AC/DC icon Bon Scott asked to travel with Y&T in 1976 because he wanted to escape from his “boring” bandmates, Dave Meniketti has recalled.
And the veteran mainman admits to regrets over laughing at Motley Crue when they played their debut show with his outfit in 1981.
Scott, pictured above in 1976, asked to share a basic van with Y&T that didn’t have enough seating, meaning he had to sit on the floor.
Meniketti tells 93.3 WMMR: “The very first day we did a soundcheck together, Bon came back he was like, ‘What are you guys travelling in?’ We showed him, and he was like, ‘Would you mind if I come with you?
“‘These guys are really boring. They won’t let me drink. They won’t let any groupies on the bus.’ He figured he was going to have more fun with us – and I’m absolutely certain he did.”
Five years later Y&T were the headline act in California as Motley Crue delivered their first-ever show. Meniketti says: “They were supposed to be this up-and-coming thing. I remember sitting in the balcony at the Starwood, overlooking the stage, watching a few songs and going, ‘These guys are crap.’
“I ate those words a million times over – we ended up opening for them. It was cool.”
A biopic on Scott, who died in 1980, is to proceed without his family’s support after they refused to approve it. Motley Crue play this year’s Download festival as part of their farewell tour. Y&T return to the UK in October:
Oct 28: Southampton Brook
Oct 30: Bilston Robin 2
Oct 31: London O2 Academy Islington
Nov 01: Cardiff Globe
Nov 03: Manchester Academy
Nov 05: Edinburgh Liquid Room
Nov 06: Newcastle O2 Academy
Nov 07: Nottingham Rock City
Nov 08: Buckley Tivoli
Nov 10: Dublin Opium Rooms
Nov 11: Belfast Limelight
Nov 13: Oxford O2 Academy
