Excellent photo of Bon from the book "Highway to Hell - the life and times of AC-DC legend - Bon Scott", by Clinton Walker, Published in Australia by Pan MacMillan, in England by Sidgwick and Jackson, ISBN 0-283-06263-0, 1994.

This book is a detailed and sensitive biography of Bon Scott through both his formative stages with the Valentines and Fraternity and the better known years with AC/DC. The book may be hard to find, but it is well worth chasing down.

I most vividly remember Bon at the Largs Pier Hotel (which was one of the key hang-outs for 'heavy' rockers at that time). Off stage he was a quiet and unassuming guy, nice to be with, and despite his sexist philosophy, maybe even the type of guy you would let your daughter go out with. All this stupid hype I read in the press about devils and stuff is pure bullshit. He was basically a nice guy with a strong impish streak (and a minor criminal record) (who drank far too much).
That impish streak is what fascinates me, to this day, with this man.

For me, the definitive Bon Scott comes through most clearly on the Australian release of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (available also in the UK) (ALBERT 465258 2). ( I am sure that the humor of Harry Vanda and George Young, who produced this record, also crept in there a little!!)

Table of contents: Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Ain't no fun (waiting round to be a millionaire) There's gonna be some rockin' Problem child Sqealer Big Balls R.I.P. (Rock in peace) Ride on Jailbreak

For many years this album was 'censored' or 'altered' in the USA release, and the continuity of the musical production ruined. Make sure you buy the correct version (probably an import).

But it is the video medium that best shows Bon's sense of impish humor.

I think his antics 'preaching the sermon' in "Let there be Rock" from the AC/DC video best describe the Bon Scott I knew: an impish humor combined with a willingness to fearlessly challenge even the most stuffy of society's institutions. The album is only on release in Australia and Europe and it is just called - AC/DC. The only version available is in the PAL video format (click here for info on video formats). I bought my copy on a visit to London. Published by ALBERT, it is video number 49817-2 (CBS Music Video Enterprise, CBS Records Australia Ltd, 11-19 Hargrave St, East Sydney, Aust. Manufactured in Australia and New Zealand by CBS Records) Contents: High Voltage, Jailbreak, Let there be Rock, Riff Raff, Dog eat Dog, Highway to Hell, Shot down in Flames, Touch too much, If you want Blood.

Here is a smiling Bon taken from the video.

Thanks to the wonders of technology you can now glimpse the Bon I knew by streaming a very low quality version of the video (if you have a 56K modem or better) or by downloading and then playing the higher quality (but still mashed) 120 KBps version. Click here to view the low quality clip in real time Here is a better quality file for DSL modems (Click on the logo at the left if you need to download a free Real Video player) Please note that I have cut the clip short after Bon 'leaps' over the group in order to comply with Copyright 'fair dealing'. Please also note the video is much higher quality and I urge you to buy, and view, a copy of the video.

"May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
And may you stay - forever young
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb up every rung
And may you stay - forever young"

Thanks Bon, and remember, mate, - "It ain't no fun waiting round to be a millionaire"......