BON SCOTT PUT US ON HIGHWAY TO HELL, THEN BACK IN BLACK HAD TO SAVE US

Highway To Hell
1979

460 Miles To Go

There were few days in my teenage years more tragically monumental than February 19, 1980.

That was the day that AC/DC's lead singer Bon Scott died, according to his death certificate, of "Acute alcohol poisoning" and "Death by misadventure."

AC/DC was our favorite band.

Sure, we also had the Stones, Zeppelin, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Kiss, Tom Petty and Bruuuuce.

But, AC/DC was our band.


For a 17-year-old growing up at that time in Marion, Ohio, your band was an immensely important part of your persona.

This was the era of Saturday Night Fever, the Bee Gees and disco.

Back In Black
1980

Our bands, our records and our 8-Track mix tapes defined us.

We did not have Saturday Night Fever. We were heavy metal kids.

We identified more with Angus Young than Bon, probably because we could emulate his moves as air guitarists at school dances.

Bon was more forbidding with his evil grin, tattooed arms and musical tales of female conquests that made us snicker jealously.

We weren't sure what "The Jack" was; we just knew it wasn't a playing card and you didn't want to get it no matter what pleasure proceeded its pain.


Only months before, we traveled to our first real concert at St. John Arena  to see AC/DC on the Highway To Hell tour. It was even more heavy metal heaven than we imagined it would be and we weren't even close to the stage.

That night, the great debate was whether or not to buy one of the concert T-shirts that said "Highway To Hell" on it for fear of being sent home from school for wearing it the next day.

Those who went for it scored an even more impressive trophy as no one was disciplined for donning new AC/DC colors with a cuss word included.

The morning after the show and for weeks to come, as Highway To Hell sold millions of copies, we were cool because we were AC/DC fans and we went to the concert.

Then, four months later, it happened.

Bon died and our band had no singer.

We argued as passionately about who was the hotter guitarist - Angus, Jimmy Page, Ted Nugent or Eddie Van Halen - as we did about our sports heroes.

But, without a singer, there were no songs.

No Problem Child. No Bad Boy Boogie. No Whole Lotta Rosie.

Worst of all, no more T.N.T.

When we heard rumors of a new singer, a new album and a comeback tour, a bigger fear overshadowed the old one.

What if the new singer sucks? Would AC/DC still be our favorite band? Or, would we just listen to the old Bon records and pretend the new AC/DC didn't count?

We were at the record store the day Back In Black came out in July 1980 with our teenage identities on the line, plotting potential escape routes if necessary. 

"That Eddie Van Halen can really play."

 "We love Double Live Gonzo and the new Scream Dream album is awesome."

"Todd Rundgren is pretty cool."

We bought Back In Black together, but each of us went home to listen to it alone. Then, the phones started ringing.

We were saved.

The opening funeral bells rang a little too Black Sabbath. Have A Drink On Me seemed pretty crass given the circumstances. And the new guy with the plain name was sometimes hard to understand.

But, none of that mattered because not even death could blackout the AC/DC power age.

More than three decades later, the world is still plugged in.

Highway To Hell Song For The Soundtrack: If You Want Blood (You've Got It)

Back In Black Song For The Soundtrack: You Shook Me All Night Long

Running Data For Wednesday, July 10:
8.37 Miles
1:31:32

Mileage In The Change Jar: 0.63 Miles