BC/DC! Lost 1973 LP featuring AC/DC's Angus and Malcolm Young, finally reissued... If the Marcus Hook Roll Band are known for anything itโs as the first vehicle for AC/DC siblings Angus and Malcolm Young. But the story began in London in 1972 when Australians George Young and Harry Vanda, formerly of The Easybeats, handed a demo to EMI. Producer Wally Waller, a former Pretty Things bassist, recorded two singles but by the time an album was requested Young and Vanda were back in Australia. Waller was told to follow. โI stood there tutting, making out it would be a terrible drag,โ chuckles Waller. In Sydney, George roped in elder brother Alex, once of Beatles prodigies Grapefruit, on sax while guitar came from 20-year-old Malcolm. โMalcolm was playing stuff you needed to be 30 to play, stuff that required a bit of soul, some life experience,โ recalls Waller. โI said to George: โYour brother is really somethingโ. He said โThereโs another like him at homeโ. Angus turned up and was just as good.โ The album โ named after Wallerโs duty-free bourbon consumed in well-oiled sessions โ thus became the first record featuring Malcolm and Angus Young, and the only album to feature four Young brothers. Itโs an odd one, covering slick 70s rock (โCanโt Stand The Heatโ), glam (โGoodbye Janeโ), 60s throwbacks (โSilver Shoes And Strawberry Wineโ) and Faces-meets-Queen show-stoppers (โCry For Meโ). You can hear proto-DC riffing on โQuick Reactionโ and also some AC/DC sexual politics on the (literally) grunting โApe Manโ. Particularly odd is the radical-chic two-hander โThe People And The Powerโ and โRed Revolutionโ. Five bonus tracks include previously unreleased country cornball โRide Baby Rideโ. Nobody can remember who played what but Malcolm was on everything and Waller is sure Angus played on โWatch Her Do It Nowโ. As it was, the album was shelved after Young and Vanda refused to tour America, but Waller wasnโt surprised to hear of Angus and Malcolmโs subsequent success. โI knew how talented they were,โ says Waller. โAnd they had everything else that was required โ drive, luck and a brother who knew the industry.โ Extras: Five bonus tracks. PETER WATTS Photo credit: Philip Morris
BC/DC! Lost 1973 LP featuring AC/DCโs Angus and Malcolm Young, finally reissuedโฆ
If the Marcus Hook Roll Band are known for anything itโs as the first vehicle for AC/DC siblings Angus and Malcolm Young. But the story began in London in 1972 when Australians George Young and Harry Vanda, formerly of The Easybeats, handed a demo to EMI. Producer Wally Waller, a former Pretty Things bassist, recorded two singles but by the time an album was requested Young and Vanda were back in Australia. Waller was told to follow. โI stood there tutting, making out it would be a terrible drag,โ chuckles Waller.
In Sydney, George roped in elder brother Alex, once of Beatles prodigies Grapefruit, on sax while guitar came from 20-year-old Malcolm. โMalcolm was playing stuff you needed to be 30 to play, stuff that required a bit of soul, some life experience,โ recalls Waller. โI said to George: โYour brother is really somethingโ. He said โThereโs another like him at homeโ. Angus turned up and was just as good.โ The album โ named after Wallerโs duty-free bourbon consumed in well-oiled sessions โ thus became the first record featuring Malcolm and Angus Young, and the only album to feature four Young brothers.
Itโs an odd one, covering slick 70s rock (โCanโt Stand The Heatโ), glam (โGoodbye Janeโ), 60s throwbacks (โSilver Shoes And Strawberry Wineโ) and Faces-meets-Queen show-stoppers (โCry For Meโ). You can hear proto-DC riffing on โQuick Reactionโ and also some AC/DC sexual politics on the (literally) grunting โApe Manโ.
Particularly odd is the radical-chic two-hander โThe People And The Powerโ and โRed Revolutionโ. Five bonus tracks include previously unreleased country cornball โRide Baby Rideโ. Nobody can remember who played what but Malcolm was on everything and Waller is sure Angus played on โWatch Her Do It Nowโ. As it was, the album was shelved after Young and Vanda refused to tour America, but Waller wasnโt surprised to hear of Angus and Malcolmโs subsequent success. โI knew how talented they were,โ says Waller. โAnd they had everything else that was required โ drive, luck and a brother who knew the industry.โ
Extras: Five bonus tracks.
PETER WATTS
Photo credit: Philip Morris