EPISODE 3
BON SCOTT: HAUNTING DEATH OF AC/DC SINGER
“By the way he carried himself, you really thought that Bon Scott was immortal.”
“He always said he was going to be a millionaire. I just wish he’d been alive to see it and enjoy it. Almost every Christmas, Ron came home to visit. The last time we saw him was Christmas’79, two months before he died. Ron told me he was working on the Back in Black album and that that was going to be it, that he was going to be a millionaire. He’d be over the moon if he saw what was going on with AC/DC today.”
The words of Isa Scott, 87, the mother of a legendary free-spirited wild man of rock Bon Scott, arguably the greatest frontman and rock n roller of all time; the cheeky Scottish-born Australian street poet who loved and lived life to the max… yet sadly died alone in a tinpot Renault 5 on a freezing cold February night in east London.
Bon Scott was just 33 and after a late-night recording session followed by an evening of heavy drinking, possibly combined with the ingestion of heroin, left him in a familiar state – passed out. This time, unfortunately, death was close by; he was moments away from unconsciously choking on his own vomit and heading straight towards the afterlife.
He died on February 19th, 1980, just five months before his now iconic band AC/DC released their greatest album, Back in Black; an LP that is currently the 2nd best-selling album in music history and cemented the band in the pantheon of rock immortals, as well as make them all extremely wealthy; except for Bon.
The fame, wealth and success Bon Scott had been seeking for his lyrical poetry and thirteen hard years on the road had slipped through his fingers.
But like many gifted rock stars that somehow transcend everything, even themselves, Bon Scott was soulfully aware the clock was ticking. He was convinced he would not make it past the age of 40. He beat his own psychic prediction by seven years and just a few months after confessing his fears to his friend Vince Lovegrove that he had to make it soon or he would quit the music business.
Join us on the highway to hell as we explore the short but explosive life of one of rocks legendary singers and blue-collar poet, Bon Scott. We dig in to uncover the shocking details of his mysterious death, examine the mystical facts, and reveal how it was all written in the cosmos for the AC/DC lead singer.
This is Death by Misadventure
Bon was a troubled man during this time. He knew this album was going to be something. He was going to become a rock legend. It is so sad that rock legend was right there, it was in his hands, he lost it. People should respect him. His notebook that disappeared, was a pot of gold. Malcolm probably had it, Angus played brilliantly, it was AC/DC. Just think he was right there ! They knew what was going to happen. RIP Malcolm !! RIP Bon Scott !!
I saw bon scott and the boys in Frankfurt,west Germany in 1979.I was in the U.S. Army stationed in Baumholder.I’ve seen many bands but Bon was the best frontman ever better than plant Steven Tyler all of them. I am fortunate to see him live. RIP BON AND MALCOM
I never got to see Bon. Best front man of all time. Nothing compares to their old rock/blues songs
I wonder if they have recording of Bon Scott singing a few songs from The Back in Black album before he died. If they did it would be a blessing for all of us fans to hear him sing his last songs. He may be gone but what an inspiration to rock singers today and an achievement of what it takes to be one of the best in history.
Yip he did sing a few songs from back n black album
Never got to see bon but in my view he was the best rock singer of all time
The band had been due into the studio a few days after Scott died, the Youngs had already plenty of material prepared by that stage are we to believe that Scott hadn’t any lyrics prepared, that he was just going to show up and start writing off the top of his head in the studio? That’s simply not credible – of course he had material prepared. I’m sure had he made it to the studio that his material would have gone through a process of refinement and editing etc,that’s probably what happened anyway with Johnson.