With Let there be Rock hovering in the lower end of the UK charts in 1977, AC/DC were looking forward to their homecoming gig in Melbourne. With the magnanimity of conquering heroes, they racked
their brains for exciting things to incorporate into their stage set to show the Aussie crowd they cared. But this was the early days and there wasn't enough money for pyrotechnic cannons, hell, even for a school uniform.
Then vocalist Bon Scott came up with an idea. He'd rig up a rope on-stage and swing Tarzan-style across the audience. Management were a little wary- This was back before rock bands made a habit of this sort of thing-and had devised
safety harnesses, but it was no problem for the former docker who'd kept in shape by bench pressing large women and beer mugs. So they set up a rope and did a pratice run during soundcheck-Bon Skimmed niftily over the top of the chairs and swung around sucessfully before dropping back on stage.
That night at the Melbourne Festival Hall the crowd was going wild- the floor was sticky with regurgitated beer and pizza, but who cared: every one was standing on the chairs. Then the roadies lowered the rope. Bon grabbed hold and soared over the crowd. Or rather into the crowd-splat- like a cartoon cat. When they had worked out the length of the rope, they
hadn't reckoned on the audience standing on the chairs.
The fans took this unexpected familiarity as a cue to strip the singer of his kit. Since the rest of the band and crew were too busy falling about laughing to help, he finally fought his way back on-stage on his own, dressed only in his jockstrap. And we understand Australians always were their jockstraps back to front...
Author Chuck Leonard , Illustration Peter Ellis
well they moved on down