The “unofficial national anthem” of rock and roll, according to Tom Morello
Rock music is the most important thing in many people’s lives. It isn’t just something they listen to; it shapes their personality and follows them in every facet of their everyday lives. Bands like AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, and Kiss brandish walls and wardrobes as people feel an unbridled connection with the music they make. It’s an obsession born out of rebellion and chaos—an offset of patriotism.
Any branch of patriotism needs its own national anthem, and rock music is no different. Tom Morello, often cited as the forefront of the genre’s rebellion, wouldn’t exactly be against implementing a new national anthem to take over from the current one that people sing. If he were to pick one, it would inevitably fall into the realm of rock music, and it was a trip to Australia that helped him choose the right song.
“This is the story. In 2014, I was a guitar player in the E Street Band. We were in Perth, Australia, the home of Bon Scott, the singer of AC/DC,” recalls Morello, “Surprisingly, there is a literal ‘Highway To Hell’ outside of Perth. It was the road that Bon Scott took from his home to the local pub; it is known by locals as the Highway to Hell, which is probably where he got the title.”
That night, Morello rode the Highway To Hell in a bid to go and see Bon Scott’s grave. He got lost on the way and had to rely on a local to tell him where it was. “Surprisingly, the Bon Scott grave is not lit with an eternal flame,” he said, “But out of the mist came a motorbike through the cemetery, and there’s a fellow, heavy set, German World War II army helmet and a t-shirt which reads, ‘I don’t give a shit, but if I did, you’re the one I’d give it to’. And I’m like, ‘That guy is gonna know where Bon Scott’s grave is’.”
That night helped him realise that ‘Highway To Hell’ is the pinnacle of rock music, and he might be right. It’s a simple song, only made up of around five chords in total, and yet within those five chords is a badass, narrative-driven track filled with energy. It also contains one of Angus Young’s more concise and to-the-point guitar solos, a quick kick in the teeth. It’s a classic for rock music lovers and a great gateway for those who might not be interested.
Morello’s visit to the grave and exchange with a local fan helped him realise the power of AC/DC in Australia and the genre as a whole. The next day, he asked Bruce Springsteen if they could open with the hit, citing it as the national anthem of rock music. Eddie Vedder was also in town, so he joined them on stage to perform the track.
“I knocked on Bruce’s dressing room door before the show and said, we are in Australia where AC/DC is king, where the song ‘Highway To Hell’ is the unofficial national anthem of rock and roll liberation. What if we open the show with ‘Highway To Hell’ with Eddie Vedder? And he was like, ‘That’s a good idea’,” he said. “And we did, and if you think you’ve seen a crowd go ape shit, you haven’t unless you were there on that night…”
