Bon Scott Vs Brian Johnson

Axe

Just wondering what the general feeling is on the age-old Scott v Johnson topic. It's one I have a lot of trouble deciding on. I think that under Scott, AC/DC rarely put a foot wrong as far as music is concerned, and I think that he is a better singer. On the other hand, IMO AC/DC's best album, Back In Black, came under Brian Johnson.

I think i'll have to come down on the Scott side.

Oeneus

Sorry guys, but I prefer Brian by far!

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

kingconor

As much as i love, Bonn, i think Brian not only has a better voice, he writes better songs too!!!

cournioni

I prefer Johnson. Because he more than lived up to what Bon Scott had already achieved and has been accepted by most AC/DC fans which would be a very hard thing to do.

Axe

Originally posted by kingconor
Brian not only has a better voice, he writes better songs too!!!

I'm gonna have to disagree with that one. As i mentioned before, AC/DC rarely put a foot wrong under Bon, whereas they almost lost the plot when Brian came on board and started to help in the songwriting. While Back in Black is a stunning album, after that, and until 1990, AC/DC had a huge and uncharacteristic dip in form, with such albums as For Those About To Rock, Fly On The Wall, and Blow Up Your Video. It was only when Brian stopped helping with the songs that they dug themselves out again, with the fabulous "The Razors Edge". Brian had no hand in writing any of the album. Brian doesn't help with songwriting at all now.

public_enemy

back in black is definitely NOT ac/dc's best album.
high voltage is number one, followed closely by dirty deeds done dirt cheap and let there be rock.
bonn scott was a better singer, and a slightly better live performer.

Axe

Well, sorry, but I disagree. Admittedly, AC/DC have had several fabulous albums, but IMO, its closest rival is Let There Be Rock, not High Voltage. You also have to take into account that High Voltage is in a way a "Greatest Hits" album, as it is a hybrid of the best songs from the original, Australia-release albums, High Voltage and TNT.

Also, look at the amount of songs on Back In Black which have gone down in history as being rock classics, eg. Back In Black, Hells Bells, You Shook Me All Night Long, Shoot To Thrill, Given The Dog A Bone. The rest are also equally excellent.

GoneShootin

sorry to be joining so late, blasted study

But this debate is one well hammered out in newsgroups and forums across the globe on almost a weekly basis with the same result : INCONCLUSIVE

As always happens in this type of argument, the debate moves onto BEST ALBUM by the singer in question, which does not in any way finalise who the better is/was.
If that was the case then Brian would be best from the sales of Back In Black. Which to my mind was obviously as popular not only becuase of the excellent contect but of the "media interest" and curiosity of the fans to see what the new man was like. So best by album does not a leadman make.

Personally I will always prefer Brian. But that is down to the fact that I prefer his voice and attitude over Bons. It doesnt mean that he is better than Bon, just my own preference.

Bon was the powerhouse of AC/DC when they began. He was the man with the lyrics, the man with the attitude. He was with them through the infancy, the brawls, the attempted bannings. He made AC/DC legends before their time.

Brian was the phoenix. He helped drag AC/DC kicking and screaming back into the limelight after what would have killed many other bands. His voice totally kicked the wind out of the music of the time, and reminded everyone that AC/DC was in no way dead.

They both have their endearing qualities, both their weaknesses. It really is pointless to try and determine who is better. Always it would come to down album preference, and those, normally, tend to be matter of taste over matter of fact.

Furthermore AC/DC are an entity no matter what members have taken part, no matter how temporary. They have had many different lineups since they began

STEVIE YOUNG | MALCOLM YOUNG
DAVE EVANS | BON SCOTT | BRIAN JOHNSON
MARK EVANS | CLIFF WILLIAMS
PHILL RUDD | SIMON WRIGHT | CHRIS SLADE


Marcury_Tily said it best, Please dont disect AC/DC


edit for spelling

Axe

As much as i would like to agree, i can't really. I would also hate to degrade this perfectly good thread to a "he started it" seesion, but in my defense, i only started talking about albums in response to an earlier comment.

Moreover, I do think that the quality of music under each singer is an important factor. Under Bon, AC/DC didn't go wrong, whereas they wavered slightly under Brian.

Don't get me wrong, I think Brian Johnson is awesome! AC/DC probably couldn't have found a better replacement for Bon. I am also eternally grateful to him for his role in AC/DC's post 1980 success. The only point I was trying to make was that musically, and voice-wise, I think Bon edges it.

public_enemy

i think disect is a bad term
there should always be a place for discussion like this about bands.

on a slightly different note, i bought the stiff upper lip dvd last week and it kicks ass

Sarky

Is it not common knowledge that Bon actually wrote some of Back In Black? I consider them both equals, AC/DC is AC/DC no matter what, although the style has changed with the singer. Bon Gave the band the kick up the backside it needed to become a legend (has anyone seen the videos of the first singer? He was a ponce!) and Brian has managed to keep it all going.

Must admit though, at their age the lyrics are starting to sound pretty pervy...;)

Axe

Originally posted by Sarky
Must admit though, at their age the lyrics are starting to sound pretty pervy...;)

Yeah! Practically all of Ballbreaker is sexual in some way, with such titles as: Hard as a Rock; Cover You In Oil; Love Bomb, and; Ballbreaker itself.

GoneShootin

public_enemy

you dead right, its a fantastic DVD. tho i cant but wonder why they didnt choose the PARIS gig to use in the content. once huge thing wrong with it is the quality of the last song - Shot Down in Flames. Someone clearly ****ed up along the way somewhere....

Sarky

common knowledge also believes other ultimately false stuff. imo, i cant believe this notion, and until i hear it from their mouths will not be moved to agree otherwise....

for the pervy comment. most reviews of AC/DC from the SUL tour will include a remark on the lyrics. that which is tradition and time honoured cannot be in anyway pervy. its as much a part of AC/DC as the Young Brothers....

Axe

if you listen to the interview included in the No Bull DVD, after the "Hard As A Rock, The Making of" section theres an interview with Brian. he makes no attempt to hide the sexist lyrics.

quote "You might think theres alot of sexist stuff on there, and you'd be dead right. But its in fun"

---

btw, check the GIGS sticky, you may be interested on future AC/DC Tribute Bands comin up...tis a conspiracy by SONY i tells ya !!

public_enemy

my only real problem with the stiff upper lip dvd is that for some reason they didn't play moneytalks that particular night.
on the subject of dvds, rumour has it that there's a 1970's concert being pulled out of the archives for release sometime around the summer, that should be quite good...

and about the lyrics being pervy? they've said time and time again that they're just having fun. remember that back in the 70's they were called satanists after the release of highway to hell

GoneShootin

public_enemy

akaik they have not played anything from THE RAZORS EDGE album but Thunderstruck since Chris Slade left. why they do not play more of their extensive catalogue is something only the band members know...

the dvd you are on about has been in the works for a few months and was due to be released this month, i think. BUT, for some publishing reason it has been held back I have some of the songs from the now down acdc-videos.com, and they are fantastic !! Live from Hammersmith in England, its a joy to see Angus go up into the stalls in the audience and frighten the live out of the starched english audience, bar a few who could dig it.

Rocks Masters - AC/DC

check out the cover of the dvd. you can clearly see Mark Evans in the lineup. Great ! Except its Cliff Williams that plays that gig, Mark had already left !! Stupid stupid publishers.

Intersting tho that Mark is on there, especially as he has been "dis-invited" (that a word ?) from the RNR HALL OF FAME inaugeration of this preivous band. quite a shame....

public_enemy

i heard about the mark evans hall of fame problem...
that should be an interesting event considering ac/dc have openly criticised the rock 'n' roll hall of fame in the past, and many people think they won't even turn up on the night. i've also heard that steven tyler is going to be the one to induct them.
anyone if we'll get to see it in ireland?

public_enemy

that should have been:
"anyone know if we get to see that in ireland?"

Sarky

My point with the "pervy" bit was that they're all very old men now. The style hasn't changed much in the last 30 years. Not that that's a bad thing:)

GoneShootin

The Hall of Fame 2003 induction is to be broadcasted on the 16th March 2003 on VH1. (USA version of the music show).
More details available at http://www.vh1.com/shows/events/hall_of_fame/2003/

from best god dammed ac/dc news site there is

curadh

I'm pretty sure that Bon wrote most of back in black. Brian Johnson just filled the vacancy at the time and recorded the album.


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GoneShootin

curadh

have you any truth to back this up ? i seriously doubt you do.

personally i find the lyrics to have a different "dimension" to them as opposed to Bons. Something a bit more "metal" about em. just a gut feeling i guess.

curadh

I think I heard it on VH1 that some riffs and bits off the album was old stuff they had worked with Bon on before but was just stuff kept from previous albums. Which kinda makes sense. Then again I just did a little search now on the album and couldn't find anything on this. Maybe I heard it wrong or maybe VH1 are up to their old tricks. Anyway sorry if I'm wrong.

Axe

I have proof. I can't give it to u tho, cos its a recording of back in black (the song) with bon singing. It is moderately different. The intro is different and some lyrics are different.

GoneShootin

with bon singing

i think you'll find its probably Jesse Dupree from Jackyl, or indeed someone trying to pass themselves off as Bon.

post a link to it and let me judge this "back in bon" as it were....

Sarky

/Me is listening to The Razor's Edge which he just got for his birthday.

Classy. Brian's voice, different as it may be to Bon's, suits the band right down to the ground.

Megadude

Originally posted by Axe
Just wondering what the general feeling is on the age-old Scott v Johnson topic. It's one I have a lot of trouble deciding on. I think that under Scott, AC/DC rarely put a foot wrong as far as music is concerned, and I think that he is a better singer. On the other hand, IMO AC/DC's best album, Back In Black, came under Brian Johnson.

I think i'll have to come down on the Scott side.

I agree Bon Scott was a f u c k i n g legend!!

curadh

I can tell you from a vocalists point of view, Brian johnson is better than Bon Scott. Bons voice maybe could have been better though without all the abuse.
I have to say if you could mix bons attitude with brians voice you would have a bigger band I reckon.
Unfortunately self abuse and God given talent don't go hand in hand.

Blackie Grey

For me bon scott was the better singer songwriter and front man.the only album with johnson thats any good is back in black where as with bon all his albums were good notably let there be rock high voltage powerage highway to hell.

Seth Brundle

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a 12 year old thread resurrected before.
***looks around in awe***

jack presley

I prefer the Bon albums but that's more because the songs are better, regardless of who was singing.

lee_baby_simms

kbannon wrote: »

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a 12 year old thread resurrected before.
***looks around in awe***

It's acceptable considering this is a debate that's been raging for decades.

Bon was better in my opinion. Better singer, better frontman and the records were far better in the 70s.

Rym Shanley

They should get Arnold Schwartz-A-Negro* to sing guest vocals or a duet. Who Made Who 2015 perhaps.

blastman

lee_baby_simms wrote: »

It's acceptable considering this is a debate that's been raging for decades.

...except that it hadn't "raged" i.e. been mentioned, in over a decade until someone exhumed this stinky festering corpse of a thread.

Next up: which one of your testicles is your favourite?

ush

blastman wrote: »

Next up: which one of your testicles is your favourite?

Bon.

lee_baby_simms

blastman wrote: »

Next up: which one of your testicles is your favourite?

Sophies choice.

Zico !

Bon Scott -curently listening to Riff Raff wih a bottle of jack daniels with the wife upstairs asleep

Arghus

Has to be Bon - not even close.

buck65

Bon was dirtier in his delivery, more bluesy, more musical.
I like AC/DC enough , but since Back in Black there is a hell of a lot of filler on all albums.

Arghus

buck65 wrote: »

Bon was dirtier in his delivery, more bluesy, more musical.
I like AC/DC enough , but since Back in Black there is a hell of a lot of filler on all albums.

Bon was often smutty, stupid and dirty but there was also a lot of wit and personality to his lyrics and delivery - and he had a danger about him. I also think AC/DC's songwriting was at it's peak during his era. Love Bon's performance in this song: He's really singing at his limit and even though it contains so many other elements it's really dominated by his voice -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xbPFlwZc9A

Brian Johnson was great, but I thought it all got a bit cartoonish - even by the standards of the already ludicrous - by the time he arrived. The odd good album here and there, but they never consistently reached the earlier heights. Also, people seem to forget that for much of the eighties and nineties Johnson's voice was absolutely shot to pieces. Listen to how strangulated he sounds here, particularly on the chorus; you can practically hear his vocal cords disintegrating:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM1PRgYJm20

Dublin Spur

Bon all day long

but Brian is/was great too in fairness

Zico !

Yes Bon was the brains behind the lyrics while Brian was banned from doing lyrics after the razors edge