Four decades have passed since the iconic AC/DC frontman Bon Scott breathed his last in an untimely death. His brother Derek Scott refused to talk about the tragedy publicly. Now, Derek has broken his silence for the first time in a new TV documentary titled “Australian Story: On The Brink – Bon Scott”, which aired this Monday (May 9) on Australia’s ABC Network.
Derek Scott opens up on his brother’s alcohol abuse
In addition to Scott’s brother, the documentary includes accounts by several other people who were close to the legendary singer in different ways, including the bass player of Scott’s third band Fraternity Bruce Howe, as well as the subsequent Fraternity vocalist and current Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes. ABC says that the documentary was
“…granted access to Scott’s friends and family for the first time ever, who have delivered exclusive insights into his personality, vulnerability and state of mind leading up to his untimely death in 1980 in London.”
With the singer’s powerful voice, charisma, and endearing personality being one of the main drivers of AC/DC’s rise to fame, Bon Scott made an impact on the world of rock through all-time favorites such as “Highway to Hell”, “Whole Lotta Rosie”, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”, and many, many more.
Unfortunately, he dealt with severe alcohol abuse, and the beloved musician would pass away on February 19, 1980, with “acute alcohol poisoning” being put down as the official cause of death. In the documentary, Bon Scott’s brother Derek comments on his famous sibling’s alcohol abuse (via Louder):
“He did get bored very quickly. That was the biggest problem. When he got bored, he drank. He never worried about tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.”
Although the singer was famous for having an intense lifestyle when out on the road, his former Fraternity bandmate Bruce Howe says that the hiatuses between the tours were actually more harmful to Scott’s wellbeing:
“That’s when he would start taking risks, doing wild things. On days when he was bored, there was no future, there was only now. He didn’t give a bugger about whether he lived or died the next day. He’d try anything – magic mushrooms, marijuana, alcohol – and he would take risks on his motorbike.”
