Original AC/DC singer Dave Evans spoke with Nathan Bevan from Walesonline.co.uk about the early days of the Aussie legends. Evans’ tumultuous time in AC/DC would last barely a year.

“I was just a young kid answering an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald from some blokes looking for a heavy rock singer into FREE, THE ROLLING STONES, stuff like that,” he says about the audition process.

“Everyone knew me because I’d always sing in local pubs and cafes and people would complain I was louder than the bloody jukebox, so they all suggested I should have a crack at trying for a shot at the big time.

“When I rang the number and was told to drive over and jam, I did and it sounded great.”

Soon the 21-year-old found things moving fast as the band, who settled on the name AC/DC after the electrical term for alternating current/direct current, scored a 1974 top five hit with their very first single, the glam rock-sounding 'Can I Sit Next To You Girl'?

“It was crazy,” said Dave, “I’d gone from leaving home aged 16 after a big row with my dad about having long hair to everyone suddenly patting me on the back and offering me these huge gigs.

“From living in the King’s Cross area, which is pretty much the drugs and red light capital of Australia, surrounded by murderers, pimps and prostitutes, I was now playing places like the Sydney Opera House and sharing the stage with big names like Lou Reed.

Dave added that the band’s early look even beat the likes of THE VILLAGE PEOPLE hands down.

“All the Aussie bands looked the same and we were a typical jeans and t-shirt band until the guitarist Angus Young decided he was going to dress as a shorts-sporting school boy in order to attract the kids,” he said.

“So Malcolm would wear a satin jump suit, drummer Noel Taylor was dolled up like a joker from a pack of cards, and our bass player Neil Smith decided to dress like a tough New York motorcycle cop – and this was long before that 'YMCA' song, mate!

“Me? I went for a cross between ROD STEWART and SLADE with the high boots, tight jackets and scarves.

Read the entire interview here.

AC/DC's promo-video for the debut single 'Can I Sit Next To You Girl' (July, 1974):