The Bon Scott-era AC/DC song Brian Johnson wishes he had recorded
AC/DC have a unique sound that has consistently followed them throughout their career. At the centre of that sound are Angus and Malcolm Young, both of whom have managed to take exciting guitar music and make some of the simplest yet effective riffs and licks in rock music. When we listen to AC/DC’s earliest music and compare it to their most recent releases, those specific elements remain consistent.
The only source of variation throughout the band’s sound over the years has been whichever singer they’ve had fronting things. The first vocalist the band had was Bon Scott, who had a unique vocal tone which was equal parts sweet-sounding and rock-infused. He could carry the calmest symphonies on his back but also turn on the grit in a second.
The curse of the rockstar seemed to follow Scott around, and the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle which people so regularly abuse to excess plagued the lead singer. It meant he unfortunately passed away well before his time, thanks to his over-reliance on drugs and alcohol.
When Scott passed away, AC/DC took it upon themselves to keep the band going and find a new singer. They knew they would never find another singer like Scott, so they didn’t bother trying to find one. Instead, they used this time to find a singer who could bring something new to the band, which led them towards Brian Johnson. The first album he released with the band was Back In Black, a record which showcased his grainy accented vocals but also mourned the loss of their first singer.
Fans were sad about Scott’s passing but excited by the band’s new sound. Johnson offered something different; however, he also had a vocal ability that meant he could sing Scott’s songs, which were already considered classics such as ‘Let There Be Rock’ and ‘Highway To Hell’. As a result, Johnson became familiar with the band’s entire discography, having a hand in writing his songs but also frequently performing Scott’s.
Arguably, there is nobody better equipped to give an opinion on what he believes the best AC/DC songs are, and when he was asked about his favourite track from the Scott-era, he opted for one of their more underground numbers. ‘What’s Next To The Moon’ was a track released on AC/DC’s 1978 record Powerage. It’s not a fan favourite, but Johnson said that he believes it’s one of the best that the band have ever done.
“Well, I wish we did it,” said Johnson, “We only did it [a couple times], and I loved it to death.” Johnson has a point: despite performing with the band for decades now, ‘What’s Next To The Moon’ has only been played three times, and all of those appearances occurred in 2003.
Despite resonating with Johnson so much, Angus Young came up with the guitar line when he was tuning a new string on his guitar. The largely improvised track came from a very specific moment, and yet it continues to resonate as one of AC/DC’s best. “We were in studio, and I had just broken a string. Instead of changing my guitar, I preferred to keep the one I had, because that day I had a hell of a sound!” Explained Young, “So I changed the string and, in order to test the arrangement, I played a few notes followed by a chord. That was exactly the intro to ‘What’s Next To The Moon.’ Malcolm said, ‘This would be good to start a song.’ And here it was.”
