"AC/DC aims to gain widespread appeal and amass wealth, aspiring to become millionaires; their journey to global domination commenced in a rundown bus"
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In 1976, the rock band AC/DC embarked on their "Lock Up Your Daughters" tour, a calculated attempt to make it big in Britain. Sponsored by the UK music weekly Sounds, the tour marked a significant turning point for the band, who moved to Melbourne to concentrate on high-voltage rock'n'roll.
The band, consisting of Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Phil Rudd, Mark Evans, and Bon Scott, believed that Melbourne was the home of rock'n'roll bands like themselves. They wanted to make it big, and they knew they had to move there.
The tour took them to various venues, including the Retford Porterhouse, a small venue with a dubious reputation, where the band played on May 1, 1976. The concert was part of the "Lock Up Your Daughters" tour, a name that reflected the band's image and the sexual connotations of their name. However, when they moved to Melbourne, they dropped these sexual connotations, focusing purely on their music.
Angus Young, the youngest member of the band, was often referred to as the "bottom rung." Despite his young age, he was the driving force behind the band's image. He wore his school uniform on stage from the band's inception and could never see a time when he'd go on stage wearing anything else.
Bon Scott, the singer, was known to read adult magazines on the tour bus. However, Angus, who often read The Beano instead, did not partake in such activities. He was also the only member who abstained from alcohol, stating that the other members had to drink to come up to his level.
The tour was not without its challenges. The band felt uncomfortable in British gig situations, as they were accustomed to a different style of touring life in Australia. They were small in stature and had a fresh-faced, bright-eyed appearance, but their skin looked leathery and their eyes were glazed.
Despite these challenges, the band put on a good show regardless of the number of people in the audience. Bon Scott even expressed his ambition to buy Tasmania and become a millionaire with the band.
The tour took them to various cities, including Bedworth and Gravesend. They were the first group from Australia to make such a calculated stab at the big time in the country. The tour bus, a rather decrepit vehicle with dirty beige bodywork and a creaking interior, took them from one city to another.
The band's name, AC/DC, stands for alternating current/direct current in electrical parlance, but it is also used to describe someone who "swings both ways." However, during their earliest days, AC/DC were a teen-scream band that placed more emphasis on the bisexual connotations than the electrical aspect of their name.
The band's line-up was secured with the addition of Phil Rudd and Mark Evans as drummer and bassist respectively in about mid-'75. Dave Evans, the original singer, was the only member who played up to the sexual aspects of the name. He failed to turn up for a gig, and Bon Scott suggested he should stand in as frontman. After that, no one dared ask Bon to step down.
Angus and Malcolm Young were the only founder members of AC/DC who remained in the band. Angus, who was a drummer before becoming a guitarist, had a very brief spell as AC/DC's drummer. Bon Scott, originally the car driver for AC/DC, became the band's vocalist after trying his luck as a drummer-cum-singer in Oz bands The Spektors, The Valentines, and Fraternity.
The Young family emigrated to Australia in the early 60s in search of better opportunities. They found it in the form of rock'n'roll, and their son Angus became one of the most iconic figures in the genre. The "Lock Up Your Daughters" tour was just the beginning of their journey to rock'n'roll stardom.
