Dave Evans, the original AC/DC frontman, expressed his lack of astonishment upon learning about the tragic demise of Bon Scott following a night of excessive alcohol consumption. The official report from the coroner attributed Bon‘s passing to “acute alcohol poisoning,” classifying it as a case of “death by misadventure.”
In a recent interview with Brazil’s Guarda Volume podcast, Evans talked about his experience with the band and shed light on the circumstances surrounding his departure. Evans revealed that he had encountered issues with unpaid shows, which ultimately led to his departure from AC/DC. He also touched upon the difficulties Bon Scott faced, particularly his battle with alcoholism, which tragically resulted in his untimely death.
He said: “The manager was the third manager at that time. We weren’t getting paid for the shows, and we were doing the biggest shows in Australia. The Sydney Opera House, the famous Sydney Opera House, Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Festival Hall down in Melbourne, all the shows. Where’s the money? Show me the money. No money. We toured with Lou Reed from the USA. [We played] the biggest venues, sold out — all sold out. How about some money? No money. So in the end, I couldn’t stay with the band, because I was paying off my car in Sydney, paying my car off, my flat, and I’m working hard.
“So we had a bit of a meeting one night and had a few drinks and stuff. And the manager was there. And he was making money because he was getting money off the top. The rest of the money, I don’t know what happened to it. We didn’t have any. So, the manager, nice new permed hair, new jeans, bell bottom jeans, leather valise, flying around the country, us in trucks. He had the money. We had no money. So at, I said to him, ‘What’s happening here?’ I confronted him. We were all b*tching about it. And he got up and smart-mouthed to me. So I got up and bang, knocked him down. And the other boys got me and pulled me off the manager.
“So it was decided that when that tour we were on finished that this had to be resolved. This had to be resolved. I said, ‘If I’m not getting paid, I am not gonna go on tour again.’ So I said, ‘I’m not going.’ Who would? I’m not stupid. So at the end of the tour, no resolution. They weren’t gonna give me what I wanted. So I split from the band. I said, ‘Well, that’s it.’ I said, ‘Okay. See you later.’ I wasn’t gonna take it.”
In relation to the legendary vocalist who took his place, Dave expressed: “Poor Bon Scott. Bon Scott joined the band and he went through a lot of crap too. And he ended up dead. He was working, working, working, working, working, working. And he was depressed, sad. He looked happy, ’cause he was drunk all the time. Bon Scott drank all the time. Alcoholic. You see photographs of Bon Scott, he’s always got a bottle or a drink all the time. Sad. Sad. But it killed him in the end. But he was going through a lot of hell, too, with the band.
“I spoke to Bon Scott after he joined [AC/DC]. We had a private conversation about things, which will remain private. And so when I found out what happened to Bon Scott, when I read about it, and I spoke to his wife about it too — I saw his wife who told me what happened and stuff — I wasn’t surprised. I was not surprised.”
Dave Evans, who recorded AC/DC‘s first two singles “Can I Sit Next To You Girl” and “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” left the band in October 1974, just a year after their first performance. He was then replaced by Scott, who sang on AC/DC‘s first six studio albums.
