Marking what would have been the late singer’s 78th birthday, The Bon Scott Estate is embarking on a number of high-profile activations to celebrate the icon’s life and music.
On the actual birthday (July 9), there will be a tribute concert at Arlene’s Grocery on New York City’s Lower East Side. The infamous rock club has hosted some of the most raucous nights of rock and roll in the 21st century, and the show will harken back to the secret set that AC/DC performed at CBGB in 1977. 16 singers will each tackle one classic AC/DC song with a stellar backing band. [TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE]
There is also a concerted promotion at U.S. terrestrial and satellite radio in which on-air personalities will wish Bon a happy birthday and play one or more of his classic performances such as “Highway To Hell”, “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock N Roll)” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”.
Thanks to the estate’s longstanding merchandising partner Perryscope Productions, brand new collaborations are in place with Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers and Dixxon Flannel Company to create bespoke products from the two newly created and registered Bon Scott tartans (Heritage and Touring), which celebrate his roots in Scotland and birthplace of Kerriemuir.
Dixxon will use the tartans to create their signature flannel shirts in a similar collaboration to their Metallica and Megadeth shirts, and the GNK line will include made-to-order kilts, vests and pants as well as accessories like lambswool scarves and throws, similar to their 2022 collaboration with XBOX.
Also coming to a collector’s shelf near you are brand-new figurines from Knucklebonz and Super7, who have already created designs based on the 1979 ‘Highway To Hell’ tour. The new designs will harken back to 1975 and feature Bon’s leopard vest (Super7) and the outfit (with bagpipes!) worn in the flatbed truck promo clip for “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock N Roll)” (Knucklebonz). Release dates on both TBD.
These follow hot on the heels of the ultimate collectible celebrating a citizen of the British empire – a one once proof coin from the Perth Mint featuring Bon on one side and King Charles on the other.
Two new online stores are launching in time for the birthday, one at Amazon in the U.S. and the other at Merch Jungle in Australia, making it easier and more cost effective for fans to get their hands on their favorite singer’s merchandise. Further Amazon stores will continue to roll out throughout the world. Bon Scott’s e-commerce and merchandising program is handled by Perryscope Productions, LLC.
A brand-new merch design will be launching to commemorate the birthday by renowned Australian graphic artist Dave Homer.
44 years after his untimely passing, the music that Bon Scott helped create with AC/DC continues to resonate with fans and fellow artists, like THIS Foo Fighters/Jack Black cover of Big Balls from Auckland, NZ in January 2024.
Few rock singers were as unforgettable – and have proved as enduring – as Bon Scott. As the frontman of AC/DC from 1974 until his tragic passing in 1980 (at the age of 33), his “rock n’ roll pirate persona,” street poet lyrics, and striking image (one of the first rockers to proudly sport multiple tattoos) have made him an absolute legend. Additionally, Bon’s vocals were featured in several pre-AC/DC bands, including Fraternity, the Valentines, and the Spektors.
But really, it is the quality of the songs of the “Bon-era” of AC/DC that serve as his greatest legacy – “Highway to Hell,” “Sin City,” “Whole Lotta Rosie,” “Let There Be Rock,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” “T.N.T.,” and “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”…the list is seemingly endless.
How does Bon measure up to rock’s all-time great frontmen? Classic Rock Magazine declared him “The Greatest Rock n’ Roll Front Man of All Time” in 2004, beating out the lofty likes of Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, and Axl Rose in the process.
And now the spirit of Bon Scott lives on with the upcoming tribute show, as well as Bon Scott Estate-approved merchandise.
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