "I'm a wheel, rolling over the road, to you honey...And I'm shiney..."

Malcom: Uhhhh... Not really what I was thinking. Do you fancy any other lyrics?

Bon: Ok, yeah, it's rough but how about "I'm a gorilla man, raping your boot..."

Angus: NO MATE!!!!!

Bon: Um, ok I could change it to "Ice Scraper"?

Malcom: No... but almost?

Bon: "Night prowler?"

Angus: Yes, Bon! Be a Night Prowler for phucks sake!!!!

You know what though, I love him for it. Bon had imagination. Lets dive into it, shall we? I want to list everything Bon was or was going to do:

• I Wanna be a Rock and Roll Singer
• I'm a Live Wire
• I'm TNT
• I'm a Rocker
• I've got Big Balls
• I'm a Problem Child
• I'm gonna Ride On
• I'm going in, to Sin City
• I'm on the highway to hell
• I'm gonna walk all over you
• I'm a love hungry man
• I'm a night prowler

Honorable mentions (because they own):

• Gimme a bullet to bite on, and I'll make believe it's you (note: that's effin brilliant)
• I've been up to my neck in pleasure, up to my neck in pain, up to my neck on the railroad track, waiting for a train (that is so badass).

Bon is not the only songwriter guilty of over playing the first person. If time had gone on, I am sure the handlers would have put him to task over it, and I think he would have thumped them for it. I've often thought that Bon's over the top personality was probably an issue for his band mates, but I have done zero reading into the functions of the band in the '70's, and to tell you the truth, it's a stone better left unturned by me. 

Besides, Bon spent many hours crafting his self image via pad and pencil, far be it for me to look beyond his body of work.

Lastly, Ride On... It's somber tune, and probably the closest thing AC/DC ever did to a ballad. It is still one of my favorite Bon Scott moments, and it means a lot to me on a spiritual level.

Nago




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