Liat

1973- The Early Years

Malcolm Young forms a band in Sydney, Australia with Colin Burgess (Drums, ex-Masters Apprentices) and Larry Van Kriedt (Bass). Singer Dave Evans (ex-Velvet Underground after Malcolm left that same band) answers an advertisement placed in the Sunday Morning Herald and gets the gig. Angus Young, who just disbanded Kentuckee, is later brought in as the second lead guitarist at Malcolm’s request.

12/1973:

The band rehearses in Newtown, Australia and adopts the name AC/DC at the suggestion of Angus and Malcolm’s sister Margaret, who saw the sign on a sewing machine.

First concert on New Year’s Eve at Chequers in Sydney, Australia. The band’s repertoire consisted mainly of covers of Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Free rock & roll standards and some original material such as the unrecorded "The Old Bay Road" and "Midnight Rock". They all wore the obligatory jeans and t-shirts, including Angus.

2/1974

The first single, "Can I Sit Next To You Girl / Rockin’ In The Parlour", is cut at Sydney’s EMI Studios. An earlier version of "Rock ‘N’ Roll Singer" is also recorded. George Young produces the sessions with Harry Vanda and also records the bass parts.

A week following the sessions, drummer Colin Burgess collapses on stage at Chequers and is immediately fired. George Young fills in on the drums for the band’s second set. Bass player Larry Van Kriedt is also asked to leave shortly after.

Malcolm fills in on guitar for a gig with the band Jasper and asks bass player Neil Smith and drummer Noel Taylor to join AC/DC.

1/1974:

Residency at the Hampton Court Hotel in Sydney.

Various dates around Sydney, including a gig in Newcastle supporting Sherbet.

4/1974:

Angus wears his school uniform for the first time at his sister’s suggestion at a concert in Sydney’s Victoria Park. The band adopts a flashy image to differentiate itself from the rest of Sydney’s bands. Angus adopts this legendary outfit, sometimes switching it for a Gorilla, Zorro or Super-Ang suit. Neil Smith and Noel Taylor are fired after a mere six weeks in the band.

Malcolm Young recruits Rob Bailey on bass and Peter Clack on drums (both ex-Flake), who played at the Victoria Park concert. The band gigs around the "dance circuit" in Sydney.

5/1974:

Major concert at Sydney’s Opera House, supporting Stevie Wright, in front of 2,500 people. 10,000 are turned away. Malcolm plays with Stevie Wright back up band after AC/DC’s set.

6/1974:

The band officially signs with Albert Productions with distribution through EMI.

7/1974:

First single, "Can I Sit Next To You Girl / Rockin’ In The Parlour", released in Australia. The single is also released in New Zealand on Polydor. A clip filmed at the Last Picture Show Theater in Cronulla, Australia is shown on the only National rock television show, "GTK". The single charts locally in Perth, Australia. Small Australian Tour in support of the single.

11/1974:

Australian Tour supporting Lou Reed.

Bon Scott sees the band for the first time in Adelaide, Australia and Vince Lovegrove (ex singer of the Valentines with Bon) introduces him to AC/DC. He has been recovering from a serious motorbike accident and cutting demos with the Mount Lofty Rangers. The band, at this stage, is unhappy with Evans, arranges an audition with Bon and offers him the job.

Six weeks residency at Perth’s Beethoven Disco supporting transvestite Carlotta. Dave Evans is occasionally replaced by manager Dennis Laughlin.

9/1974:

The band reiterates its offer to Bon, who then joins at the end of the month. He joins the band on stage for the first time at the Pooraka Hotel for a jam session.

Dave Evans is asked to leave after a last concert in Melbourne.

Bon's first proper concert with AC/DC at the Brighton-Le-Sands Masonic Hall in Sydney.

10/1974:

Dates in Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne for the Hard Rock Cafe Gay Nights.

11/1974:

Michael Browning, manager of the Hard Rock Cafe, takes over the band’s management. They relocate to Melbourne and move into one house where scenes of pure debauchery become common.

The first album, "High Voltage", is cut in ten days in between gigs at Albert Studios in Sydney. George Young & Harry Vanda are producing. George plays bass on some tracks and session musician, Tony Currenti, is brought in to cut the drum parts.

12/1974:

By this stage the band plays constantly to any type of crowd, from gays to teen girls and rockers.

Tour in South Australia.

New Year’s Eve gig at Festival Hall in Melbourne.

1/1975:

Rob Bailey and Peter Clack are fired. Phil Rudd (who played in Buster Brown alongside future Rose Tattoo, Angry Anderson) joins immediately.

Bass player Larry Van Kriedt rejoins AC/DC for a few days and the band performs as a four-piece with Malcolm playing bass or as a five-piece with George Young playing bass.

25: Sunbury Festival in Melbourne. Headliner Deep Purple refuse to let the band follow their performance and a fight involving roadies, the band, plus George Young against Deep Purple’s clan erupts on stage in front of 20,000 people. AC/DC eventually leaves the site without playing.

2/1975:

17: "High Voltage" released in Australia.

3/1975:

3: Second single, "Love Song (Oh Jene) / Baby Please Don’t Go", released in Australia. The B-side picks up airplay and becomes their first hit, eventually peaking at #10 on the National charts the following month.

Mark Evans hears about the vacant bassist job in the band, passes an audition and joins after a party for the launch of the LP at the Hard Rock Cafe in Melbourne. Concerts in Melbourne where the band is by now well established, including a concert for Bangladesh at Myer Music Bowl.

4/1975:

Live on the very influential TV show, "Countdown", performing "Baby Please Don’t Go". Bon’s appearance dressed as a schoolgirl causes an outrage.

"Heavy Metal Nites" at the Hard Rock Cafe in Melbourne.

5/1975:

Series of daytime concerts for the "Schoolkids Week" at the Hard Rock Cafe in Melbourne. Bon misses one show and Angus & Malcolm fill in on lead vocals.

6/1975:

23: Single, "High Voltage / Soul Stripper", released in Australia, which was recorded right after the first album sessions.

The band has achieved "superstar" status in Melbourne and headlines the Festival Hall (with Stevie Wright and John Paul Young supporting). The concert is filmed and a promotional video for "High Voltage" is later assembled from that footage. "High Voltage" is certified Gold in Australia.

7/1975:

The band cut their second album, "T.N.T.", at Albert Studios with Vanda & Young producing.

Several gigs in Sydney, notably at the Bondi Lifesavers, where they become regulars.

9/1975:

The band plays continuously, doing up to 6 gigs per day.

The plan to play a series of free concerts at Melbourne’s Myers Music Store ends abruptly when thousands of hysterical schoolgirls storm the store on the first day, tearing the place down in the process. Phil Rudd breaks his thumb during a fight at the Matthew Findlers Hotel in Melbourne and is replaced by Colin Burgess for the next few gigs. Appearance on "Countdown" playing "High Voltage".National Tour that will last until the end of December.

11/1975:

Single, "It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) / Can I Sit Next To You Girl", released in Australia. Phil Carson signs the band to a worldwide deal with Atlantic Records in London, England. TV show "Countdown" films the band performing "It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)" on a flatbed truck driving through the streets of Melbourne. 31: New Year’s Eve gig in Adelaide. At the end of the year they are well established as a top band in the country and "High Voltage" is certified Triple-Gold.