AccaDacca fan Andrew emailed to alert me that Bon’s death certificate is going on sale. The e-bay ad says:

THIS IS A GENUINE COPY OF BON SCOTT`S DEATH CERTIFICATE.
UNIQUE ITEM INDEED.
NO RESERVE AUCTION.
WINNER TO PAY POSTAGE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A PHOTOCOPY.
THIS IS THE REAL DEAL,GENUINE LEGITIMATE WATERMARKED ORIGINAL.
CERTIFIED to be a true copy of an entry in the certified copy of register of Births,Still-births or Deaths in the District above
mentioned. Given at the GENERAL REGISTER OFFICE, under the Seal of the said Office.
Please note there are offences relating to falsifying or altering a certificate and using or possessing a false certificate.
Thankyou.
Kindly note that this is NOT A FALSE CERTIFICATE.
I have had several offers already on this item through e-mails, i will only sell this item via the auction, thanks.
All e-mails will be answered.

All the details, as far as I can tell, seem right. But is it REALLY real? (And what is a “genuine copy” when it is also described as an “original”?)

I’d be curious to know how this precious item came to be on the open market. Who would have had it before? Who would want to get rid of it? Shouldn’t a certificate like this be in the possession of Bon’s family? Any ideas?

The Big Issue has run a cover story on Bon Scott! You can read it page by page over here, or look at the pdf version here [2.5mb].

It includes coverage of the Bon Scott Project (including this blog!) by West Australian art writer Ric Spencer, and a personal story of his journey to see the bronze statue of Bon, by Melbourne rock journo Patrick Donovan. The cover art (shown above) is from the public artwork by Bevan Honey - the ghostly apparition of Bon which appeared mysteriously under a bridge in Fremantle in May this year.

(The Big Issue is a great magazine sold by homeless folks on the streets of cities around Australia. A large proportion of the cover price goes to the vendor.)

“I guess I have always had the idea of being rich and having a lifestyle to which I was suited”, says AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott as he eases himself into the huge chauffeur-driven limousine that will drive him from the Symphony Hall in Atlanta, Georgia, USA to his room at the Peachtree Plaza, the world’s largest hotel.

Thus begins this article written by legendary Aussie photographer/journalist Rennie Ellis, which accompanies this amazing set of photos of AccaDacca in concert in Atlanta, 1978.

And how does it end? With this ominous paragraph:

In the meantime this heavy Australian rock and roll band continues to storm around the USA. “The more we work, the more we move on, the more ideas we get. It’s getting better and better,” says a grinning Bon. “I can’t see an end to it. It’s just like infinity rock and roll.”

You can read the whole article here:

page one
page two

Thanks a million to Manuela from the Rennie Ellis archive for sending this article. Check out the website for more of Rennie’s great photographic work.

By the way, if you’re in Melbourne, you can see an exhibition of Rennie’s work from Oct 31 2008, to Feb 22 2009, at the Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia at Federation Square. The show will be called No standing Only dancing: Photographs by Rennie Ellis and you can see more info here.

Continuing the theme of “incredible photos of Bon from the archives”, here is a set of photos by the late great Aussie photographer Rennie Ellis.

Manuela Furci, one of the lucky folks in charge of the Rennie Ellis archive, has kindly given permission for these low-res copies of Rennie’s AC/DC shots to appear on the Bon Scott Blog. If you want to see more of Rennie’s work, have a look at his website.

The above photo is titled “AC-DC Bon Scott & The Heathen Girls #2 Atlanta Georgia 1978″. Can anyone tell me more about The Heathen Girls? I presume this is their myspace page, and I imagine that AC/DC must have played a gig in Atlanta with them, and that this photo show’s Bon at the post-show party!

Here’s another one with The Heathen Girls and Bon:

and this one is priceless. It looks to be the same girl with the big hair from The Heathen Girls. Check out Bon on tippy toes:

At the same concert in Atlanta, 1978, this photo by Rennie is possibly the most majestic I’ve ever seen. Little wonder that the Fremantle Arts Centre used it as their signature image for the Bon Scott Project.

And here are more shots from the Atlanta concert:

Here is Bon being ADORED by legions of young female fans, at a concert in Moorabbin, Victoria in the mid 1970s (as also featured in The Age newspaper article by Patrick Donovan a few months back).

Thanks Rennie for your fine and intimate photographic work!

All these photos are on my flickr page, and a few extras too!

The video above appeared in my letter box last week! It’s a short TV feature on Phillip Morris, the photographer who was lucky enough to hang out with AC/DC in the 1970s, and who had an amazing exhibition in Sydney recently.

More info about the exhibition here, which was held at the Blender Gallery.

Enjoy! (the volume seems a little low on my system - it’s not a fault, just how the video came to me! I’ve also posted it on youtube here…)

(Thanks to Jon from AC/DC news for reminding me to link to Phillip Morris’ own website!)

Thanks to Cate from Warwick in Queensland, who sent this email a few days back, giving a glimmer of hope to fans who were worried that Bon’s bronze statue would end up gathering a layer of chip-fat and dust in the corner of the fish and chip shop:

Hi Lucas - I thought you might like to see our photos “In search of Bon Scott” taken last week in Fremantle. My husband Paul is a HUGE fan of AC/DC so we spend quite a while in search if Bon’s grave and Statue. Enjoy! Cate

My reply:

Thanks Cate, great stuff!
the plaque on the seat wasnt there last time i went to the cemetery. Also I see from your photos that the statue is back at greg james’ studio. any news from greg about where it will go eventually?
xlucas

Her reply:

Greg has to finish the stand (amplifier) before it ends up somewhere in the park at the wharf near Ciccerello’s restaurant. I didn’t actually meet Greg - one of his assistants was there and kindly let us into the studio. Feel free to use any photos you wish for the “bonscottblog”. Cate

Hopefully this puts Bon’s inglorious days in the chip shop in perspective. It was just a brief visit while Greg the artist finishes the amp he’ll be standing on…. Thanks Cate, I’ve put a few more of your shots up here. By the way - ladies, check out the butt modeled in clay on the left hand side of the above photo…

This morning, Bon’s old mate Gabby sent me this message, confirming the imminent park placement:

Hi Lucas,
Just thought you might like to know that Bon has gone back to Greg James Studio to be finished on the Marshall Amp base as planned.
He then goes into the park for all the fans to see.
Thanks to everyone for their concern about our friend.
I’m sure everyone will be really happy to visit him in the park!
Cheers Gabby

In other news, AC/DC has finally released their new single “Rock and Roll Train”. All the action has been happening over at AC/DC News Blog, where you can listen to the single and discuss…

My opinion? It’s a good riff, and I found myself humming it all day after just one listen. I can’t really work out what the song is supposed to “be about” - something about a runaway train, huh? Brian Johnson certainly doesn’t enunciate super clearly. And I was only listening through my tinny laptop speakers. In general, it exceeded my expectations!

Also at the Bon Scott Yahoo group, there has been great consternation about the new album - Black Ice - due to be released in October. Apparently in the USA, the album will only be available for purchase at Wal-Mart. Bizarre, eh?

So I was surprised and pleased to see a lively political debate fire up over at the yahoogroup about “This whole Wal-Mart deal”. The ethical tension is palpable - this is the first new material from acca dacca since 2001 and so what fan wouldn’t want to get it? On the other hand, you’re forced to buy from amuch-hated (but oh-so convenient and cheap) behemoth corporation… Dirty Deeds Indeed!

The question remains - why would AC/DC do a deal like this??

(incidentally, it occurred to me that the musical drought between “Stiff Upper Lip” (2001) and “Black Ice” (2008) represents about the same amount of time Bon was in the band from start to finish…)

Does anyone have a clue what this message could mean??

It was sent by someone called “JJ“…

That’s it folks, the last of the Bon Scott Blog Fremantle LED welcome signs to go up! If you want to see a selection of them as a slideshow, have a look over here…

the following email from Laurie (Loz) explains it all…

Lucas,

I came across your blog page the other day when I was trawling the net for Bon Scott sites.

I read a little bit of it each day. I love it and you are a lucky x#@* to have had the experiences you have had writing it.

AC/DC are the best band ever but would be even better with Bon still out front.

I am 53yrs old and have been an AccaDacca fan forever. When I have parties in my bar, everyone always wants to put on the silly hats (which we do after we drink to much) and rock to AccaDacca. And the people that are rocking are middle age bankers and our young adult children. The kids love Bon like we do because his music has lived on through us and always will. My favourite song is Jailbreak, an OZ classic, with Bon at his best.

I travelled to Fremantle a couple of years ago and had some quiet moments at Bons grave. I will be back again soon to see his statue (and to visit the grave again).

I would love the following message to go up on the Message Board at Fremantle:

Bon Scott still rocks hard and strong
in the life of Laurie Redsell (Loz)
from Brisbane. R.I.P. Bon

If it does goes up could you let me know by email, photograph it and put it on your blogsite.

Also if it does go up I will be downloading the picture, blowing it up and putting in the bar beside Bons photograph and other assorted memorabilia.

Ta,

Laurie Redsell
Brisbane, Qld.

Representatives of the Hamilton Hill Clan collect the last Bon Scott Project Vinyl Banner from the Fremantle Arts Centre this week!

One of the excellent things about this project has been the greatly expanded range of folks who have become familiar with the Arts Centre through Bon. The Hamilton Hill Clan have been great supporters of the Bon Scott Project. I look forward seeing pictures of their pilgrimage, en masse, to see AC/DC perform in concert early next year - if the rumoured tour goes ahead…

This is the LED sign message we put up last Wednesday in Fremantle.

So it’s a week late getting to you online, but what the hey! Motorists in Freo saw it on the day, and that’s the main thing!