Bon Scott & Angus Young Interview – 1980

We once again rummaged through our dusty archives and found a real gem. This never before seen or heard interview with Bon Scott and Angus Young was found underneath a stack of old “Bee Gees” trading cards and “Disco Sucks” buttons. 

This AC/DC interview, conducted by renowned rock journalist Claude Balzac, was conducted on February 15, 1980. This was Bon’s final interview ever.

Madhouse Magazine: Bon & Angus – great to see you again. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. 

Bon Scott: Claude, my man, my pleasure, I fookin’ Love Madhouse. We read your Magazine out loud to the rest of the band on the tour bus. Malcolm spit beer out of his nose just last week from laughing too hard.  

Madhouse Magazine: Congratulations on the success of your album and tour.

Angus Young: Thank you mate, we couldn’t have done it without you. 

Madhouse: Do you guys miss Australia?

Bon Scott: Are you daft? Australia is a shite hole. What do you expect from a country built by criminals. Of course you know back in the day Australia was a penal colony. 

Angus Young: [laughs] Hahaha he said Penal.

Bon Scott: Shut up Angus. So, anyway Australia is a country of criminals and psychos built by criminals and psychos. Everyone has at least one psycho or criminal in their family and every psycho is a little criminal and every criminal is a little psycho. And no one is actually born there. 

Madhouse: Didn’t you spend time in juvenile reform school as a lad? 

Bon Scott: My point exactly. We are all a bit off. But neither of us was born there either. Me and Angus are from Scotland. Our parents moved us to Australia from Scotland. Probably to flee the police or something. 

Madhouse: What did you do to get sent to reform school.

Bon Scott: The charge was For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. That sounds bad right but the truth is I was caught shagging a bird in the bathroom. They make it sound like I was buggering a nun or something. Jeez, plus I stole some petrol for my motorbike. 

Angus: Well someday they will build a statue of us there.

Bon: Yeah they better. We are going to be the biggest stars to ever come out of that forsaken place. Actually we are already. Who else is there? Evonne Goolagong the tennis player? The Bee Gees, Helen Reddy? Actually I love Olivia Newton John. I saw Grease like 10 times. I sat in the theater and watched it over and over. Angus cried every time. 

Angus: I was not crying, I told you I had something in my eye.

Bon: Yeah right, something in your eye ten times in a row at the exact same part of the movie?

Madhouse: What do you guys think of the current state of music?

Bon: We hate it. Look at the top songs of last year. You have the Bee Gees of course, then there is YMCA by The Village People. Do you know what that song is about Claude? 

Madhouse: Yes I do. 

Bon: Then there is “I Was Made For Lovin You” By Kiss. What happened to them? Did they lose a bet? I personally think they should be brought up on charges for that song. It is probably the worst song ever recorded. Then there is more bad Australia crap. The Little River Band, Air Supply, see I told you Australia is shite. Pass me a pint mate, this music makes me want to get drunk.

Madhouse: You once crashed your motorbike. It is said you were drunk at the time.

Bon: Oh Yeah that is pretty safe to say since I am drunk most of the time. I spent 3 days in a coma from that crash and 18 days in the hospital. I would still rather do that all over again than to listen to that KISS song. 

Madhouse: Let’s talk about the music. What is the story behind Whole Lotta Rosie?

Bon: Angus left me for dead that night. We met these two girls and they offered to make us dinner. We were starving artists at the time so we go over for dinner and drinks. They are both enormous. After dinner Angus sneaks out so I am left alone with Rosie and her enormous sister. They grab me and make a Bon sandwich out of me. I thought I was a goner but I managed to get out with my life. My back was out of whack for a month after that. 

Angus: [laughs] They would have killed me man. I had to flee for my life. Thanks for taking the bullet for me man.

Madhouse: Well, Thank you boys, it was a pleasure. We wish you a long and successful career. 

Bon: Thank you Claude, keep being you. Now let’s go get a pint and a couple of fat chicks.

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