Bon Scott’s longtime friend and bandmate in Mount Lofty Rangers Peter Head, has spoken to Billboard about the legendary AC/DC singer’s rise to fame and how he’s remembered 34 years after his death (February 18th, 1980).

“He’s just the most popular singer ever to come out of Australia. I don’t think America really appreciates how much he’s held in high regard in Australia,” Head tells Billboard.

That could change in 2015 thanks to a new documentary, Looking For Bon. Narrated by David O’Hara (who’s appeared in The Tudors and The Departed), the film will explore Scott’s life from 1970 to 1974. That will be followed by a biopic with a script written by late Australian music pioneer Vince Lovegrove (who shared vocals with Scott in the Valentines in the '60s) and Angela Anagnostopoulos, focusing on his years in AC/DC. Among those spearheading the two projects is executive producer Shemori BoShae (American Federale), who’s put together a team that includes Michael Slifkin (Archstone), Naomi Krell (Kings Road Multimedia) and producer Damien Reilly, who will be overseeing the soundtrack.

“The purpose of the documentary is to chronicle what was a very creative period for Bon from 1970 to 1974 and give the viewer an insight into a very creative period of Bon’s life and to enlighten all on just how great a singer he was before he joined ACDC,” BoShae says.

 

 

Billboard asked Head what Bon would have been doing musically had he lived?

“I think he would have gone on to do a whole lot more. He did some outrageous things with AC/DC, like dressing up as a schoolgirl on stage, that served his sense of humor, which really came across. But he was a very serious singer as well and you don’t see a lot of that. If he would’ve gone on to bigger and better things I’m sure he would’ve been making an album of the great American songbook by now or somewhere where he could really showcase his voice. He had a lot more soul in his voice and blues, just feel, which he got from listening to people like Ray Charles and Nina Simone.”

Read more at Billboard.