All language subtitles for The to AC DC

af Afrikaans
ak Akan
sq Albanian
am Amharic
ar Arabic
hy Armenian
az Azerbaijani
eu Basque
be Belarusian
bem Bemba
bn Bengali
bh Bihari
bs Bosnian
br Breton
bg Bulgarian
km Cambodian
ca Catalan
chr Cherokee
ny Chichewa
zh-CN Chinese (Simplified)
zh-TW Chinese (Traditional)
co Corsican
hr Croatian
cs Czech
da Danish
nl Dutch
en English
eo Esperanto
et Estonian
ee Ewe
fo Faroese
tl Filipino
fi Finnish
fr French
fy Frisian
gaa Ga
gl Galician
ka Georgian
de German
el Greek
gn Guarani
gu Gujarati
ht Haitian Creole
ha Hausa
haw Hawaiian
iw Hebrew
hi Hindi
hu Hungarian
is Icelandic
ig Igbo
id Indonesian
ia Interlingua
ga Irish
it Italian
ja Japanese
jw Javanese
kn Kannada
kk Kazakh
rw Kinyarwanda
rn Kirundi
kg Kongo
ko Korean
kri Krio (Sierra Leone)
ku Kurdish
ckb Kurdish (Soranî)
ky Kyrgyz
lo Laothian
la Latin
lv Latvian
ln Lingala
lt Lithuanian
loz Lozi
lg Luganda
ach Luo
mk Macedonian
mg Malagasy
ms Malay
ml Malayalam
mt Maltese
mi Maori
mr Marathi
mfe Mauritian Creole
mo Moldavian
mn Mongolian
sr-ME Montenegrin
ne Nepali
pcm Nigerian Pidgin
nso Northern Sotho
no Norwegian
nn Norwegian (Nynorsk)
oc Occitan
or Oriya
om Oromo
ps Pashto
fa Persian
pl Polish
pt-BR Portuguese (Brazil)
pt-PT Portuguese (Portugal)
pa Punjabi
qu Quechua
ro Romanian
rm Romansh
nyn Runyakitara
ru Russian
gd Scots Gaelic
sr Serbian
sh Serbo-Croatian
st Sesotho
tn Setswana
crs Seychellois Creole
sn Shona
sd Sindhi
si Sinhalese
sk Slovak
sl Slovenian
so Somali
es Spanish
es-419 Spanish (Latin American)
su Sundanese
sw Swahili
sv Swedish
tg Tajik
ta Tamil
tt Tatar
te Telugu
th Thai
ti Tigrinya
to Tonga
lua Tshiluba
tum Tumbuka
tr Turkish
tk Turkmen
tw Twi
ug Uighur
uk Ukrainian
ur Urdu
uz Uzbek
vi Vietnamese
cy Welsh
wo Wolof
xh Xhosa
yi Yiddish
yo Yoruba
zu Zulu
Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,600 - Roll sound! - MUSIC STARTS, SCREAMING 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,200 This programme contains some strong language. 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:11,160 SOFT GUITAR MUSIC A long time ago... 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:13,760 ROCK MUSIC ..and a long way from Europe, 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:15,840 came a wild, colonial sound. 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,320 IMITATING FAST BEATS 7 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:20,760 CROWD SHOUTS, SWEARING IS BLEEPED 8 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,160 That is nothing short of an obscenity! 9 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,600 It was a sound of rebellion and good times. 10 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,920 And soon, the whole world was listening. 11 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:31,760 This is going to be our next big band! 12 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,400 You just feel it. 13 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:35,440 They were a machine! 14 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:38,760 - # Love is in the air! # - The music of a generation. 15 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,960 And it all came from the one small Australian studio... 16 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,160 - Albert's. - Albert's. - Albert's again. 17 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,880 ..which would create the uncompromising sound of AC/DC... 18 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:50,480 Will you change your style much? 19 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:52,400 We ain't going to change for nobody! 20 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,800 SONG SNIPPETS, SCREAMING AND SHOUTING 21 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,680 - # Thunderstruck! # - It was a bond of blood. 22 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:00,080 The sound of thunder. 23 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:03,600 The Albert sound. 24 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,160 Behind one of the most powerful sounds in rock and roll is 25 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:24,520 an unlikely partnership between two very different European families, 26 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,200 who forged a bond after emigrating to Australia. 27 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,560 The well-to-do Alberts, and the working class Youngs, 28 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,840 who would become the driving force behind AC/DC. 29 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,160 Together, they would create The Easybeats, Rose Tattoo, 30 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,400 The Angels and AC/DC, to name a few. 31 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,440 And the prolific songwriting and producing team 32 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,680 Harry Vanda and George Young. 33 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:54,800 This is their story. 34 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:57,760 And, God forbid, it starts in Switzerland. 35 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,320 The Alberts hailed from the tidy little town of Fribourg. 36 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,680 Jacques Albert emigrated with his family 37 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,080 to Sydney, Australia, in 1884. 38 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,120 With a passion for music and a flair for business, 39 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,400 he and successive Albert generations built a lucrative musical empire. 40 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,560 All the boys were passionate about music. They all loved it, 41 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,840 they talked music, they had a language of their own. 42 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,880 Great-grandson Ted Albert had a dream - 43 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,960 to create a new sound in rock and roll. 44 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,560 For Teddy, I think it was what made him get up in the morning, really. 45 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,520 You know, he really loved it. 46 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:37,920 Music was just a very big part of his life. 47 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,200 From his first board meeting, at age 25, 48 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,400 he took the company into a radical new direction. 49 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,120 "Board minutes - Mr Ted Albert said 50 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,520 "he would like the company to begin to sign original artists and 51 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:57,000 "produce records aimed at capturing a new rock-and-roll audience." 52 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,680 What he didn't know was that another musical family had just 53 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,120 landed in Sydney and their stories were about to intertwine. 54 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,280 They came from the streets of Cranhill, 55 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,200 a hard outer suburb of Glasgow. 56 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,120 Three of the greatest guitarists and songwriters in rock 57 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:21,760 from the one family. 58 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,320 George, Malcolm and Angus Young. 59 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:33,960 It was a tough place to grow up, 60 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,720 but the Youngs never forgot where they came from. 61 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,680 You've got to remember, at this time, Glasgow has the coal industry, 62 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,720 has the shipyards, 63 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,240 the air is thick and black. 64 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:52,320 And it's into this, er, that atmosphere that the young family 65 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,080 kind of thrives, in many ways, 66 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,760 because they're tough and there's a lot of them. 67 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,720 You know, there really is that clan mentality. Blood is everything. 68 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,640 William and Margaret Young put eight children onto those mean streets. 69 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,080 Music ran in their blood. 70 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:14,800 Each brother I had, 71 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,880 kind of, would show you little bits of, you know, music, 72 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:19,480 or what they liked. 73 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,400 Even my oldest brother Stevie was trying to put me behind the piano, 74 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,760 trying to show me, "No, you do it like this, 75 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,000 "with these fingers, you play this way," you know. 76 00:04:32,840 --> 00:04:35,440 Britain was in the grip of a youth revolution. 77 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,200 But Mr and Mrs Young had other things on their minds. 78 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:46,840 The Big Freeze of 1963 was the worst winter on record. 79 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:48,440 The snow was 8ft deep. 80 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,920 At the same time, an ad appeared on the telly, 81 00:04:57,920 --> 00:04:59,480 offering a different life. 82 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,360 - NARRATOR: - Come over to the sunny side now. 83 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,600 Australia - a great place for families. 84 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:09,440 You could be on your way to a sunnier future in the New Year. 85 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,200 The ad tipped the balance. 86 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,680 The Youngs opted for Australia. 87 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,160 The Cranhill school yearbook records the day they left. 88 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:24,520 15 of the Youngs left Scotland, bound for Botany Bay. 89 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,040 For kids that were tuned into rock and roll, it would 90 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,680 feel like they had been dropped onto a different planet. 91 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,800 Seven-year-old Angus promptly vomited on arrival. 92 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,960 So, we get off the plane in Sydney, I looked around and said to my wife, 93 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,800 "There's not a soul in this country knows me. It's a weird feeling. 94 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:45,120 "No friends, no-one." 95 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,440 Drummer "Snowy" Fleet arrived from Liverpool 96 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,000 with his wife and daughter around the same time. 97 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:55,760 I got on a bus and my missus is going, 98 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,040 "Oh, look at the Palm trees! Aren't they nice?" 99 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,960 You know, it was all beautiful, but as we drove out of the city... 100 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:02,960 - ANIMALS CALL - ..and started to get in the Bush, 101 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,600 we didn't know where we were, and, er, all I could hear were 102 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,440 all these things making noises - crickets and God knows what - 103 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,960 I thought, "We're in the jungle!" It was that bad. 104 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,960 In the sweltering heat of Villawood migrant hostel, 105 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,960 the fifth son - 16-year-old George Young - took to jamming 106 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:24,760 with the other musical refugees, 107 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,600 his heart set on forming a rock-and-roll band. 108 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:33,240 He met a brilliant lead guitarist from Holland, called Harry Vanda, 109 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,120 and they started writing songs together. 110 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,560 It was the beginning of a lifelong partnership. 111 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,400 The Australia they had landed in was ripe for rebellion. 112 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,840 A third of the country was under 20. 113 00:06:49,840 --> 00:06:52,240 Kids everywhere were ready to explode. 114 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,960 # I can't get no satisfaction! # 115 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,880 - All they needed was a soundtrack. - Take one! 116 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:02,280 Albert's was the last company you'd expect 117 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:04,840 to deliver the music of this new generation. 118 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:10,800 Fifa Riccobono was just 16 when she started as a secretary. 119 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,960 One day, she would run the company. 120 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:15,560 All of this was so alien to me. 121 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:20,080 And they had all these beautiful old paintings of, like, er, 122 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:24,800 Frank Albert and his father, Jacques, the founder. 123 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:29,400 And they used to just be behind you in the accounts department 124 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:31,640 and they'd be just staring at you 125 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:35,120 and it was this really eerie feeling that you were being looked at. 126 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:38,080 FAST SINGING, AUDIENCE SCREAMS 127 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,720 The first Albert's-produced rock-and-roll single, 128 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,480 by Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, went to number one. 129 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:51,200 It was a cover version and now, Ted began looking for original music. 130 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:56,760 Out at the migrant hostel, 131 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:01,040 that new sound Ted was searching for was coming together. 132 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,640 George and Harry found other 16-year-old urchins from Europe, 133 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,520 including the cheeky singer Stevie Wright. 134 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,120 Now all they needed was a drummer. 135 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:16,760 He put a note under my door. 136 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,000 It said, "You're from Liverpool, I believe you play the drums." 137 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,560 They played me the music that they were used to. 138 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,640 I said, "How about some of the stuff I was listening to in Liverpool?" 139 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:30,000 And I brought all my records out, played them, and George went, "Yes!" 140 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:31,520 He loved the beat, George. 141 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,840 They called themselves The Easybeats and, within months, 142 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,760 they were playing big gigs, like Surf City in Kings Cross. 143 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:50,800 - Telephone for you. - Thank you. - Hello? That's our manager! - Oh, yes... 144 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,520 They hired a real estate agent for a manager in 1964. 145 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,120 Mike Vaughan had one priceless connection... 146 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,760 We've just made ourselves a good deal. 147 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:02,880 ..he knew Ted Albert. 148 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,680 The Easybeats were invited down to Radio 2UW Theatre 149 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:11,560 to audition for Mr Albert. 150 00:09:11,560 --> 00:09:13,800 We were told to be on our best behaviour, 151 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,280 because this was a gentleman that was coming to see us. 152 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,120 Not the sort of bloke that you swear in front of, you know what I mean? 153 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,480 Well not, at least, the first meeting, you know! 154 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:26,600 And, for us, it was like a proper performance in front of Ted. 155 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,520 I mean, everything hung on it, as far as we were concerned, you know. 156 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:35,200 It was a meeting of two clans - for the Youngs and the Alberts. 157 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,160 Ted was down on his hands and knees tinkering with microphones 158 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,040 and just doing all sorts of things, 159 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,440 playing with the music, and George really clocked that. 160 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,520 There was a special chemistry at work. 161 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:57,200 A band who could ignite the fire, 162 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,280 teamed with a producer who could fan the flames. 163 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,680 Ted Albert was convinced popular music sounded too soft 164 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:11,240 and he produced The Easybeats loud. 165 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:13,280 He said, "I want to play you something. 166 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,320 "Can you tell me honestly what you think about it?" 167 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,000 And this song came out, through these huge speakers. 168 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,280 MUSIC: Sorry by The Easybeats 169 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:23,840 CROCKERY RATTLES 170 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:25,240 The whole office shook! 171 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:30,480 And he said, "What do you think?" 172 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,280 I said, "Ted... 173 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:36,920 "You and I both know that we've just listened to an absolute 174 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,360 certain number one hit record. 175 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:42,960 And this big smile came out of his face. 176 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,480 And it was Sorry by The Easybeats. 177 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,440 # ..with a girl named Fleur 178 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,040 # Then I just remembered 179 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:53,280 # Had a date with her 180 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,800 # Sorry, sorry 181 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:57,240 # Sorry... # 182 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,800 Sorry was the first Australian single recorded with feedback, 183 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,520 before the Beatles or the Stones. 184 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,360 FEEDBACK WHINES 185 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:16,960 George Young and Harry Vanda 186 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,280 had hit on a raw R&B sound with The Easybeats, 187 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,760 that would reach its zenith in AC/DC. 188 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:27,160 SONG ENDS, CHEERING 189 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,320 They had a very good sound, they had a kind of unique singing, 190 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,560 between him and Harry, you know, and Harry was probably doing 191 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:38,120 a bit like what I do, the same as Malcolm, you know. 192 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,280 You know, George had that very hard rhythm and, you know, 193 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:45,000 Harry provided, you know, the highlights, the kind of colour. 194 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:46,200 One! 195 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:49,000 Two! 196 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,200 It set the standard of Albert's music. 197 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,920 It was the soundtrack young Australia had been waiting for. 198 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:57,240 Easyfever began. 199 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:00,480 We done a show in Perth. 200 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:01,880 We had 8,000 kids at the airport, 201 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,360 and it was like that no matter where we want in Austria. Hotels! 202 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,520 You'd go into your hotel after a show and you'd open a cupboard door 203 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,440 and six chicks'd fall out, and it was all of that. 204 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,880 Stephen had... Someone posted herself to Stephen in a box. 205 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,040 # Yeah, she's so fine! # 206 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,440 A magazine published where the Young family lived, 207 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:25,720 causing a house invasion. 208 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,600 - SCREAMING - # Give you lovin' all the time! # 209 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:32,080 For ten-year-old Angus, 210 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,560 it was his first encounter with rock-and-roll stardom. 211 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:37,840 I just saw all these people. 212 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,480 I saw police, cos they kind of barricaded it off. 213 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:45,920 And, er, I was trying to explain to a policeman, I'm saying, you know, 214 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,960 "I live there. Can I get in my house?" 215 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,160 And the policeman says, "Yeah, they're all saying that, fella!" 216 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,440 MUSIC: Good Times by The Easybeats 217 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,760 The Easybeats were ready to take on the world. 218 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:00,160 Ted agreed to back them. 219 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,440 # Everybody shake 220 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,400 # Everybody groove... # 221 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,880 He scored them a contract with United Artists 222 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,480 to record at the legendary Abbey Road studios in London. 223 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,600 The boys had a ticket to ride. 224 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:21,960 They were poised on the edge of greatness. 225 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,960 In the pop business, particularly in the '60s, 226 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,880 the Holy Grail was to make it in the swinging London 227 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,200 and, of course, George being as he is, the leader of the group, 228 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:35,040 and his incredible desire to always go further, 229 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:36,920 that's where we're going to go. 230 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:38,960 # ..I'm gonna put a call to you... # 231 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:42,560 The music revolution George Young 232 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:46,160 had been plucked from two years earlier was still in full swing. 233 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,680 I mean, it must have been hard for them to come into that 234 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:53,760 and to sort of suddenly be on the scene, 235 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,040 because we had grown up in the London scene, 236 00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:58,720 grown up very quickly. 237 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,880 You know, I could literally fall out of my door 238 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:07,840 and go and see Ike and Tina Turner. 239 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,400 I think I was sweated on by Tina Turner. 240 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,080 We were there in the capital of, you know, the swinging '60s, 241 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:18,040 where all the big stars were, etc, 242 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,920 and we were competing with these people. 243 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,480 - GEORGE: - 'We were expected to write a hit song.' 244 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,480 So, Harry and I, we locked ourselves in this room 245 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,440 for three, four months, to write a hit song. 246 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:38,120 The sessions began with hotshot producer Shel Talmy, 247 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:40,600 who had worked with The Kinks and The Who. 248 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,200 George took his gear down and played all the tapes 249 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:47,480 and the guy going only, "Nah, nah. Have you got anything else?" 250 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,120 So George said, "I've got this little riff I'm working on." 251 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,000 Three, four... 252 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:56,200 HE PLAYS THE OPENING RIFF TO Friday On My Mind by The Easybeats 253 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:57,920 Just a riff, nothing else. 254 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,120 No lyrics, just the riff and he went, "I like that. 255 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:05,880 "Go away and finish it and bring it back and let me hear it finished." 256 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:08,760 George and Harry were struggling to nail it, 257 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:12,720 so they went to the pictures. The pre-feature was a short 258 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:16,560 about an a cappella group called The Swingle Singers. 259 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,120 # Doo-doo, doo-ba-doo Doo-doo, ba-doo-ba-doo-doo! 260 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:21,720 # Doo-doo, doo-ba-doo Doo-doo, ba-doo-ba-doo-doo! # 261 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:23,520 # Doo-doo, doo-doo! Doo-doo, doo-doo! # 262 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,240 All this stuff! And George went, "Wow!" We went back 263 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:29,720 and that's where the "doo-doos" come from. George had nailed it. 264 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,520 MUSIC: Friday On My Mind by The Easybeats 265 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:34,800 # Monday morning feels so bad 266 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:41,240 - # Everybody seems to nag me... # - 'Went back to see this guy' 267 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,280 And said, "What do you think of this?" 268 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,200 He went, "Beautiful. Let's record it." 269 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,120 # ..even my old man looks good 270 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,320 # Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo! 271 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:54,520 # Wednesday just don't go 272 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,920 # Thursday goes too slow 273 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:00,200 # I've got Friday on my mind! # 274 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:07,080 The killer guitar riff, the working class lyrics 275 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,320 and a singer discharging a casual air of rebellion 276 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,280 would become staples of the Albert sound. 277 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:14,480 - # She looks fine tonight - Doo-doo, doo, doo! 278 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:18,560 # She is out of sight to me... # 279 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:20,600 Friday On My Mind became a favourite song 280 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,440 for young David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen. 281 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,480 It gave The Easybeats a round-the-world ticket to fame. 282 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,680 # ..Gonna have fun in my city! # 283 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,760 On the jukebox at Max's Kansas City in New York, 284 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,320 Lou Reed played The Easybeats every night. 285 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,200 # She looks fine tonight... # 286 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,440 It just fell together like... like a dream, you know. 287 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:42,960 That doesn't happen every day. 288 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,640 - # Tonight - I'll spend my bread 289 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,240 - # Tonight - I'll lose my head... # 290 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:52,920 News of the band's success was music to Ted Albert's ears. 291 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:54,800 He was already laying plans 292 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,280 for George's younger brothers Angus and Malcolm. 293 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:00,760 When he visited the family home one day, 294 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,480 he heard something that caught his attention. 295 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,920 My father would say, "Ooh, the head of their record company's coming. 296 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,840 "You'd better all behave," you know, so you'd be very kind of quiet 297 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:14,520 and, you know, and Ted was quite a tall man and we're all very small, 298 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:18,240 so we were all kind of looking at him like this, you know. 299 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:24,760 And, er, he said, "I heard some guitar playing," and my father said, 300 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:29,440 "Aye, that's the two boys who'll be playing away," you know, so... 301 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:34,120 And Ted said to my dad, "If they ever want to do something, 302 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:35,640 "send them to me." 303 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:40,160 Back in London, 304 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:44,160 The Easybeats set their minds to what comes after Friday. 305 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,240 - JAMMING - Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa! 306 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,000 Listen. 307 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,760 Try and get... Try and get a more jangly effect. 308 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,160 Very Heaven-ish. It doesn't sound like Heaven. 309 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,920 But as they struggled to find a new popular sound, 310 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:00,920 the band lost its way. 311 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:02,680 # Heaven 312 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,880 # Is in your eyes 313 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:07,920 - # The moment... # - HE LAUGHS 314 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:09,800 - HE DRONES: - Not singing like that! 315 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:14,360 Try and make it... You know, try and make it sound beautiful, you know. 316 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:18,200 'Their heart was in writing simple' 317 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:21,840 rock-and-roll R&B-based songs. 318 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,360 And the... the kind of classic mistake 319 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:30,160 that most bands make, er, is, as the rest of the world changes, 320 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,000 you change your music. I mean, The Beatles were obviously 321 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:37,560 becoming more complex and so, everyone, I guess, thought, 322 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,600 "Well, maybe we should show that we can do the same thing." 323 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:44,080 MUSIC: Hello, How Are You by The Easybeats 324 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:48,560 We gave them "Hello, How Are You" which was, like, you know, was... 325 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,440 a soggy bloody ballad! 326 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,480 By this time, nobody knew who the damned Easybeats were, you know! 327 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,280 And then, there was Jimi Hendrix, doing his thing and all this, 328 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:01,520 so, you know, we were toast. 329 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:07,600 # Hello! How are you? # 330 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,640 The Easybeats disbanded as a new decade began. 331 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,560 The '70s would be about the next generation. 332 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:19,880 Harry made sure they would continue what he and George had started, 333 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,320 handing down his beloved Gretsch Firebird 334 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,840 to George's younger brother, Malcolm. 335 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,480 He was such a hot little player, so I thought, 336 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,360 "Well, he deserves a good guitar," so here it is. 337 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:32,000 Best investment I ever made! 338 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,520 What can I say? 339 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,600 If I'd known it, I would've given him more than one. 340 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:43,840 George and Harry kicked on in London, 341 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:46,680 trying their hand at being songwriters for hire. 342 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:53,520 It was the beginning of a legendary songwriting producing partnership. 343 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,120 We were getting a lot of experience as writers by being 344 00:19:57,120 --> 00:20:00,040 the all-rounders that it did make us. 345 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,240 We got to a point where, you know, 346 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,760 "Oh, you want a jazz song? Sure. Here's your jazz song." 347 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:08,200 "Oh, you want a really gooey ballad? Sure, here's..." You know. 348 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,840 "Oh, you want a rock song?" Bang! You know. 349 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:12,360 We got really good at that. 350 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:17,600 They were sending the songs back to Ted Albert, 351 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,640 who was matching them with singers and bands. 352 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,160 # Some men are groovy Some are a drag... # 353 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:27,960 Perth band The Valentines 354 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,560 had a hit with Vanda & Young's My Old Man's A Groovy Old Man. 355 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,120 # ..Hip, hip, hip, yeah! 356 00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:36,920 # My old man's a groovy old man... # 357 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,560 Look closely and you may recognise 358 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,520 future AC/DC frontman Bon Scott on backing vocals. 359 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,280 # Aa-a-a-a-a-a-ah! 360 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,680 # My old man's a groovy old man 361 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,120 # Gets himself in a hell of a jam 362 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:56,960 # My old man's a groovy old man Chooga, chooga, chooga... # 363 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:59,000 The next talent that Ted found was 364 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,120 a young sheet metal worker called John Paul Young, 365 00:21:02,120 --> 00:21:06,560 who would become the voice of many Vanda & Young's pop hits. 366 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:11,240 - His first song was a demo called Pasadena. - He gave me the demo 367 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:13,880 and he said, "I don't want to hear that other guy singing," 368 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:16,560 which happened to be George Young, so I had to put the vocal 369 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:20,880 exactly on top and, right at the end actually, George is there singing, 370 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,560 so, in actual fact, my first single was a duet. 371 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,440 # And there ain't no time at all... # 372 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,560 Vanda & Young became so good at churning out hits 373 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:35,160 that Ted Albert realised he needed them back. 374 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,480 He actually wanted to go in business with us. 375 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,640 So, he was thinking, "So can I get these guys back to Australia?" 376 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,880 Well, he made us an offer we couldn't refuse! 377 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:45,800 HE LAUGHS 378 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:47,560 It was a handshake deal. 379 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:52,800 No lawyers, no signatures, just a shared understanding. 380 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,680 George and Harry returned to Sydney in 1973 381 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:59,720 with their studio tans and the production nous to match. 382 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,760 # 12 o'clock You climb your stairs... # 383 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:06,480 They would run the new Albert Studio, find and produce talent 384 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:09,800 and split the profits equally with Ted. 385 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:13,840 They would later say it was like falling into a gold mine. 386 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:15,920 You work during the night, don't you? 387 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:17,840 LAUGHTER 388 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,040 Well, um... 389 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,280 - Not through choice. - Not through choice. 390 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,160 What time do you usually start? 391 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:27,480 Midnight. 392 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,480 'Harry and George had seen it all.' 393 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:31,960 They knew the highest of the highs and lowest of the lows 394 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,240 and they set about doing it in a different way. 395 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,680 They'd learned from some of their mistakes 396 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,760 and they developed this model, with Ted Albert and Albert's. 397 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:42,800 As a continuation of what The Easybeats could've been, 398 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,960 they were going to produce something that really was something 399 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,720 and, ultimately, of course, that was Acca Dacca! 400 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,720 Australia had changed a lot in their absence. 401 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,760 The hippy wave had rolled in and then out. 402 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,680 All that was left was an endless recession 403 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,960 and a lot of young people who were over the bullshit. 404 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:13,080 A tough new generation was hungry for its sound. 405 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,080 SHOUTING 406 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:17,920 Albert's would lead the charge. 407 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,200 CHEERING 408 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:24,360 It all started in the grotty, sticky pubs of the suburbs. 409 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:31,440 We played at the White Horse Inn, 410 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:36,440 in Victoria, and there was guys bashing their head on the... 411 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:38,840 on the edge of the stage. 412 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,840 I saw one guy bite the corner out of a jug. 413 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:43,800 GLASS CRUNCHES 414 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:51,000 The only language this crowd understood was volume. 415 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,480 LOUD GUITAR PLAYING 416 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:59,000 George and Harry sensed an opportunity. 417 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:03,440 When we first heard the rock bands in Australia, 418 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:07,000 I heard some stuff on the radio and I thought, 419 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,600 "That's not very good, is it?" It all sounded 420 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:13,320 squashed and horrible, you know what I mean? Like no life in it! 421 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:18,960 Then we went around to clubs and the pub and, all of a sudden, 422 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,560 "That's not the same bands that's on record," you know! 423 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,800 I mean, these guys were great, rocking their arses off! 424 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:28,800 And I said, "Well, that's how you've got to record these guys!" 425 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,920 It became their mission to capture that raw guitar sound on record. 426 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:36,160 MUSIC: Black Eyed Bruiser by Stevie Wright 427 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,920 CHEERING, RAW GUITAR RIFF 428 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:43,880 They found their legendary guitar sound on a song produced 429 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:47,440 for former Easybeats frontman, Little Stevie Wright, 430 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:49,280 called Black Eyed Bruiser. 431 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:57,880 It was like George's guitar from The Easybeats, but harder, tougher. 432 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,360 It now had a primal urgency, goading the listener to take it on! 433 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:05,160 GUITAR RIFF CONTINUES 434 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,560 It was George's younger brother Malcolm 435 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,200 who stepped up to play rhythm on the recording. 436 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,160 He was the raw sound of things to come. 437 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:16,120 Malcolm was very gifted. 438 00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:21,000 He was just a confident, solid, solid player of guitar. 439 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,280 SCREAMING 440 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:31,960 - # They call me - The black-eyed! Black-eyed! - Yeah! 441 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:36,560 - # Black-eyed! - They call me the black-eyed bruiser... # 442 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,760 George Young knew his little brothers Malcolm and Angus 443 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,600 had something special that Albert's could nurture. 444 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:54,880 Still just teenagers, they'd already cut their teeth on the pub circuit, 445 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:58,000 with their new band AC/DC. 446 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,360 George always talked to me and Mal, we were his kid brothers... 447 00:26:01,360 --> 00:26:06,160 Still does, you know! He still talks to you like you're... 448 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:09,280 Well, he says it himself. He goes, "Jeez, I... 449 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:11,920 "I always think of you as 15." 450 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:15,320 - So... - LAUGHTER 451 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:16,840 "Aw, thanks!" 452 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:23,280 Ted Albert had been watching the boys, too, and signed AC/DC in 1974. 453 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,120 In the next year, they went through two drummers, 454 00:26:26,120 --> 00:26:29,280 three bass players and three managers. 455 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:32,520 But it was the new singer, wild man Bon Scott, 456 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:34,280 that really got the motor running. 457 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,120 Hello, this is Bon from AC/DC. 458 00:26:37,120 --> 00:26:40,520 At 28, Bon was working as a roadie in Adelaide 459 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,240 when AC/DC rolled into town. 460 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,400 They just find him hugely entertaining, 461 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,360 cos he didn't give a shit, but REALLY didn't give! 462 00:26:49,360 --> 00:26:54,160 And they invite Bon to come on and kind of audition 463 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:58,400 and, famously, Bon did a gram of coke, drank a bottle of whisky, 464 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:00,280 put his wife's knickers on his head, 465 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,280 and just ran around the stage like a lunatic 466 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,840 and entertained the hell out of the audience! 467 00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:12,120 George Young described Bon as a toilet wall poet. 468 00:27:12,120 --> 00:27:15,280 His bawdy lyrics would become the perfect foil 469 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,320 for the fierce guitar sound of the Youngs. 470 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,960 He was filthy, but he was funny. 471 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,960 With Bon onboard, George and Harry took AC/DC 472 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,960 straight from their pub performances to the studio 473 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,880 to capture that live pub energy. 474 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,040 But you just had to give them a chance to perform, you know, 475 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:41,240 give them a chance to do it, instead of, you know, saying, 476 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:43,640 "The needle must not go into the red." 477 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:50,600 So, that's how this so-called "pub sound" came about. 478 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,240 Because that's what it sounded like in the pub. 479 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:55,800 It helped that George was their older brother. 480 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,960 Malcolm and Angus would have to run their songs by him. 481 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,240 The rule was, if he could play the riff on the piano, 482 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:05,680 and it could be memorably simple, then they could record it. 483 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,040 Working with George and Harry, you know, 484 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:13,720 everything seems to be in his head for a lot of the times, you know. 485 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:17,240 And, er, of course, he'll take something you've got, he'll go, 486 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:20,360 "Well, let's hear what you've got," and you play him your song 487 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:24,560 and he'll go, "Well, let's try this that way." 488 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,480 You know, and he's already crafting away in his head, 489 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:29,560 then he'll go, "No, let's change it." 490 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:33,240 and I'll go, "Wait a minute, sounds good, sounds great," 491 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:36,160 and he'll go, "No, we'll just try this." 492 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:40,800 So, he seemed to just create things in his head. 493 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:43,640 Between them, they hit on a landmark sound 494 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:45,840 that would one day take on the world. 495 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:49,160 MUSIC: High Voltage by AC/DC 496 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:00,560 # Well, you ask me 'bout the clothes I wear... # 497 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:02,280 Wow, Bon's cheeky 498 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,200 and he's trouble and I want to be his mate. 499 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:08,120 # ..Ask me why I grow my hair... # 500 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:09,920 It's organic rock and roll. 501 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,280 You don't think about it. 502 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:14,480 You just feel it. 503 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:18,560 # ..I dig doin' one-night stands and you wanna see me... # 504 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:21,840 That was the first thing I know, I know - put on the school suit 505 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:24,160 and, if I keep moving, you know, 506 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,960 maybe no-one will notice me! 507 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,320 # High voltage 508 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:34,560 # Rock and roll! # 509 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:40,600 For an audience sick of hard times, here was the cure. 510 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:44,080 Suburban young Australia at full roar. 511 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,400 The Albert sound would speak for them. 512 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,680 One of the things that's notable about the whole Albert stable, 513 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,080 in those days, was we all had what they call 514 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:55,560 the Australian pub rock sound - 515 00:29:55,560 --> 00:30:00,320 that big, fat robust guitar sound. 516 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,680 And it was very, very difficult to get 517 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,880 the intensity of that onto tape. 518 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:10,520 George and Harry were magicians at that. 519 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,080 # Bang bang 520 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:13,760 # Shot full of love 521 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,520 # Bang bang, bang bang 522 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:17,960 # Bang bang... # 523 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,720 When rock-and-roll sister act Cheetah signed with Albert's, 524 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:22,280 it was straight to work. 525 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:27,560 There was no ceremony when we actually signed the deal with Ted. 526 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:29,440 And then we were scuttled 527 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,880 straight downstairs to where George was waiting 528 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,600 with a little keyboard in a pretty small room. 529 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:37,440 And we just got straight into it. 530 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:41,160 He said, "Sing this," and we went straight into a few tunes. 531 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:45,160 So, I think he was probably sort of testing our guns, vocally, 532 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:46,800 to see what we had there. 533 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:50,320 # I had the feeling he was trying to find 534 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,360 # Something, someone some peace of mind 535 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,800 # But when the morning came 536 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:00,080 # It didn't matter how he played the game 537 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:01,360 # Bang bang... # 538 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:04,880 Looking after them was Fifa Riccobono, 539 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,560 by the mid-'70s, head of the Albert stable of artists, 540 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,400 the toughest woman in rock. 541 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:15,120 She could be ruthless and a piranha when she needed to be. 542 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:18,720 And yet, she'd be standing there behind one of these, 543 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:21,520 holding a brush and a comb and lip-gloss, you know, 544 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:23,080 sticking it down her boot. 545 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,880 We were all really protective of each other, 546 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,360 that was the whole family atmosphere. 547 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,280 Outside was the rest of the world, but we were family. 548 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:35,800 At the head of the family was Ted Albert, 549 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:39,320 whose leadership the troops believed in 100%. 550 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:43,240 Ted was instrumental in a lot of areas. 551 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,240 And being a very solid character... 552 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:50,240 ..he didn't seem to be a person 553 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:53,520 who crumbled under cannon fire, you know what I mean. 554 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:58,240 There was a siege mentality about the band, certainly. 555 00:31:58,240 --> 00:31:59,720 I think that was... 556 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,720 coming down the line from Angus and Malcolm. 557 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:04,240 And, indirectly, George. 558 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:06,440 You had to be on the team 250% 559 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:08,720 or you wouldn't be in the team at all. 560 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:14,280 AC/DC toured relentlessly, 561 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:17,160 playing any place that would have them. 562 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,440 From town halls to tin sheds, 563 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,880 they battled the hard-drinking Australian audiences 564 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:26,240 with sheer sonic assault. 565 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:30,320 People would be throwing bottles or they'd be winking at the girls 566 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:33,400 and the girls' boyfriends would get all pissed off. 567 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:37,000 There were car chases. It was the Wild West. 568 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:43,680 They had a rock-solid conviction 569 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,520 that every gig was leading them to greatness. 570 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:52,000 It inspired an anthem which became their call to arms. 571 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,800 # Ridin' down the highway 572 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:57,240 # Goin' to a show 573 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:01,040 # Stop in all the byways 574 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,240 # Playin' rock and roll 575 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,880 # Gettin' robbed, gettin' stoned 576 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,360 # Gettin' beat up, broken bones 577 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:15,480 # Gettin' had, gettin' took 578 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,880 # I tell you, folks It's harder than it looks 579 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:25,080 # It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock-and-roll 580 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:31,880 # It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock-and-roll... # 581 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:39,720 Soon they'd conquered every beer barn in the country. 582 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,080 Just like the Easybeats a decade before, 583 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:53,120 it was time to take on London. 584 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:59,600 Here we are at the airport to say farewell to AC/DC. 585 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:03,280 Are you going over confident that you can take on an English market? 586 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:04,720 Yeah, we are confident. 587 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:08,120 We're not overconfident, but we are very confident. 588 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:11,880 Ted Albert was confident, too. 589 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:13,480 He had to be. 590 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:17,120 He was digging deep to bankroll the campaign. 591 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:23,920 # It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock-and-roll... # 592 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,040 It can only happen on Countdown. 593 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:27,560 Come home with me. 594 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,880 With AC/DC taking Oz Rock to London, 595 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,960 Ted Albert decided to change gears. 596 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:40,920 It was time to dust off George and Harry as pop stars. 597 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:43,840 # The morning was cold and lonely 598 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:46,760 # City lights, old and grey... # 599 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:49,720 The song was called Hey, St Peter. 600 00:34:49,720 --> 00:34:52,240 And immediately Ted was already like, 601 00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:54,440 "Hey, baby, you know, get on to this. 602 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:55,920 "What are you going to do with it?" 603 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,760 And he said, "We don't know, we can't find anybody to do this. 604 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:00,560 He said, "Why don't you do it yourself?" 605 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:03,680 # I said, hey, hey, hey, St Peter 606 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:07,160 # I got a tale to tell... # 607 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:12,400 Hey, St Peter unexpectedly shot to the top of the charts around Europe. 608 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:14,600 # ..It really feels like Hell 609 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:18,720 # It really feels like Hell... # 610 00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:21,000 The Hey St Peter single was pretty big in Europe, too, 611 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,720 - in Germany or somewhere? - Yeah, it did quite well over there. 612 00:35:23,720 --> 00:35:26,600 I think it's still knocking around the charts in some countries. 613 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:28,680 Holland, Belgium, France all those places. 614 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:34,080 The B-side, Walking In The Rain, 615 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,120 became an even bigger worldwide hit for Grace Jones. 616 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:42,960 So, there were two number ones straightaway, 617 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,720 which probably would never have seen the light of day 618 00:35:45,720 --> 00:35:47,840 if it hadn't been for Ted again, you know. 619 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:54,440 They were more than just a flash in the pan. 620 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,320 Because next it was time to create the new music genre. 621 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:01,080 George and Harry's love of drum loops 622 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:03,000 was taking them in a new direction. 623 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:07,600 The studio at Albert's, you'd look on the wall and there'd be 624 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:11,880 three or four nails with all these lengths of tape hanging off. 625 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,440 They'd be all the different drummers they had. 626 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:16,600 # Oh, babe 627 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,240 # You left me standing in the rain 628 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,160 # While you were sitting down to dinner... # 629 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,200 George would often play the drums 630 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:28,600 and Harry recorded him, creating a tape loop. 631 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:31,400 Drummers were a big frustration for George and Harry. 632 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:35,560 Because, in those days, it was very hard to get a drummer to play 633 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:38,480 a straight beat, you know, no fills. 634 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:40,640 It was like trying to get blood out of a stone, 635 00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:43,800 asking a drummer to sit there - just play that beat for four minutes. 636 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:45,800 They'd go... 637 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:48,280 "No, no, no. Not duh-duh-duh." 638 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:52,840 "But I feel like going... duh-duh-duh." Yeah. 639 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:55,440 # While he was getting close... # 640 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:59,240 They were making tailor-made hits for the Albert's artists. 641 00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:02,200 It wasn't unusual to walk in and see George and Harry 642 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:04,320 with tape hanging around their neck 643 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:07,960 that they'd cut pieces, cos they used to splice everything, take something out, 644 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:11,800 but they'd never throw anything out till they were sure they didn't need it any more. 645 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:14,600 So, you'd have little bits of China pencil on something 646 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,160 and they'd be looking at pieces to stick back on. 647 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,680 And you'd end up with tape all over the place, 648 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,360 but they knew exactly what they were doing. 649 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:24,520 # Oh, babe... # 650 00:37:25,720 --> 00:37:29,000 The world hadn't been expecting disco from Australia. 651 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:32,400 # Oh, babe 652 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:36,040 # You left me standing in the rain... # 653 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:38,000 It took Europe by surprise. 654 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:40,000 In 1978, John Paul Young 655 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:44,040 climbed the charts in Belgium, France, Holland and Germany 656 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:46,000 with Standing In The Rain. 657 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:47,600 # Standing in the rain... # 658 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,000 On the other side of the Channel, 659 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:54,320 the war cry of the Albert's rock sound 660 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:57,360 was now engaged in the battle for Britain. 661 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:02,720 # Now they want anarchy... # 662 00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:05,600 By the time AC/DC arrived in London, 663 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:08,720 the whole landscape of the music business 664 00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:11,080 has already begun to change. 665 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:15,320 Punk rockers come in, it's the new sensation in London. 666 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:19,800 - # This is the sound - This is the sound of the suburbs 667 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:23,280 # This is the sound... # 668 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:26,760 As critics fawned over the Sex Pistols and The Clash, 669 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:30,840 AC/DC were mocked as wallaby rockers. 670 00:38:32,240 --> 00:38:34,520 But the lesson of the Easybeats have been - 671 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:37,360 hold your nerve and don't change for anyone. 672 00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:40,080 A lot of bands start to change 673 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:42,680 because they think the world's changing around them 674 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:47,240 and so they should try and keep up cos people are going to stop 675 00:38:47,240 --> 00:38:51,320 liking who they are, so they've got to try and follow the trends. 676 00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:54,480 Big, big, big mistake... as shown by AC/DC. 677 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:59,200 Their brand compass is rock solid in one direction, 678 00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:02,320 does not deviate by a centimetre. 679 00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:03,920 The people that come to see us, 680 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:07,440 we just give them the show we give the Australian people. 681 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:10,240 And they took on to us without publicity. 682 00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:12,920 The publicity caught up to us, not us to them. 683 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:15,440 Are you rich though, are you making the bread? 684 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:17,840 Yes. Sure are. 685 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:20,920 I just bought Big Ben. 686 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:25,720 They started out in a tiny dive in Hammersmith called the Red Cow. 687 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:31,280 And the first set, the usual two men and a dog were there. 688 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:34,480 But by the second set, the place was packed. 689 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:39,640 In the height of the punk movement, it was such an unlikely thing, 690 00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:42,680 and Angus was incredible. 691 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:47,600 And I think Malcolm will go down as one of the great rhythm players 692 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:49,400 of any band of any era. 693 00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:51,760 They were a machine, they were... 694 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:54,360 Even back then, they were machine. 695 00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:57,200 And Bon Scott had a magic to him 696 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:00,640 that you can't put your finger on it, he was just natural. 697 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:03,720 I hate the use the phrase the X factor, but he had it. 698 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:08,600 He had just charisma just oozing out of him. 699 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:10,400 Every band has got a rider. 700 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:13,840 The rider is the promoter, supplies the backstage with 701 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:16,440 whisky, wine, beer, sandwiches, whatever. 702 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:20,200 So, when you have your guests, nobody has to pay for anything. 703 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:24,000 So, there was a knock on the door and I'd turn around and there's Bon. 704 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,720 I say, "Hey, mate, can I come on in?" 705 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:28,720 He says, "Yeah, sure, man, come on in." 706 00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:31,040 And the thing that was really cool about Bon is 707 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:32,560 he brought his own bottle... 708 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:34,960 and he brought his own glass. 709 00:40:45,720 --> 00:40:49,520 The gigs got bigger and wilder, and as punk rock wilted, 710 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:53,080 they returned to Glasgow, the city that had birthed them 711 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:55,880 and literally shook the foundations. 712 00:40:55,880 --> 00:40:57,760 # In the beginning 713 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:00,960 # Back in 1955 714 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:03,960 # Man didn't know 'bout a rock-and-roll show... # 715 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:07,880 We did a couple of nights in Glasgow that were just insane. 716 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:11,000 Because Glasgow Apollo had this reputation 717 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:12,800 for just being a crazy gig. 718 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:15,680 And the balcony was designed in such a way that it moved, 719 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:19,120 like aeroplane wings, they've got to be able to move. 720 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:21,600 And this balcony would shift 18 inches. 721 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:24,240 # Let there be rock... # 722 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:28,680 And I remember the balcony was moving so much 723 00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:30,560 that I ran back into the corridor 724 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:32,800 and said, "This is going to collapse." 725 00:41:45,040 --> 00:41:49,560 When it was time for an album, the boys always came home to Albert's. 726 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:58,160 George and Harry would produce their first six albums, 727 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:02,720 using the formula of recording the intensity of the band raw and live. 728 00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:07,480 It amazed me that Angus did all the sound stuff in the studio. 729 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:10,840 And it was deafening. 730 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:12,200 Just deafening. 731 00:42:18,280 --> 00:42:21,680 At the end of that take, his headphones flew off his head 732 00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:24,160 and he was on the floor spinning around. 733 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:26,360 And, you know, the amp had smoke coming out of it 734 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:28,680 and that would be the end of the take. 735 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:37,200 In this Sydney studio, 736 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:40,920 a seismic shift in music was taking place. 737 00:42:40,920 --> 00:42:44,400 A distinct sound, produced by migrant kids made good. 738 00:42:45,720 --> 00:42:48,720 One day, the great guitar bands of the world, 739 00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:53,360 from Guns'N'Roses and Metallica to the Foo Fighters would wonder 740 00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:56,560 how the Albert's guitar sound was created. 741 00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:59,000 It came down to being fearless. 742 00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:02,400 Next, Ted Albert sang Rose Tattoo. 743 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:06,480 I'm bleeding up here for you, you've got to give me something, yeah. 744 00:43:06,480 --> 00:43:08,280 Come on. 745 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:13,280 We used to think that our volume was sonic exploration, actually, 746 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:16,960 that we were communicating with the gods, that we were trying to 747 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:20,560 create a conduit that took people, 748 00:43:20,560 --> 00:43:23,240 dare I say, transcendentally... 749 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:26,160 ..into another place. 750 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:35,120 And it's the intensity that we tried to capture on tape. 751 00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:39,680 They may have traded the grog for green tea these days, 752 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:43,760 but back then, record labels wouldn't even meet with Rose Tattoo, 753 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:45,160 let alone sign them. 754 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:49,880 George and Harry went to Ted and said, 755 00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:55,960 "We've found this really eccentric, different bunch of people." 756 00:43:55,960 --> 00:44:00,680 And...I think Ted knew better than to judge us by what we look like, 757 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:03,400 to say, "OK, I'm listening, I'm not looking." 758 00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:07,400 And what I'm hearing, that related to him. 759 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:10,720 He said, "I love your sound. I love what you do." 760 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:16,840 Albert's took the risk and signed the Tatts. 761 00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:19,440 George and Harry knew there was the makings 762 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:22,040 of at least one great song, and got to work. 763 00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:25,160 # 30 days in the county jail... # 764 00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:29,440 We realised that there was a process going on in the studio. 765 00:44:29,440 --> 00:44:31,760 And it was quite magical. 766 00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:34,640 And I remember George sitting there with his guitar with Mick, 767 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:36,240 and they were just jamming. 768 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:39,120 And then, all of a sudden... 769 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:43,640 # Da-da-da-da-dah Da-da-da-da-dah... # 770 00:44:43,640 --> 00:44:47,000 And that's almost a John Lee Hooker hook. 771 00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:50,200 All of a sudden, Bad Boy went from being like... 772 00:44:50,200 --> 00:44:53,520 kerchunk, kerchunk, kerchunk, kerchunk... 773 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:56,800 into this...swinging like... 774 00:44:56,800 --> 00:44:58,520 zap-bap-bap... 775 00:44:58,520 --> 00:45:00,520 And it had the hook. 776 00:45:00,520 --> 00:45:02,280 # I'm a bad boy... # 777 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:05,920 Bad Boy For Love would become a hard rock classic. 778 00:45:08,280 --> 00:45:12,000 Albert's, Vander & Young, AC/DC set a standard 779 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:15,760 for the way that Australians approached their rock-and-roll. 780 00:45:15,760 --> 00:45:19,600 The way we...we do it...here. 781 00:45:19,600 --> 00:45:22,760 Rose Tattoo, Albert's again. 782 00:45:22,760 --> 00:45:26,680 And they were riding the wave and taking us with them, 783 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:29,000 you know, singing about us. 784 00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:32,360 # Bad boy for love 785 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:36,360 # Yeah, I'm a bad boy... # 786 00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:39,160 The Albert's rock sound was established. 787 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:44,200 But a golden age of pop was also beckoning. 788 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:48,160 George and Harry's Flash And The Pan 789 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:50,920 was building a strong international following 790 00:45:50,920 --> 00:45:53,600 and predicting the sounds of '80s quirk pop. 791 00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:56,160 # Wonder why it's getting cold at night 792 00:45:57,400 --> 00:45:59,160 # Must be getting old 793 00:46:00,680 --> 00:46:04,280 # Looks like I'm going to have to wait a while 794 00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:06,880 # What the hell, I'm bored... # 795 00:46:08,040 --> 00:46:11,760 At the same time, John Paul Young was charting in Europe 796 00:46:11,760 --> 00:46:14,000 and needed a follow-up hit. 797 00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:17,160 I mean, thank God for Standing In The Rain because it gave us 798 00:46:17,160 --> 00:46:20,440 a direction, even though it was only a B-side. 799 00:46:20,440 --> 00:46:22,920 You know, but because the Germans liked it, 800 00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:25,200 it gave everybody a bit of a pointer. 801 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:27,720 Oh, so this is the way we should go. 802 00:46:29,960 --> 00:46:34,800 Quite often an idea would lie around for God knows how long 803 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:37,920 because we couldn't somehow finish it or fake it 804 00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:41,120 or whatever was needed, you know. 805 00:46:41,120 --> 00:46:43,600 Love Is In The Air was an example of that. 806 00:46:43,600 --> 00:46:48,120 When George came up with that melody, it climbed to the chorus. 807 00:46:48,120 --> 00:46:52,480 The idea that had lain around for years suddenly came to life. 808 00:46:52,480 --> 00:46:54,880 # Dun-dun-dun-dun, da-da-da... # 809 00:46:54,880 --> 00:46:58,320 You know. Ah, yes, of course, love is in the air. 810 00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:05,840 # Love is in the air 811 00:47:07,720 --> 00:47:09,560 # Love is in the air 812 00:47:10,760 --> 00:47:13,320 # Oh... # 813 00:47:13,320 --> 00:47:16,240 # Oh-oh-oh... # 814 00:47:16,240 --> 00:47:19,800 George said to me, "I've tried putting words in there, 815 00:47:19,800 --> 00:47:22,280 "I don't know, I don't think it suits. 816 00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:25,400 "Just do something, just dum-di-dum something." 817 00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:27,480 So, that's where that came from. 818 00:47:30,640 --> 00:47:34,960 George said, "Take all the mixes up to Ted. And play 'em to Ted. 819 00:47:34,960 --> 00:47:37,640 "And let him choose." 820 00:47:37,640 --> 00:47:40,920 Well, he got to hear all the stuff we did. 821 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:46,440 You know? And...he'd be going through things like, you know... 822 00:47:47,800 --> 00:47:50,680 "I like that one." So, you knew straightaway. 823 00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:55,480 I remember when he heard Love Is In The Air, he was like... 824 00:47:55,480 --> 00:47:58,000 He was beside himself. 825 00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:00,880 And...I can see why, too. 826 00:48:05,480 --> 00:48:09,240 Love Is In The Air would be Vander & Young's greatest pop success, 827 00:48:09,240 --> 00:48:11,600 and for many, their most memorable. 828 00:48:13,520 --> 00:48:16,400 It's been covered more than 300 times. 829 00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:20,760 # But it's something that I must believe in 830 00:48:20,760 --> 00:48:24,840 # And it's there when I call out your name... # 831 00:48:24,840 --> 00:48:27,960 But not even Shirley Bassey in the Bahamas could nail it 832 00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:30,240 like John Paul Young. 833 00:48:30,240 --> 00:48:32,080 # Love is in the air 834 00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:36,240 # Love is in the air... # 835 00:48:38,960 --> 00:48:42,520 From tattooed bad boys to baby-faced balladeers, 836 00:48:42,520 --> 00:48:44,880 Albert's was riding a wave of success. 837 00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:52,560 AC/DC had landed on American shores, 838 00:48:52,560 --> 00:48:54,800 ready for the same hand-to-hand combat 839 00:48:54,800 --> 00:48:57,440 they'd been through in Australia and Europe. 840 00:49:00,840 --> 00:49:05,360 July of 1978, I go to see them at Oaklands, Day On The Green. 841 00:49:05,360 --> 00:49:08,240 60,000, 70,000 people, I can't remember exactly. 842 00:49:08,240 --> 00:49:11,400 They're the opening act for Aerosmith. 843 00:49:11,400 --> 00:49:13,160 Unbelievable. 844 00:49:13,160 --> 00:49:14,640 The most amazing show. 845 00:49:14,640 --> 00:49:18,760 We got out there at about 10 o'clock in the morning and they killed it. 846 00:49:18,760 --> 00:49:20,880 And the crowd just went nuts. 847 00:49:23,600 --> 00:49:27,040 At the time, Aerosmith was the biggest band in America, 848 00:49:27,040 --> 00:49:31,760 with rock-god front man Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry. 849 00:49:31,760 --> 00:49:33,960 Do I love Steven? Yeah. 850 00:49:33,960 --> 00:49:37,600 But, you know, honestly, Joe Perry can't stand up to Angus. 851 00:49:37,600 --> 00:49:39,640 Sorry, Joe, but it's the truth. 852 00:49:39,640 --> 00:49:43,120 So, that's going to hurt, but you know, probably he'll hate me, 853 00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:45,720 but he hates me already, so it doesn't really matter. 854 00:49:45,720 --> 00:49:50,320 The truth is that Angus is fucking amazing. That's all I can tell you. 855 00:49:52,800 --> 00:49:55,720 He is of the people, for the people, by the people. 856 00:49:55,720 --> 00:50:01,560 Just like Abe Lincoln said it, he gives it 100% high energy. 857 00:50:01,560 --> 00:50:04,320 Perfect name, AC/DC, electric. 858 00:50:04,320 --> 00:50:10,720 By 1978, word of AC/DC's power as a live act was spreading. 859 00:50:10,720 --> 00:50:14,440 It got the attention of Atlantic Records' young new president 860 00:50:14,440 --> 00:50:16,200 Jerry Greenberg. 861 00:50:16,200 --> 00:50:20,560 When you see a crowd reaction and you see a band live like that, 862 00:50:20,560 --> 00:50:24,160 let's just say the light bulb went off in my head and I got it. 863 00:50:24,160 --> 00:50:26,680 I said, "This could be our next big band." 864 00:50:28,080 --> 00:50:30,120 Greenberg's plan was simple. 865 00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:32,520 Get AC/DC on radio. 866 00:50:32,520 --> 00:50:36,080 I just knew that if we had made the right record, 867 00:50:36,080 --> 00:50:39,360 if we could get the right record made, with these guys, 868 00:50:39,360 --> 00:50:41,520 they were going to be enormous. 869 00:50:41,520 --> 00:50:43,080 Bon was working on a song 870 00:50:43,080 --> 00:50:46,480 about the relentless hard graft of touring America. 871 00:50:46,480 --> 00:50:49,880 What Angus called the "highway to hell". 872 00:51:01,760 --> 00:51:06,320 Highway To Hell was the single that woke American radio up to AC/DC. 873 00:51:08,280 --> 00:51:12,200 # Livin' easy, lovin' free 874 00:51:12,200 --> 00:51:16,280 # Season ticket on a one way ride... # 875 00:51:16,280 --> 00:51:19,840 I'd just got a new stereo system in my office, right. 876 00:51:21,080 --> 00:51:22,960 I turned it up as loud as I could, 877 00:51:22,960 --> 00:51:25,680 I actually cracked the window in my office. 878 00:51:27,160 --> 00:51:29,400 Oh, my God, what a record that was... 879 00:51:30,920 --> 00:51:34,360 But cracking the airwaves didn't mean a break from touring. 880 00:51:34,360 --> 00:51:39,160 The AC/DC juggernaut was now rocking at top speed. 881 00:51:39,160 --> 00:51:42,600 And the rock-and-roll life was taking its toll on Bon Scott. 882 00:51:42,600 --> 00:51:46,880 On the surface, all his dreams are suddenly coming true. 883 00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:50,880 Highway To Hell has become a platinum album in America. 884 00:51:50,880 --> 00:51:55,840 It's just taken AC/DC to exactly where they wanted to go, 885 00:51:55,840 --> 00:52:01,480 and the very next album is going to be the big one, the really big one. 886 00:52:04,080 --> 00:52:07,480 In January 1980, the boys were working on what would become 887 00:52:07,480 --> 00:52:12,360 the Back In Black album when Bon called Fifa at Albert's. 888 00:52:12,360 --> 00:52:15,280 He told he was excited, he'd heard all the riffs 889 00:52:15,280 --> 00:52:18,520 that Malcolm and Angus were coming up with for the new album 890 00:52:18,520 --> 00:52:21,080 and he couldn't wait to get into the studio. 891 00:52:21,080 --> 00:52:24,120 He just said, "This is going to be a big one. 892 00:52:24,120 --> 00:52:26,760 "Some of their ideas are amazing." 893 00:52:31,120 --> 00:52:33,760 It was the last time she heard Bon's voice. 894 00:52:38,040 --> 00:52:41,120 - RADIO: - 'Lead singer of the rock group AC/DC was found dead 895 00:52:41,120 --> 00:52:43,200 'last night in a parked car in South London. 896 00:52:43,200 --> 00:52:46,480 'Scotland Yard said the body of Bon Scott was discovered by a friend 897 00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:48,960 'who'd left him in the car hours earlier 898 00:52:48,960 --> 00:52:51,000 'to sober up after a day's drinking.' 899 00:52:52,800 --> 00:52:57,760 I was in the office when George and Harry came in and told me 900 00:52:57,760 --> 00:53:00,080 that they'd heard about Bon. 901 00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:05,480 He loved the whole Albert family. He used to call it his family. 902 00:53:05,480 --> 00:53:07,840 And I got really... 903 00:53:07,840 --> 00:53:10,800 He became a really close friend of mine over the years 904 00:53:10,800 --> 00:53:13,080 and I was only looking at some letters... 905 00:53:13,080 --> 00:53:15,960 I've got about 20 letters that I've kept over the years, 906 00:53:15,960 --> 00:53:19,240 and one of his last lines was, "I always smile when I think of you." 907 00:53:19,240 --> 00:53:21,840 And I thought, that's exactly how I feel about him. 908 00:53:24,080 --> 00:53:27,840 The Young brothers thought Bon's death could be the end of AC/DC. 909 00:53:29,200 --> 00:53:32,400 Atlantic pushed hard for the band to keep going. 910 00:53:32,400 --> 00:53:35,480 But Ted Albert told the boys he would support them, 911 00:53:35,480 --> 00:53:37,800 whatever they decided to do. 912 00:53:37,800 --> 00:53:41,640 At the funeral, Bon's dad Chick encouraged Malcolm and Angus 913 00:53:41,640 --> 00:53:44,720 to find another singer and keep going. 914 00:53:44,720 --> 00:53:46,600 And so another chapter began. 915 00:53:47,800 --> 00:53:50,080 It was just something they just all sat down 916 00:53:50,080 --> 00:53:52,360 and said, let's just do something. 917 00:53:52,360 --> 00:53:55,160 Cos otherwise they were just going to peter out, I suppose. 918 00:53:55,160 --> 00:53:56,520 And they just said, 919 00:53:56,520 --> 00:53:59,960 "Let's just go and rehearse some singers and see what happens." 920 00:53:59,960 --> 00:54:05,160 They had always had great musical intuition, but no-one expected 921 00:54:05,160 --> 00:54:10,320 them to go with a singer from 1970s Top Of The Pops band Geordie. 922 00:54:10,320 --> 00:54:13,880 It was just a strange day, you know. I was downstairs playing pool, 923 00:54:13,880 --> 00:54:16,320 and now, I'm upstairs with all these singers. 924 00:54:16,320 --> 00:54:19,800 One of our crew guys was downstairs playing with him 925 00:54:19,800 --> 00:54:22,640 and had said to him, "What are you doing here anyhow?" 926 00:54:22,640 --> 00:54:26,000 He said, "I was told to come here to audition, 927 00:54:26,000 --> 00:54:28,560 "you know, for the band AC/DC." 928 00:54:28,560 --> 00:54:31,600 He said, "It's upstairs," you know? 929 00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:34,320 Hello, this is Brian Johnson from AC/DC 930 00:54:34,320 --> 00:54:37,840 and you're watching Countdown '81 right across Australia. 931 00:54:37,840 --> 00:54:40,960 - See you, mate. See you, sport. - HE LAUGHS 932 00:54:40,960 --> 00:54:44,400 I had said to Malcolm after we'd heard him sing, I said, 933 00:54:44,400 --> 00:54:48,160 "He'll be able to hit those high notes." 934 00:54:49,600 --> 00:54:54,120 And so... And he did, he hit those high notes. 935 00:54:57,360 --> 00:55:01,240 Brian Johnson became part of the family, making Back In Black. 936 00:55:03,360 --> 00:55:05,160 Then came the tour. 937 00:55:06,320 --> 00:55:08,560 It was time to face the home fans 938 00:55:08,560 --> 00:55:11,560 where the long way to the top had started. 939 00:55:11,560 --> 00:55:14,240 BELL RINGS 940 00:55:15,800 --> 00:55:18,240 When I saw them at Sydney Showgrounds, 941 00:55:18,240 --> 00:55:20,960 the first gig with Brian out front, 942 00:55:20,960 --> 00:55:24,440 the way they handled that... handled that gig 943 00:55:24,440 --> 00:55:28,080 and handled the transition between the two singers, 944 00:55:28,080 --> 00:55:31,920 man, I don't think any band sounded any better. 945 00:55:41,720 --> 00:55:46,160 Back In Black did what Malcolm Young had set out to achieve from day one. 946 00:55:46,160 --> 00:55:50,920 It made AC/DC the biggest rock-and-roll band on earth. 947 00:55:51,920 --> 00:55:54,600 # Back in black I hit the sack 948 00:55:54,600 --> 00:55:57,160 # I've been too long I'm glad to be back, yes, I am 949 00:55:57,160 --> 00:55:59,400 # Let loose from the noose 950 00:55:59,400 --> 00:56:01,960 # That's kept me hanging about... # 951 00:56:01,960 --> 00:56:05,280 Malcolm just knew what he wanted from that band 952 00:56:05,280 --> 00:56:08,280 or what he wanted to achieve with the band. 953 00:56:08,280 --> 00:56:10,640 And he never veered from that. 954 00:56:13,400 --> 00:56:18,160 He and Angus started it, and then with Bon, you know, 955 00:56:18,160 --> 00:56:21,600 it just took off, and then with Brian coming in, 956 00:56:21,600 --> 00:56:24,520 it's just been an amazing journey. 957 00:56:24,520 --> 00:56:27,800 # Hey, hey, hey I'm back in black 958 00:56:27,800 --> 00:56:30,120 # Yes, I'm back in black... # 959 00:56:31,840 --> 00:56:34,600 It was the ultimate triumph for Ted Albert, 960 00:56:34,600 --> 00:56:36,640 who had focused his life's work 961 00:56:36,640 --> 00:56:40,600 on building a musical family around the people he believed in. 962 00:56:40,600 --> 00:56:42,560 He put his money behind us, 963 00:56:42,560 --> 00:56:46,440 he took a big risk and he never put pressure on us at all. 964 00:56:46,440 --> 00:56:48,440 He was a real player. 965 00:56:49,600 --> 00:56:53,280 We've worked with other record companies since then 966 00:56:53,280 --> 00:56:56,160 in different countries and everything else, 967 00:56:56,160 --> 00:56:58,880 but I don't think we've ever met anyone 968 00:56:58,880 --> 00:57:01,520 who was so genuine and honest 969 00:57:01,520 --> 00:57:04,560 and you could trust as a person. 970 00:57:04,560 --> 00:57:06,840 And we certainly owe Ted a lot 971 00:57:06,840 --> 00:57:09,880 because we may not have been here today 972 00:57:09,880 --> 00:57:12,080 if it wasn't for a guy like Ted. 973 00:57:12,080 --> 00:57:15,080 CHEERING 974 00:57:15,080 --> 00:57:16,640 It cut both ways. 975 00:57:18,080 --> 00:57:21,080 Ted Albert's dream started with the Easybeats. 976 00:57:22,160 --> 00:57:26,200 15 years later, AC/DC ruled the world. 977 00:57:27,760 --> 00:57:31,240 # You've been thunderstruck... # 978 00:57:31,240 --> 00:57:35,680 In 1990, as AC/DC toured The Razors Edge album, 979 00:57:35,680 --> 00:57:40,360 Ted sat down to write one of his regular letters to Malcolm. 980 00:57:40,360 --> 00:57:44,560 "Dear Mal, I'm completely blown away by the new album. I love it. 981 00:57:44,560 --> 00:57:49,400 "In fact, I had subwoofers installed in my car in honour of it. 982 00:57:49,400 --> 00:57:53,120 "Congratulations on songs, sounds and performances. 983 00:57:53,120 --> 00:57:54,960 "Thanks for our long association 984 00:57:54,960 --> 00:57:58,640 "and the success that you have bought to my company. 985 00:57:58,640 --> 00:58:00,840 "My very best, Ted Albert." 986 00:58:02,080 --> 00:58:03,840 # Thunderstruck 987 00:58:03,840 --> 00:58:06,840 # Thunderstruck... # 988 00:58:06,840 --> 00:58:13,240 A week later, Ted Albert died suddenly of a heart attack, aged 53. 989 00:58:16,040 --> 00:58:19,240 Ted's legacy is many things to many people, 990 00:58:19,240 --> 00:58:23,320 but his most important legacy, I think, in the music field, 991 00:58:23,320 --> 00:58:25,640 is what he did for rock and roll 992 00:58:25,640 --> 00:58:29,600 and giving Australian rock and roll respectability worldwide. 993 00:58:36,320 --> 00:58:39,200 # Countrymen, friends Lend me your ears 994 00:58:39,200 --> 00:58:42,680 # I'll tell you a tale of 15 years 995 00:58:42,680 --> 00:58:45,320 # I'm an old man who's all forlorn 996 00:58:45,320 --> 00:58:48,960 # I want to see the city where I was born 997 00:58:48,960 --> 00:58:52,200 # Show me the way to St Louis 998 00:58:52,200 --> 00:58:54,640 # Show me the way... # 82718

Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.