A classic of rock writing, this is the definitive accounts of AC/DC's rise to fame, when the ribald lyrics and charismatic stage presence of singer Bon Scott, along with the formidable guitar work of brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, defined a new and highly influential brand of rock'n'roll. Drawing on many first-person interviews and featuring a gallery of rare photos, Walker traces AC/DC's career through the life of their original frontman, from the Scottish roots he shared with the Youngs right up to his shocking death in 1980.
The definitive book on Australian punk and post-punk music, long unavailable, now reissued in a much-expanded new edition with 175 photos. Stranded offers the inside story of the emergence of the Saints, the Birthday Party, the Laughing Clowns, the Go-Betweens, Nick Cave, the Triffids, the Moodists, the Scientists, and many more great Australian bands, told by a writer who witnessed it all first-hand and is acknowledged as the leading chronicler of the Australian music scene.
Aboriginal people and country music may seem like an unlikely pairing, but for a significant part of the 20th century it was - and to some extent still is - a vital force in Australian music. The genre is widely credited as being among the earliest mediums to have given Aboriginal people a strong voice in popular music; a voice that is still growing today. From pioneers like Jimmy Little and Dougie Young, through Lionel Rose, the Country Outcasts and Auriel Andrew, to Vic Simms, Roger Knox and Troy Cassar-Daley, this is a comprehensive overview of an intruguing genre.
Clinton Walker's biography of Bon Scott is the definitive account of the life of the iconic rocker, tracing his musical apprenticeship in bubblegum pop band the Valentines and blues-rockers Fraternity through to joining up with Angus and Malcolm Young in AC/DC, where his racy lyrics, unique vocal style, and sheer charisma helped define a new, highly influential brand of rock and roll. Drawing on many first-person interviews and featuring a gallery of rare images, Clinton Walker traces AC/DC's career through the life of their original front man, from the Scottish roots he shared with the Youngs to small-time gigs to recording studios and international success, right up to Scott's shocking death in 1980, just as the band were getting the worldwide recognition they'd worked for so tirelessly. Wild theories about how Scott died have surfaced at intervals over the intervening forty years, flaring up again recently. For this edition, Clinton Walker reviews the evidence surrounding Scott's death, reveals new details that have come to light, and concludes that such conspiracy theories have no basis in fact. The result underlines Highway to Hell's status as the authoritative version of the life, and untimely death, of one of rock's greatest characters.
