EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS!
NEW INTERVIEW ADDED 5/19/06! NOEL TAYLOR, one of the original early AC/DC Drummers from 1974!
NEW INTERVIEW ADDED 1/30/06! LARRY VAN KREIDT, Original AC/DC Bass player 1973-4!
NEW INTERVIEW ADDED 1/18/06! MARK EVANS Original AC/DC Bass guitarist 1975-77!
NEW INTERVIEWS ADDED 1/9/06!: RON CARPENTER INTERVIEW (one of the original early AC/DC Drummers from 1974!), & CHRIS SLADE INTERVIEW (AC/DC Drummer from 1989-1993 provided by Bob Anderson, interview from approximately 2002/2(?)).
NEW INTERVIEW ADDED 3/17/05!: MARK EVANS Original AC/DC Bass player 1975-1977 on the T.N.T./High Voltage, Dirty Deeds, & Let There Be Rock albums. Interview by Volker Janssen and reprinted with his permission. Interview is from 1998.
| JOHN BISSET (Keyboards in FRATERNITY) |
| PETER HEAD (Keys/piano in The Mount Lofty Rangers) |
| DAVE EVANS (Orignal AC/DC Lead Singer) |
| VINCENT LOVEGROVE (Front man in THE VALENTINES w/Bon) |
| SAM SEE (Piano/guitar in FRATERNITY) |
| BOB DEFRIN (Art Director at Atlantic records- AC/DC album covers) |
| SIMON WRIGHT (AC/DC Drummer 1983-1989 |
| NEIL SMITH (AC/DC Bassist 1974) |
| MARK EVANS (AC/DC Bassist 1975-1977) |
| CHRIS SLADE (AC/DC Drummer 1989-1993) |
| RON CARPENTER (AC/DC Drummer 1974) |
| MARK EVANS (AC/DC Bassist 1975-1977) (NEW 2006 Interview!) |
LARRY VAN KREIDT (AC/DC Bassist 1973-1974)  |
| NOEL TAYLOR (AC/DC Drummer 1974) |
**I'm interested in hearing from any other people who have been part of AC/DC history who are interested in doing interviews for this website, or if you are Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Brian Johnson, Cliff Williams, or Phil Rudd :)** would also love to hear from anyone else from Fraternity, Valentines, Geordie, and any other bands that worked with existing or former members of AC/DC at one time!, AC/DC management, media, studio or tour staff, & anyone else important to the history of the band**
For now, I bring you exclusive interviews that I had done:!
JOHN BISSET
John pictured with Bon Scott.
Keyboard extroidinnaire of Australian progressive Rock band FRATERNITY from 1970-1973. Fraternity was led by frontman Bon Scott at the time. John gives his in depth outlook on his times with Fraternity, with Bon, and what he's been up to over the years. Thanks again John for the great interview!
Can you tell me a little about the band "the Clefs"?
I went to Sydney from New Zealand with a Motown-style band called 'The Action' in 1967. During a stint as resident band at the 'Hawaiian Eye' night-club, the Action broke up. I turned up for work one night and none of the others were there. The club's manager informed me that they had decided to form another band that didn't include me. I had been jamming occasionally with the Clefs who were resident band at the 'Whisky A-Go-Go' in Kings Cross. The Clefs offered me a gig on keyboards - their keyboard player wanted to leave. (He went on to become a founder member of 'Tully', who became very big in the acid-rock scene of the time.)
when was the original band formed? and who were the members and what did they play? You played keyboards, correct?
Yes - I played Hammond organ with the indispensable 'Leslie' rotary speaker. I don't know when the original Clefs were formed. Barrie McAskill was the lead singer and band leader. He came from Adelaide. I suspect the Clefs originally came from there. They had been resident at the Whisky for some time and had gone through many line-up changes by the time I came along. I think other members of Tully had also spent time with the Clefs. At the time I joined, Barrie was lead vocalist. A lady called Inez Amaya did some lead and backing vocals. Inez had some sort of independent arrangement - she never toured or recorded with us. She babysat for me on at least one occasion. (My son Brent was an ankle-biter at the time. He is now 33 and a 'Program Manager' at Microsoft in Seattle.) The other three were Bruce Howe on bass, Mick Jurd on guitar and Tony Beutel on drums. Bruce also came from Adelaide, Tony came from Queensland and Mick was from Glebe in Sydney. Bruce (later dubbed 'The Dingo') was to become my mentor and friend for many years. He was extremely bright and very good at dealing with people. Mick was by far the most accomplished musician and had played jazz guitar previously. His jazz influence can be heard on the title track 'Empty Monkey' which he wrote and arranged. I think the track still stands up and is by far my favourite track on the album. Tony was a staunch Queenslander, Carlton (VFL) supporter and bluesman. The Clefs continued as resident band at the Whisky for a year or so then we cut the umbilical cord and went on the road.
You released one album as "the clefs"? Was it put out independently, or on a label? >what sort of recognition did you receive at the time?
The album was called 'Empty Monkey' and was released on the Sweet Peach label and distributed by Phonogram. The producer was Jimmy Stewart and the engineer was Spencer Lee. It was recorded at United Sound Studios in Sydney. Doug Ashdown and Jimmy Stewart wrote at least one of the songs - they also wrote some of the songs on the first Fraternity album. Doug was a respected singer/songwriter in a similar mould to Bob Dylan. The title came from them as well. I gather it was a reference to the saying 'a monkey on your back' - an empty one being less of a load. The album received little or no attention from the Australian rock press and public as far as I recall.
When did the band change its name from The Clefs to Fraternity?
It was not a case of the band changing its name. In a somewhat cruel and regrettable fashion (common in the rock scene) we conspired together and abandoned Barrie to form another band. The same had been done to me by the other Action members so I guess I felt justified somehow. Barrie re-surfaced with another Clefs line-up soon after. We were on a collective ego-trip and keen to follow Tully into the avante garde acid-rock scene of the time. With the benefit of hindsight I can see that that scene was just as big a wank as the night-club scene but 'hindsight is a wonderful thing'. The split happened during a Clefs's Melbourne tour of duty. We moved back to Sydney and rented a house in Sydney's Eastern suburbs. I think the name 'Fraternity' was Mick's suggestion. It was 'safe' yet had something of an acid subculture connotation as well.
who were your biggest influences(personally), how about Fraternity as a whole- who was Fraternity's biggest inspiration musically?
I was a John Lennon-style rhythm guitarist and vocalist who took up keyboards when it became clear that the writing was on the wall for rhythm guitarists. At the time of the Clefs I was firmly under the spell of Mark Stein (I hope I got his name right) of Vanilla Fudge. I loved Fudge's grandiose blending of classical melodies with rock and their dynamic mix of intensity and emptiness. I also loved the Hammond/Leslie sound - and still do. Pre-Bon Fraternity were very much into Vanilla Fudge, Deep Purple and The Nice. 'Shotgun' on the Clefs album is a cover of the Fudge version. We were all blown away by Joe Cocker's 'With a Little Help From My Friends' ( The Clefs performed an emotionally 'over-the-top' rendition of it on Australian TV.) During a season at a club in Newcastle we discovered the 'Music From Big Pink' album by 'the Band'. The Band were our major influence for the next couple of years. I wrote the Fraternity single 'If You Got It' at the height of our 'Band' era.
How did Bon Scott become the singer of the band?
Bruce Howe brought Bon on board. Bruce must have approached Bon when we were in Melbourne. I had seen Bon in the 'Valentines' but it had never occurred to me that he was frustrated with the pop scene and wanted to get into heavier stuff. Although the pop bands of the time (like The Valentines and Zoot) were probably better off than us in terms of fans, finance and exposure, I felt comfortably superior to them because we weren't pandering to the needs of a bunch of teenyboppers. To use a modern comparison they were 'WestLife' to our 'RadioHead'. I first met Bon at Fraternity's Sydney house. I went along with his recruitment with a little scepticism at first but was soon won over by his personality and talent. The first song I remember him singing at a gig was 'Take Me For a Little While' - a Vanilla Fudge classic. He did it great. I wish it was on record. We went on to become good friends and drinking buddies.
What were the line-up changes (that you recall) in your time with Fraternity?
After the initial break from Barrie, Bon was the first addition. We fell out with Tony after a few months and he left after an argument. We recruited an Adelaide drummer that had jammed with us - John Freeman. A young Adelaide millionaire, Hamish Henry, was very supportive of local talent and he took us under his wing. We moved base to Adelaide and much better accommodations provided by Hamish. Our roadies, Bob and Rob, got a mini greyhound bus to play with. We even took it to England. A harmonica player used to jam with us regularly at our Sydney gigs - 'Uncle' John Ayers. Bruce eventually brought him on board as a permanent member. Bruce also bought guitarist and keyboardist Sam See on board before we went to England. I felt threatened by his recruitment and gave notice that I wasn't going to England with the band. Bruce talked me out of it one night when I was particularly 'upstairs' (Fraternity-speak for being out of it on acid or the like) I was the next change. I left after about a year in England. Things were really bad. 17 people (band, roadies, road manager and partners) in one house in Finchley. Little work, uninspired rehearsals. We were in the wrong country at the wrong time. It came to a head when Sam See (who didn't like me and thought I was crazy) tried to get the band to vote on which one of us should stay. I was too insecure to put my fate in the hands of a vote, so I left. When I got sacked after a short, inauspicious stint with Mungo Jerry, I left the rock scene and eventually became a computer programmer. I stayed on in London in that capacity until 1981 (except for a 12 month contract in Saudi Arabia in 1978.) . Sam also left soon after and 'Fang' was born. I didn't have much contact with the guys after I left but I gather that Fang was a mean and lean version of Fraternity - designed to appeal more to the rock audiences of the time. Fang packed it in and returned to Australia about late 1973. I only know a little about what went on there. Bon had a serious motorbike accident that nearly killed him. Soon after the accident he joined AC/DC. The first I knew of his becoming famous was during a programming contract I was on in Saudi Arabia. I saw Bon's face on the cover of a AC/DC tape cassette in a soukh in Riyadh in 1978. The rest formed Fraternity Mark 2 with Jimmy Barnes on vocals and his half-brother John Swann on drums. Amazing line-up.
what was it like recording in the studio with Fraternity? How long did it generally take the band to write and record an album?
We were an amazingly self-indulgent and lazy lot. It is a wonder we ever made any albums at all. Recording in the studio was just an extension of our everyday life. Priority number one was always 'getting out of it' on whatever was available. Booze was a staple. We were all heavy drinkers. Some handled it better than others. Being pissed was called 'downstairs' in Fraternity-speak. Cheap South Australian brandy was popular, especially on the road. Weed was also ever-present. In the early Clefs days we used a lot of speed but fortunately that didn't last. Acid, mescaline and magic mushrooms were also on the menu when they were around. Anything to avoid being 'straight'. 'If You Got It' had an interesting history. I wrote the lyrics after an extraordinary acid trip at a NSW beach. I felt I had found something and tried to express it after getting some ideas from Aldous Huxley & co. I also worked out the melody and arrangement prior to presenting it to the band at the house in the Adelaide Hills. They liked it so we rehearsed it at the house. The whole band was on magic mushrooms that day. 'Twas the season for gathering mushrooms. We played it live for some time before recording it the next time we were in the studio. (in Melbourne as I recall) Some pieces were put together in the studio. Unfortunately we never used our stage experience to determine what we did in the studio. We were like two bands - a studio one and a stage one. The stage band rocked - it had to rock to survive. In the studio we didn't rock. We did a lot of arty, experimental, grandiose and ponderous stuff that we hardly ever (in some cases never) played on stage. There were a few exceptions but generally speaking, we would have made much better albums by sticking a mike in front of the stage on a good night. I am being a bit hard on us I suppose. We were inexperienced and trying to do original stuff - quite groundbreaking in Australia at the time. We didn't spend a lot of time in the studio. It was too expensive. As far as I remember the albums were cut in a few days.
Who did most of the songwriting? or was it an entire group effort?
I contributed a song to the Clefs album ('Lisa') and Mick wrote two instrumentals - 'Empty Monkey' and 'Relief From a Lighted Doorway'. The whole band contributed to the original arrangements of 'You Can't Do That' and 'Shake and Finger Pop'.
Doug Ashdown and Jimmy Stewart wrote 'Who Is It That Shall Come One Day'. 'Shotgun' was a cover of the Vanilla Fudge version and 'The Hunter' was a fairly standard blues number. Fraternity's songs tended to be sourced from the various living abodes;
Mick (who usually lived separately with his wife Carol) was the main contributor for 'Raglan's Folly', 'You Have a God' and 'Grand Canyon Suites'.
I also lived separately with my wife and son and wrote 'Livestock' (which was intended as a down-under pisstake of Woodstock) and 'If You Got It' .
I co-wrote 'Cool Spot/Annabelle' with Mick while on the road in Melbourne.
Bruce, Bon, Sam and Uncle lived in the same place. I think Bruce and Sam were the main contributors to 'Sommerville', demonstrating the 'Band' influence with references to the US civil war. Bruce was genuinely deeply interested in US history.
I think Bon contributed to 'Getting Off' and 'Jupiter's Landscape' which was inspired by a large piece of modern art on the wall at the Sydney house. It was 3-dimensional with a red raised relief which looked like an alien landscape. (It was also close to the spotting element on the stove).
Sam and possibly Bruce and Bon were the major contributors to 'Welfare Boogie'. 'Hemming's Farm' was mainly Sam's (it includes references to his girlfriend, Mick's dog Francie and my dog Clutch, who was featured on the back cover of 'Flaming Galah').
'The Race' and 'Why Did It Have To Be Me?' were written by Doug Ashdown and Jimmy Stewart.
'Question' was a cover of a Moody Blues song.
'The Shape I'm In' is a cover of a Band song.
'Seasons of Change' was our version of a Black Feather original written by John Robinson and Neal Johns. Our version went to number one in South Australia. Black Feather's was a hit in NSW and Victoria.
what was the typical Fraternity live show like?
It depended on the crowd to a large extent. If the crowd rocked, we rocked. Needless to say we were often booked in gigs which were totally unsuited to the Fraternity culture. Mick got into trouble at a teenybopper gig in Melbourne by saying 'bullshit' during his preamble to 'Sydney Cold Smorgasbord' - a pisstake of a popular soul number which I can't remember the name of. (The word 'salad' or 'stew' was in the title). He would introduce each member of the band and that member would commence playing. Mick's semi-drunken monologue's were hilarious to us and the few people who were onto him. We got a great reception at 'Berties' the first time we played there with Bon. Berties was the trendiest Melbourne club of the time. We opened with 'Chest Fever', a Band song with a great organ introduction that allowed me to star madly for a while. I can't remember the rest of the numbers we did though 'If You Got It', 'The Shape I'm In' and 'Seasons of Change' would have been among them. Bon's recorder introduction to 'Seasons of Change' always got a great reception. Several of the band, including myself, had dropped some mescaline after the first gig for the night. We used to do three one-hour spots a night in Melbourne on the weekends. Once the mescaline was tempered with some wine and weed, we were ready to blow away any audience. Berties was the last gig for the night, and the best. We all helped hump the gear on such nights. It is interesting to note that we managed to drive to each gig, unload the gear, perform, reload the gear - all while we were on various mind-altering substances. Mick used to call the gear-humping procession of people 'the snake'.
did Fraternity every perform any cover songs? during rehearsals or otherwise?
We did covers of a lot of Band songs on stage. We covered the Moody Blues' 'Question' on record but rarely, if ever, played it live. 'Seasons of Change' was a cover though Black Feather didn't release their version as a single until after our version was a hit in South Australia.
what was it like touring throughout Australia in the early 70's with Fraternity?
It was a party. We partied at home, on the road and at gigs. We drove vast distances leaving a trail of empty Foster's cans and brandy bottles in our wake. We once drove the 1000 miles from Sydney to Adelaide in 14 hours. I was with Mick in his Ford Falcon GT on that occasion. He raced a Mazda rotary most of the way. On another occasion I was driving Bruce's Valiant on a Sydney to Melbourne trip. My international licence had expired and I was arrested and jailed in a small town, Holbrook I think it was. I spent the afternoon in an outside cell with a bucket for a toilet, awaiting my trial by kangaroo court. I was found guilty. The judge asked how much I had on me and then fined me that much. We travelled from Adelaide to Perth by train once to do a series of gigs. The train trip took two days and a night. Some of us dropped some windowpane acid on departure from Adelaide. Later in the train's bar we were all accosted by a bloke who passed into Fraternity mythology as 'Vietnam Vic'. He had just returned from duty in Vietnam which according to him, included machine gunning women and children. He was pathologically drunk - as far 'downstairs' as anyone I have ever seen. He was squinty and vicious and personally confronted nearly all of us with aggressive questioning. He confronted Uncle and asked what kind of trips we had on LSD. (Uncle looked like Mahatma Ghandi so he was a sure bet to have dropped acid). When Uncle responded with 'train trips' we all cracked up - risking instant death by Vic who proclaimed that he could kill everyone in the bar in 10 seconds. He probably could have. He confronted Bruce and I with 'What's your scene?'. Bruce responded with 'We're just trying to have a good time' which about summed up Fraternity. We did a tour of South Australia's smaller towns not long before going to England. We would all head for the nearest pub on arrival at a new town. We initially copped a lot of 'log-haired poofdahs' type comments but we usually won the locals over after downing copious quantities of the local brew and cleaning them up at pool. I got so pissed at one gig I was arm-wrestling with members of the audience in between numbers. Bon won over the kids at one town by jumping off a tower on a pier into a mass of jellyfish that had invaded the surrounding water.
Do you remember the performance on Live TV that was done by Fraternity? how did that go?
I don't remember a live TV performance. Channel 9 (I think) did a Fraternity documentary which included footage in the recording studio and at the Adelaide Hills property (Hemmings Farm). Bon was filmed on his motorbike during that session. We performed at a concert with a symphony orchestra in Adelaide but I don't think it was televised. The 'Battle of the Sounds' final in 1971 may have been televised. We won that. The first prize helped finance our trip to England. We supported 'Deep Purple' and 'Free' at a concert in Adelaide. We also supported 'Black Sabbath' at an outdoor festival near Adelaide. There may have been television cameras there. I don't remember. I remember jamming at a pub with some of the Black Sabbath guys after the gig.
Did Fraternity record any other "promotional videos" other than for "Seasons of change"?
I don't remember a promotional video for 'Seasons of Change'. It may have been lifted from the Channel 9 documentary studio footage.
Yes, actually, the "Fraternity TV special", where the "seasons of change" clip must have been pulled from…
I don't have a copy of the Fraternity documentary which was aired on South Australian TV. I think it must still exist somewhere because the odd clip from it turns up. I asked Bruce Howe to try and get me a copy last time I spoke to him (maybe 5 years ago) but he was not very together at the time and never got back to me. The Adelaide TV channel (9 I think) should have it in their archives.
Where there any other Fraternity songs that remained unreleased on album?
'Sydney Cold Smorgasbord' was never recorded. Although 'Chest Fever' was a cover of a Band song, we should have recorded it. It was a repertoire regular for a long time. I think it was recorded during the TV documentary studio session but probably hasn't been among the re-releases because Bon didn't sing it. Bruce and I did. I can't think of any others.
When Fraternity went to England to tour over there, what was the general outlook on the bands future at the beginning of the tour?
The general outlook was initially optimistic. We were confident that we would make our mark. We got brought down to earth very quickly. We had a lot to learn, particularly in the area of PA systems. We had a big PA by Australian standards of the time but it was pitifully inadequate compared to the bands we supported. Status Quo blew us way at our first support gig. We soon improved our PA but still had problems with clear sound reproduction. With seven members we tended to become a 'wall of sound' with no separation and dynamics. We also had material and direction problems. We had been veering toward country rock for some time but really had no clear identity. Our originals were not simple and powerful enough. Bon later told me how relieved he was with AC/DCs approach to originals. Unfortunately Fraternity never mastered that art.
Was this the time that Fraternity decided to change the band name to Fang? or was that later? why the band name change?
I was out of the band when they changed the name to Fang. I think the name change signalled a new simplicity and power in their material but it was perhaps too little too late.
what went wrong with that tour? how did the English crowd react to the band?
We went over quite well at our English gigs. The Poms were fascinated and somewhat sympathatic toward us I think. There was a small core of Londoners who befriended us and attended our gigs and plied us with booze and drugs. We went over much better in Germany. Bon won the audiences over by trying to announce songs in German. They loved to rock there and we responded accordingly. We also played that table-soccer with the Germans. It was more popular than pool over there.
what was the final downfall that caused the band to break up for good?
I don't know what happened after I left. I think the problems of identity and material, and the resulting lack of success and money, were probably the main underlying cause.
do you recall supporting the U.K. band Geordie at that time? what can you recollect about them?
I don't recall that gig. It may have been after my departure.
Didn't Fraternity get back together again after the break-up with another singer and drummer?
Yes - back in Adelaide. I was still in London at the time. They were called Fraternity Mark 2 and featured Jimmy Barnes on vocals and John Swann on drums. Jimmy and his later band 'Cold Chisel' are now living legends in Australia and John also made a name for himself with 'Swannee' and 'The Party Boys' with Kevin Borich.
what is your most memorable moment of Bon Scott?
I was described in Clinton Walker's book as a 'troubled' person. I was certainly pretty screwed-up in those days. I was depressed and paranoid most of the time switching to boisterous and aggressive when drunk. I fitted the description of a full-blown 'Jekyll and Hyde' alcoholic personality which I now know that I was. The 'real me' was virtually unreachable but a few people succeeded over the years. Bon was one of them. Bon and I scored some acid in Adelaide once, loaded his trail bike on the back of my ute and drove to a beach beyond the Adelaide Hills. I was planning to sit in acid-induced meditation on the beach but Bon would have none of it. He insisted that I get on the back of his trail bike. He then roared off down the beach. I was expecting him to slow down as we approached a broad tidal stream that was running across the beach. He sped up. The water hit me like a fire hose. Just beyond the tidal stream the beach gave way to huge sand dunes that steeply rose up about 30 feet above the beach. He didn't slow down - just rode straight into them. The bike stopped instantly, half-buried in the side of the sand dune, and the two of us were thrown 10 or fifteen feet through the air. I was soaked to the skin and covered in sand but seemingly in one piece. I looked up and saw Bon sitting further up the sand dune, grinning at me from ear to ear. I tried to be angry but couldn't help but see the funny side of it. The whole thing was a set up - a practical joke. Bon said "I knew you would either hit me or laugh but I was sure there was a normal, happy bloke in there somewhere". I'm glad he did it and I'm glad I laughed.
What Fraternity album is your favorite? Livestock or Flaming galah?
I don't have a favourite album really. There are a few tracks on both of them that I like.
what would you say is your favorite Fraternity song and why?
I like 'Seasons of Change' the most I think. It is an excellent song , Bon sings it well and the arrangement is well-suited to the Fraternity line-up.
what do you think of the various Fraternity re-releases and compilations that have been surfacing over the past few years or so on CD?
A friend of mine first brought them to my attention in the late 80s. The "Bon Scott - Seasons of Change 1968-72" album (on vinyl) appeared in a local record shop. I rushed out and bought it. I had been starved of even the teensiest bit of fame for many years. Now I had proof that it all really happened! (I hadn't kept any of the original albums myself.) My sister discovered the "Bon Scott & Fraternity - Complete Sessions 1971-72" cd in a catalogue in one of her women's magazines. She ordered a copy for us both. I think they are great. I have even renewed my membership of APRA and have since received a humble (though welcome) royalty cheque for 'If You Got It'.
Did you keep in touch with Bon over the years after he had joined AC/DC?
Not a lot. I was living in London and occasionally caught a glimpse of him in the music press or on the record shelves. I remember seeing a shot of Angus 'mooning' an audience in England when they were on their 'long way to the top'. I was on contract in Saudi Arabia in 1978 and could afford to fly around the world whenever I had some leave. On one such journey I flew to New Zealand and Adelaide to catch up with family and friends. By sheer coincidence, Bon was also in Adelaide for a few days at the same time. Bon, Bruce, Uncle and I went nightclubbing then crashed at Uncle's place. I remember us singing a hungover rendition of 'House of the Rising Run' the next morning. My last job in London was in the city with Shell from 1979-81. My ex-wife Cheryl (who had known Bon for as long as I had) told me that AC/DC were in town for a concert at the Hammersmith Odeon. I somehow reached their management office and left a message for Bon. He rang me at work later and said he would leave 5 free tickets at the door if we wanted to attend the concert. I went with a bunch of my workmates. AC/DC hadn't quite made mega-stardom at the time but they had a good crowd and turned on an amazing performance. I went around the back of the theatre after the show in the hope of having a word with Bon. He was chatting with someone at a back doorway. He saw me and waved me in. I had a beer with him in the band room and was introduced to Angus. Bon said of Angus's stage antics that 'it was mainly a matter of keeping out of his way.' After a few minutes they were whisked off by their tour manager into a limousine which drove off into the night. The next time Cheryl called me about Bon was to inform me of his death.
Do you ever speak with any of the other Fraternity members, or know what they might be doing nowadays?
I saw a lot of John Freeman and Uncle when I first returned to Sydney in 1981. They both helped me find my feet for the first few months. I later saw Uncle and Bruce in 'Mickey Finn' when they played in Sydney. Since returning to New Zealand in 1983 I have had occasional telephone contact with Bruce but nothing for several years now. The last time I spoke to him he told me that Mick had died, of cancer I think. Bruce was touring with an Aerosmith tribute band at the time but God only knows what he is doing now.
what are you up to these days?
I am 'in between jobs' as they say. I am trying to set up shop from home with a few pet projects. I live in a suburb of Hamilton, New Zealand with two dogs, Bonus and Rosie. I never fitted in well as a '9 to 5 ' office worker so I am fairly happy to be doing stuff at home. I returned to New Zealand in 1983 after suffering a severe psychotic breakdown in Sydney during my final attempt to make the rock big time with a band called Diamond Cutter. I quit drinking alcohol in 1984 and haven't had any since. I recently taught myself Visual Basic (with the help of several 'Dummies' books) and am developing a punting system for gallops races in New Zealand. I also do a bit of web development and the like for a friend who has a small export business. I rediscovered my love of electric guitar in the late eighties and learnt how to play electric blues. I was initially inspired by Eric Clapton. He is still among my favourites who also include Peter Green, The Kings (BB, Freddy, Albert), Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Albert Collins, Robert Cray and SRV. I genuinely rate Angus Young as a blues guitarist and reckon that he should put out a blues album. His playing is very much rooted in the blues (in my opinion) and at times is reminiscent of Peter Green in his younger days. (have a listen to 'Drifting' on 'The Original Fleetwood Mac' album.) Angus's solo on 'Ride On' is superb. I don't get to play very often but really enjoy it when I do. I have an old Gibson L6S guitar and a small Marshall amp.
PETER HEAD
Peter Head was a founding member, writer, and keyboard/piano player of The Mount Lofty Rangers project in Australia in the early 1970's. The Rangers was comprised of many of the Rock N Roll warriors from other bands(such as Fraternity, including Bon Scott). Bon played with the Rangers during 1973-74, before, and during the time he had just joined his new band AC/DC. Peter gives his recollection of memories from those days, and what he's been up to lately. Thanks for the great interview, Peter!
Dear Bill, In answer to your questions...........
I knew Bon Scott from about 1970 to 1973. It was in Adelaide, South Australia.I was playing keyboards in a band called Headband, Bon was singing with a band called Fraternity, and both bands were managed by a young entrepenuer called Hamish Henry. Hamish lived in a big mansion in North Adelaide, and the back stables had been converted to a art-gallery/booking office, which I ended up looking after most of the time. Fraternity and Headband were the only two bands from Adelaide chosen to be in this management stable, and it was a unique and exciting opportunity.We were considered to be the bands most likely to be successful, and also we were on the cutting edge artistically.We also shared a relationship with a remarkable artist/photographer/ all-round genius by the name of Vytas Serelis, who was also involved with Hamish, and did our posters and publicity photographs. We felt that we were more than just musicians: we wanted to present a total package of artistic excellence, and retain control of our futures by setting up a system to finance it. It was a brave experiment,and it almost worked! ....up to a point. Both bands became very popular in Adelaide, and even ventured forth to Melbourne and Sydney for occassional recording, t.v. and live performances, and we took it in turns to win "Hoadley's battle of the sounds" Fraternity actually formed from the remnants of the Valentines( Bon and Vince Lovegrove) and the Levi-smith Clefs (Barrie McAskills backing band in Melbourne).
I only saw the Valentines on t.v., and they were considered a good pop duo, but a little lightweight musically compared to the heavier sounds that were creeping in. When they broke up, Vince came to live in Adelaide,and started a booking agency which worked in closely with us and other bands at the time. He also wrote articles for magazines such as "Go-set" and "Rolling Stone", and compered a t.v. rock show called "Move". Fraternity were a "serious" rock band, in that they were the cream of the musos available, all totally dedicated, original and brilliant. They worked hard, and they played hard.They rehearsed furiously, and I sometimes watched them come to blows arguing about a musical arrangement, or a wrong chord, or a vocal inflection-little things that most musos would let go by- these guys nailed right down to the last detail. So they were very impressive musically -powerful songs, great improvisations, great sounds, and a HUGE loud P.A. system .If anything, they were maybe too good....too serious. They had respect, but little fame or fortune. Bon was impatient for success, but out of reverence for the ability of his musical mates, he hung on for years hoping that Fraternity would finally make it. We toured as a double act in the big black bus Hamish bought, and made a few singles which got a bit of play on the local radio stations, and then Fraternity finally went to England to try their luck. They eventually broke up in the end of "73 and returned to Adelaide to lick their wounds.
At about the same time my band, Headband, also broke up in Sydney, and we also returned to Adelaide to lick OUR wounds.Both bands had been to the metaphorical top of the mountain, looked over to see the Promised Land, and then come tumbling down in a resounding crash. Close, but no cigar! Bon took a day job as a labourer for the Wallaroo Fertiliser company, while I worked part-time selling paintings from Hamish's Art Gallery., and night times we'd sometimes get together for a few drinks and smokes and a bit of a jam-session.So it was basically a re-union of old rock'n'roll warriors.
Adelaide is a unique place. 1/2 hour to one side of the city-the sea, and 1/2 an hour to the other side - the country. And in particular, The Mount Lofty Ranges, the group of small hills and mountains that that encircle the city. We were a small group of elite, unique, experienced, world -weary, dedicated and still ambitious individuals- musos, artists, writers, promoters journalists, etc. I think it was Vytas who first had the vision of putting all this energy together under one name "the Mount Lofty Rangers". But we all thought it was a good idea at the time- and basically for the next few years I became the Musical Director, Vytas was the artistic director, Vince was the booking agent, and whoever was available on the night from Fraternity or Headband and a few others of high musical repute were hired to do the gig for the night.
Our only guidelines were,It was never the same band twice, and we always played original music written by the members. We ended up working 2 or 3 nights a week for years, everywhere and everywhere - it became a source of comfort and union to many people, and over 200 people eventually worked and played under that name. We all had a good time, and made a bit of money on the side, and more importantly, there was a vibrant interaction of ideas and talent, not to mention sex, drugs and rock'n'roll.
It became a bit of a legend, and the rumours were self-perpetuating.Regulars included Chris Bailey (ex-Headband, later the Angels and Gangajang) Glenn Shorrock (just before the Little River Band) and Robyn Archer (later to become the director of the Adelaide Festival of Arts, as well as an outstanding artist in her own right,) Trev Warner (banjo virtuoso) Brian Porter (violin with the Symphony Orchestra), Phil Cunneen (keyboard genius from channel 9), Steven Foster,(songwriter extraordinaire), and many, many others.WE played mainly goodtime country rock style music, although it could often stray into blues, jazz, funk , indian music, gospel r'n'b and ballads, anything, really, as long as it was interesting.
Bon sang many times as our lead singer, and always seemed to enjoy himself. Twice he came to my house after shovelling shit all day for the Wallaroo Fertiliser Co, and asked me to help him write songs for the band. He had written all the words during the day--now he just wanted me to write a few chords on the piano or guitar, and finish them off so that they could go into the Ranger's song book, and be played whether he was there or not!
We did "Clarissa"( a beautiful country ballad about a ballet-dancing girl Bon had met), and" I've been up in the hills too long" ( a very funny blue-grass tune.Both songs became favourites in the Rangers repetoire, and were sung by either Chris Bailey or Vince or myself if Bon couldn't make it.There was remarkably little ego involved- it was just fun!In return for me helping him out on his songs, Bon offered to sing any of mine that he could, live or on record. Unfortunately, the only two songs that ended up on tape were "round and Round" and "Carey Gully" And that was only because I found $40 one day and managed to hire Slater Studios (8-track) in North Adelaide for a few hours. Just to do a demo, and see how it sounded, nothin' serious. "Carey Gully" was just me on piano, and Bon singing. We did one take, and then Bon sang a harmony with himself (perfect, first take) Then we had lunch, a few drinks, a few joints, rounded up a band of John Freeman(drums), Chris Bailey (bass) phil Colson (guitar) me on piano and Jan Berg and Loene Furler on backing vocals, and knocked of a version of "Round and Round". And then put it away and forgot about it for 23 years!
Soon after, I got involved with a small local theatre company, and talked them into producing a show called "Lofty", about a fictictious bushranger from the colonial days, who robbed people, and then entertained them with his band, called, naturally, The Mount Lofty Rangers. It was a comedy, lots of fun, and lasted for a week on stage. Bon's song, "Been up in the hills too long" was the raucous finale, and we wanted him to play the part of Lofty, but he was busy rehearsing with a new band called ac/dc.......
There was a big place called the "old Lion Hotel" in North Adelaide, run by an enterprising character called Ron Tremaine, who hired the band to play regularly on Sunday nights in the cellars.It was underground, in small cavern-like areas, and we had a good time, and built up a small crowd of faithful followers.One afternoon Bon came in rolling drunk to rehearsal, and seething with anger about an argument he'd had with Irene (his wife) He was too mad to rehearse, and before anybody could stop him, he suddenly run upstairs, jumped on his bike, and roared off. We tried to stop him ,because it was obvious that he was too pissed to ride, but he got away, and sure enough, a few blocks later, he was in a horrendous crash, and ended up in hospital with most of his teeth missing, and lots of broken bones., but lucky to be alive. That was the last time I saw him for a while. He eventually recovered, and then disappeared with ac/dc, interstate and overseas, and on to a different lifestyle.
At the time, most of us thought that Bon had "sold out" to commerciality by joining ac/dc and forsaking his serious musicality for simple 3 -chord rock, but we also understood that he was simply a talent that couldn't be held back anymore, and it later became obvious that Bon was actually in his element by writing the songs, and performing his outrageous antics live on and and off stage, and in the film clips. I didn't see him for years, until I got a call one day, and then he turned up at my door in North Adelaide, and came in and talked about the fact that even now that he was a world-famous rich pop star, he really missed the comraderie of the old days, and was sorry that he had never gotten a family together. Then we went out to a party down the street, and both got blind drunk.All I remember is we both woke up next day in ajoining rooms with strange women in bed, crawled out with a hangover, said goodbye ,and wandered off down the street. It was the last time I saw him alive.
A few months later I was playing one of my first solo piano-bar gigs at the Riverside Hotel in Alice Springs. Half-way through the night , I got a call from my wife Mouse, who told me that Vince had just rung with the news that Bon was dead. In shock, I walked out , and told the audience I couldn't play anymore that night, and why. The whole room, comprised of locals, tourists, cowboys, aboriginals and even a couple of cops, all trooped out and went to sit in the river bed for the rest of the night to drink and wail , and mourn our fallen warrior.
Twenty three years later, I was playing in a nightclub called "Round Midnight" in Sydney's King's Cross, when an old friend stopped in to listen. Ted the Head, a guitarist/record producer started talking over a few drinks, and we discovered that we both used to know Bon at different times.Then I mentioned that I thought I might still have a couple of dusty old tapes of Bon singing a couple of my songs, and before I knew it, Ted was on a mission! He transferred the old tapes to a new digital master, and then., after isolating Bon's vocals, started again. About a year later, He had painstakingly produced an entirely new version of "round and Round ", by begging and borrowing studio time and equipment from various sources, and coercing a large band of musicians to individually overlay the backing again from scratch.Then I wrote a string quartet arrangement for Carey Gulley, and we hired musicians from the opera House to record it. So now we have Bon singing r'n'b with a big band, and a country ballad with strings.I expect that a lot of ac/dc fans will hate it, but it seems that quite a lot get turned around by it, and Ted and I are sure that Bon would have enjoyed it, as he liked many different styles of music, as long as they were honest and had "soul".So we offer it simply as another side of Bon Scott. Carey Gully was and is still the home of our mutual artist friend Vytas Serelis, and was a place where we would often go to on a Sunday afternoon to sit and talk and play and write, and it was a place of peace, inspiration and comraderie for us.
I wish I could have saved more of our efforts on tape. I'm sure there's a cassette out there somewhere of Bon singing "Been up in the hills too long', or the beatiful "Clarissa" But I can't find them, and neither can anybody else, so far.I intend to record versions of both of these songs later myself, but Ive only done rough demos so far. Soon!
My record co. partner David Woodhall and I thought it would be good to try and make a video for round and round,and we chased up channel 9 in Adelaide for some 3 minutes of footage they had filmed during a documentary on Fraternity of Bon riding his trail=bike in the hills.We made a demo video, and it worked perfectly- Bon riding Round and round on the bike, falling off, laughing, and then getting back on again. It was meant to be financed by a GERMAN LABEL, METAL BASTARD, BUT HE RIPPED US OFF, FLOGGED OUR C.D. IN THE THOUSANDS, AND NEVER SENT ANY MONEY! WE WENT BROKE, AND CHANNEL 9 WONT LET US USE THE FILM FOOTAGE UNLESS WE PAY THEM A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE, so it remains an unfulfilled ambition.
I thought Clinton Walker's book was fairly well done, and I'm just glad that someone did it. It makes me proud to think that my old mate was worth a book.
Vince Lovegrove, Bon's other old mate from the Valentines, was also an integral part of the Mount Lofty Rangers, and was involved with agency, publicity, t.v. production and interviews. He and Bon were always very close, even after the Valentines. In fact, Vince used to sometimes employ me and Bon to go around putting up posters for other bands for a few bucks to keep us going. So we paid our dues in many ways.Vince is now based in London,working in an internet/travel/fashion/music/ news situation, and has just had published a book on another fallen rock hero, Micheal Hutchings. Out of the Fraternity band, Uncle, john and bruce are all still in Adelaide, and don't play any more,Mick Jurd came to Sydney and we played together for years until his unfortunate death from cancer a few years ago, and I occasionally hear of Sam See playing around Sydney still.I didn't know what had happened to john Bissett, and I'm glad you let me know you had been in touch.
Myself, I'm still a professional musician, although I don't play with bands very much these days. I tend to work solo-piano bars-just vocals, piano and sometimes midi-files as well, and now my beautiful daughter Loene often comes to sing with me. Also I have a computer-based midi studio at home, and I wish I had it back then! Maybe a few more of those dim memories would have been turned to real music. My son Joshua also plays guitar, and runs a hot band called professor groove and the booty machine, and it gives me great pleasure to think that life goes on-everything in the future has been influenced by events of the past,..and I wouldn't swap my experiences for anything. -Peter Head
DAVE EVANS
Dave Evans and Angus Young on stage in early 1974
Dave Evans was the Original Lead singer, frontman, and one of the founding members of AC/DC back in Australia in 1973, and recorded the very first single with the band "Can I Sit Next To You Girl" b/w "Rockin' In The Parlour", released on the Albert productions label in Australia that year. Dave gives is story of his days with AC/DC, and his other bands over the years, including Rabbit, Hot Cockerel, Dave Evans and the Thunder from down under, and his recent gigs with Australian AC/DC tribute band "Thunderstruck". Thanks again for the great interview, Dave!
Can you give a brief run down on how the original AC/DC was formed?
I answered an advertisement in a local Sydney newspaper looking for a singer into Free, Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart etc and Malcolm Young answered my enquirie. He had played guitar in the Sydney rock band "VELVET UNDERGROUND" which I had also been lead singer but Malcolm had left the band before I joined replacing their original singer. We had heard about each other through mutual muso friends so he invited me to jam with two other musos he had recruited. We agreed to form a band as yet without a name.Malcolm's younger brother Angus auditioned about a week later as his band Kentuckee had broken up and was accepted immediately. It was later that Malcolm's sister in law Sandra suggested the name ACDC which we all agreed would be our name.
Weren't you involved in the band Velvet underground,and the Ted Mulry backing band before AC/DC?
Yes they often backed Ted after we supported him. We also did gigs in our own right too. We finally broke up after Ted offered the musicians a permanent gig with him as the Ted Mulry Gang. Hence I was out of a band and answered the ad in the paper which led to the formation of ACDC.
Who were the original members of the very first lineup?
Dave Evans, Malcolm and Angus Young, Colin Burgess and Larry Van Knedt.
How often did you rehearse?
After we got together we rehearsed twice a week for about 6 weeks before out first gig at Chequers Nightclub in Sydney on New Years Eve 1973/74
When was the first single recorded? do you recall where it was actually done?
Can I Sit Next To You Girl / Rockin in the Parlour were recorded in mid Feb at EMI studios in Sydney
Were any other songs recorded at that time?
No but we did record Rock n Roll Singer and Soul Stripper later for the first album. These songs were re-recorded and released with Bon Scott. The originals are still in the vault somewhere.
What was that like- recording in the studio, the very first single?
To tell you the truth I was in ecstasy. A dream come true and to be working with George Young and Harry Vanda the producers who were from The Easybeats - one of my favourite bands from my early teenage years - wow!
What lineup was present during the recording of the first single?
The founding members all played on the first single except George Young erased Larry's bass playing and did it again himself. Larry wasn't told about it.
How many lineup changes were there? any specific reasons behind Colin Burgess and Larry van kreidt ending up leaving or being replaced?
Colin and Larry were replaced by Noel Taylor on drums and Neil Smith on bass but they only lasted about 2 months and were also replaced by Peter Clack on drums and Rob Bailey on bass. Peter and Rob appeared in the film clip of Can I Sit Next To You Girl but did not play on the single.
How often did you gig? what was it like playing shows around the Australian club circuit in the 1970's?
We would played about two or three gigs a week first up at the top Sydney Venues and as our popularity grew and the single was released it was up to three gigs a day at times just before I split with the band. There was a lot of competition in those days as the live scene was very healthy with venues having up to three bands a night playing one after the other at the same venue. You had to really stand out to get to the top.
What was your typical setlist like? what sort of cover songs did you perform?
We did covers of Free, Rolling Stones and a lot of Chuck Berry who Angus stole the duck walk from and still uses it to this day. We also did original songs of course.
Did you generally play as a support act for other bands at any larger venues?, or did you do headline shows at local clubs?
We headlined straight away at our first gig at Chequers which was Sydney's premier nightclub because of the reputation of Velvet Underground which Malcolm and I had been members.
What was your most memorable moment with the band?
The Sydney Opera House gig on the main stage which was the beginning of an gruelling Australian tour.
What actually happened to cause your final split with the band? were you the first out of the clack/bailey/young/young/evans line up to depart? or if not, who was in the band at the time of your departure?
Clack and Bailey were with the band when my split came with the band. Their were a lot of issues niggling all of us especially the lack of money we saw even though we had a hit single and playing at the biggest and most prestigeous venues in Australia. I did not have any time for our manager who in my opinion acted like he was the star of the whole show. It all came to a head at the end of the Australian tour.
As a singer, and performer, who would you say are your biggest influences?
Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company, Rod Stewart, Robert Plant and Ray Charles.
How was it to work with the Young brothers in the studio and on stage?
Brilliant!
After Bon Scott joined the band, did you ever bother to go see them perform? or listen to the records? if so, what did you think then?
I saw Bon only once and he didn't go down too well with the Sydney crowd as they expected to see me. The band then moved to Melbourne to regroup and then came out with the classic rock songs Long Way to the Top, Jailbreak, TNT etc which really took them to the top and they have stayed there ever since.
Did you ever meet Bon?
Yes he was a friend of George Young from the sixties when Bon recorded an Easybeats song - My Old Man's A Groovy old Man. Bon met us in Adelaide and was an instant fan of the band who used to help out our roadies and bop along in the front row when we played. We did meet again after he joined the band and had a private conversation and shook hands - no hard feelings and the best of luck.
The next band you formed was called Rabbit, correct?....tell me a bit about this project?
Rabbit was a new exciting hard rock shock band that I joined after ACDC and moulded the mage into a rock version of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE with tights and braces and boots and a gang attitude. It was the first real in your face band in the country. I also had by this time been influenced by the band SLADE.
Rabbit released 2 albums? A self titled one and "too much rock n roll"?
Yes Too Much Rock and Roll was released throughout Europe - not Britain - and Japan as well as Aust and New Zealand
What happened that eventually led to Rabbit disbanding?
The late 70's suffered from Saturday Night Fever and the disco ducks took over many venues and with a country the size of Australia many bands split because they could not afford to travel the same distances with the same expensive stage shows and trucks and roadies etc with the income now halved. Rabbit was even more popular with the fans at this stage but we also succumbed to the economic realities in Australia at the time because of the disco craze.
What was your next project after this?Hot Cockerel? can you tell me a bit about this band? wasnt this 1984? what were you up to between Rabbit and Hot Cockerel? Didn't Simon Croft (from the ac/dc tribute thunderstruck) also play with you in this band?
Dave Evans and Hot Cockerel was a very heavy rock band combining sex and aggression . I discovered Simon Croft as a nervous teenager in a garage band who had a ton of ability with his guitar and great attitude in his playing.
How about DAVE EVANS and thunder from down under? when was this project put together? you released just the one, self titled album, correct, which was later rereleased?
This album was a muisical combination of my heavy two guitar musical roots and synth, brass , and strings even french horn. It gave me a chance to exploit my music and writing ability.
what have you been up to for the years since the thunder from down under project?
I was a publisher of different magazines in Sydney until I got sick of it.
Your last release was the live album "A hell of a night" with the ac/dc tribute band Thunderstruck, how do you like the final package?
I love it as I designed the artwork with Jim Kellam and the live recording at the Edwards Tavern of that incredible night in my opinion is outstanding. All the reviews have been good so I'm satisfied
How have things been going with promoting the new CD? any tour plans?
I hope to tour o's this year and if people have trouble ordering they can order from my website at www. daveevans.au.com
you've been doing local shows in Australia with them still?
Yes the combination is great as Thunderstruck is the closest thing you'll get to ACDC anywhere.
Did you see AC/DC live with Brian Johnson?
Only on TV.
Have you had contact with Angus or Malcolm over the years?
Not since they left Aus to live overseas.
Whatever happened to Peter Clack and Rob Bailey, or the other former members of AC/DC? have you kept in touch, or know what they might be up to, or have had done since leaving AC/DC?
No I haven't kept in touch with them but I used to bump into Mark Evans - no relation - when I lived in Sydney before last December. I also had a drink with Noel Taylor and Neil Smith. We also went out to dinner together a couple of years ago. I haven't seen Colin Burgess for many years but we have kept in touch by phone as recently as a few months ago.
Any plans or goals for the future?
I am writing more songs for a new cd and I want to get over to Europe and the USA this year.
VINCENT LOVEGROVE
Vincent Lovegrove pictured with The Valentines, 1969
Vince Lovegrove was one half of the duo of singers of the late 1960's pop band The Valentines, the other half being the Legendary Bon Scott, who later fronted the one and only AC/DC. Vincent and Bon founded the band The Valentines together in 1966, which lasted until 1970, and became, and remained good mates until Bon's untimely death. Vincent has remained in the music industry ever since, managing a variety of bands, and writing for the music scene as an active journalist. Thanks very much for your time, and the great interview, Vincent!
How long did you know Bon Scott?
I knew Bon from around 1966 until his death.
Yourself and Bon founded the band The Valentines? 1967?
He was in a band called the Spektors and I was in a band called the Winztons. We were the top two bands in Perth, and Bon and I were both unhappy in our respective bands, so one very drunken night he and I decided we would form a band together. Bon was the drummer in the Spektors and he wanted to sing. We both loved Sam and Dave, two black r&b singers from America, so we thought why not form a band with two singers-he and I. We asked the guitar player and bassist in his band, and the rythm guitarist and drummer in my band, thus forming the Valentines.
Who were the original members of The Valentines?
Wyn Milsom and Bruce Abbott, Ted Junko/Ward and Wawrick Findley, Bon and I.
Where did the name "The Valentines" come from? were you called that from the beginning?
We were called the Valentines from the start. The name was suggested by a radio disc jockey called Alan Robertson who really liked Bon and I. In fact, he kind of managed us for a while.
Both you and Bon traded off lead vocal duties? What did the other do while one of you sang lead? backing vocals only?
Yeah, to start off with vocals were about 50/50, with the other one providing harmonies. If a song we did had no harmonies, we would ensure we created a harmony for it.
Who were the Valentines biggest inspiration/influences? I've noticed alot of your songs were covers of Easybeats songs? Your second single was "she said" an Easybeats song, correct? *
Influences were a mixed bag; Sam and Dave, Bee Gees, Rolling Stones, Soft Machine, Beatles, Small Faces, Santana, Traffic, Easybeats. We covered a few obscure Easybeats songs, and they wrote She Said especially for us, at the Perth airport terminal the day they left for England.
Did you know Harry Vanda and George Young?
We were fans of theirs, and they like us. I think they liked our potential rather than how good we were, because when we first met them we had only just begun and were not all that good. We were 18/19. But then as time went by they must've liked us a bit because they got us to support them a couple of times in Australia.
The Valentines released singles only? no full length albums at the time, why just singles?
At the time in Australia, not many bands had albums. It was a single market at that time in Australia. By the time we got around to start recording an album, we broke up.
Who sang lead on the Valentines songs listed below, you or Bon? Any words of interest on any of the songs in particular? Also, which ones were actually original Valentines compositions, v.s. cover songs?
