AC/DC built a sonic wall with raw energy and sweat, yet some moments in their timeline feel almost unreal.
1They recorded an album in a studio haunted by its own silence
In 1980, just months after Bon Scott’s death, AC/DC entered Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record *Back in Black*. The place was surrounded by silence, not celebration. Equipment failed. Weather delayed deliveries. Locals avoided the studio at night, claiming it was haunted. Brian Johnson, new to the band, spent his first days singing into the void of an unfinished booth. The album ended up being one of the best-selling records of all time, forged in a mix of grief and ghost stories.
2Their name came from a sewing machine
Malcolm and Angus Young saw the letters “AC/DC” printed on the back of their sister Margaret’s sewing machine. The label indicated alternating and direct current. They liked the punchy look and how it sounded like pure energy. It had no intended meaning at first, though it would later raise eyebrows, as some thought it referenced bisexuality. For the Young brothers, it simply meant power.
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Angus Young wears school uniforms because of his sister When the band was still trying out looks and stage personas, it was Margaret Young who suggested Angus wear his old school uniform on stage. He had kept it from Ashfield Boys High School in Sydney. The contrast between his teenage outfit and his manic guitar style created an image that stuck. Margaret even sewed the first few versions herself. The costume became iconic, outliving fashion and trends.
4One of their albums had a vinyl release that caught fire
The 1976 Australian release of *Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap* came with a gimmick. A small number of copies were pressed using a special vinyl formula that turned out to be highly flammable. A few caught fire when left near heaters or direct sunlight. The batch was quickly pulled. These records are now collectors’ items, wrapped in legend and a bit of risk.
5They once hired a drummer from prison
In 1994, Phil Rudd was out of the band and Chris Slade had moved on. AC/DC needed a drummer for a studio session. They reached out to a musician named Tony Currenti, who had played on their early recordings. Problem: he was in prison on minor charges. The band arranged a temporary release so he could record. The takes were kept. He returned to jail the next day. This episode stayed off the record for years, surfacing only during a fan podcast in the 2000s.
