Some of the world's best ideas, and far too many of the world's worst ever ideas, have been hatched under the influence of alcohol. Exactly where on the sliding scale of 'genius' to 'thick as a brick' AC/DC's attempt to hunt down one of the world's most legendary mythical beasts might be best placed is not for us to stay, but, as told by frontman Brian Johnson, it's unquestionably a memorable and entertaining anecdote.
Speaking with NME back in 2020, AC/DC's long-time vocalist recalled that he and much-missed former AC/DC bandleader Malcolm Young hatched a plan to hunt down the legendary Loch Ness monster during a trip around Scotland with their wives during an unspecified period of downtime from the Australian hard rock legends.
“We both had these Land Rovers and we’d taken them for a trip around Scotland – Malcolm loved his fireworks and he’d taken a big box with him,” Johnson remembered. “One night, we were four sheets to the wind and staying at this hotel right on the side of the loch. Mal just said, ‘C’mon, let’s go and find the Loch Ness monster! I’ve got fireworks and it might attract it!’
Painting a vivid picture of the night in question, Johnson continued, “There we were, going straight into the water in our shoes, up to our knees, and it was freezing! Mal had a drink in one hand, a box of fireworks in the other, and was trying to set fire to the loch. We were just howling. By the time we got back to our wives we had straw in our hair and were covered in mud.
“What a night!”
Sadly, unlike past occasions where they've written songs based on real-life incidents -Whole Lotta Rosie, for instance, or Bedlam In Belgium - AC/DC elected not to commemorate this frustrating evening on vinyl.
Happily though, their former tour mates Judas Priest have written a monstrous epic in tribute to 'Nessie'.
“A beastly head of onyx,” Rob Halford sings on Lochness,
“With eyes set coals of fire. It's leathered hide glides glistening, ascends the heathered briar."
“Lochness confess your terror of the deep,” the chorus runs. “Lochness distress malingers what you keep. Lochness protects monstrosity. Lochness confess to me.”
Powerful stuff!
The hunt continues...
