Without doubt the biggest Rock Music export from the Southern Hemisphere are the Rock legends AC/DC.

AC/DC were formed by the Young brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Angus and Malcolm emigrated to Australia from Scotland with their parents at an early age and grew up in the city of Sydney.

It was in the Burwood area of Sydney that Angus went to school at the Ashfield boys school. (a mock school report can be found on the sleeve of the Vinyl version of the UK High Voltage album.)

It was also in the famous Chequers club in Sydney that saw the first ever gig by AC/DC. Numerous gigs around he bars and clubs of Sydney would follow before AC/DC would take their act on to the rest of Australia. The road to the top as the song will tell you was a long and hard slog playing night after night and surviving numerous early line-up changes before finally settling on the first classic line-up of Young,Young,Scott,Evans,Rudd.

Bon Scott was another ex-pat Scotsman that took over the vocal duties from Dave Evans. Bon real name Ronald Belford Scott emigrated with his family from Kirriemuir in Scotland to Melbourne Australia in 1952. The Scott family lived in the Suburb of Sunshine. In 1956 Bon's brother Graeme was diagnosed with Asthma, due to this the Scott family decided to move the drier climate of Fremantle (a quiet port just south of Perth Western Australia).

The Rhythm section of AC/DC finally settled down with Australian Mark Evans on Bass and Tasmanian born Phil Rudd (nee Rudzevecuis) was the man to fit the bill as the drummer. Phil Rudd had previously been with other Australian bands like Buster Brown which featured Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo fame).

This lineup toured Australia on the back of the Australia High Voltage album (Phil Joined after the Recording) building up a strong and loyal fan base. It would be the sucess of AC/DC as a live act in Australia and the sucess of the TNT album that would bring about Atlantic Records in USA signing up the biggest ever rock prospect from Australia. The rest is history the band dubbed the Thunder from Down Under never looked back.

An Australian influence on AC/DC which should not be over-looked was the minor international success of the Easybeats in the Sixties. The Easybeats featured the elder brother of Angus and Malcolm , George Young on guitar and it would be his influence and experience that would guide AC/DC in the early stages of their career.

Check out my AC/DC Places of Interest to find relevant Australian places of Interest