By ALESHA CAPONE
MANY Brimbank residents would be thunderstruck to learn the legendary Australian band AC/DC played two gigs in St Albans before becoming international superstars.
On behalf of the St Albans Historic Society, writer Jeff Maynard has researched a book about the suburb’s past, due for release later this year.
The book will include details about a young AC/DC performing at the St Albans High School in October 1975 and March 1976.
Their set lists included songs which went on to become rock ‘n’ roll classics such as TNT, Long Way to the Top and High Voltage.
AC/DC’s late lead singer Bon Scott attended Sunshine Primary School and AC/DC performed at Sunshine Technical School in 1975.
Mr Maynard’s friend and fellow writer, Paul Murphy, has helped him to research the AC/DC section of the book.
Black-and-white footage of AC/DC performing in front of students at St Albans is featured on the band’s box-set DVD.
“All the girls had skinhead haircuts,” Mr Murphy said. “And now they’re all grandmothers,” Mr Maynard said.
As part of research for the St Albans book, the pair searched for people who remembered attending AC/DC’s shows.
Maree Varcoe and her brother Martin Abela were two lucky youngsters who saw AC/DC perform in St Albans.
Mr Abela remembers Angus Young jumping off a speaker.
“They sang all their songs, I just remember lots of people and the loudness,” Ms Varcoe said.
Another attendee, Michael Aquilina, recalled AC/DC playing the Chuck Berry classic School Days.
“It was pretty good,” he said. “Their gigs were absolutely packed all the time.
“Those were great days – the women looked great in their satin flares.”
