I’ve stepped sideways for a while to write my memoir. Back in the late 60’s I was known as Cleo from Go-Set (Australia’s first pop magazine) moving on to WEA Records in the 70’s in Sydney and London. There are wonderful stories involving some of the world’s most famous bands who toured Australia, including this one:
HANGING OUT WITH MY BUDDY BON SCOTT from 1968:
The Valentines arrived in Sydney from Perth, making big waves claiming “We’re better than the Zoot”. They also used the pink jump suits as a trademark look and with two lead singers they were very infectious. The effervescent larrikin Bon Scott and Vince Lovegrove were so entertaining, they amassed a great following in no time. How could anyone not love Bon? He and I became great mates and my girlfriends and I would often go to Newcastle for their gigs at Bus Stop Disco as part of their crew. Bon was such a sweetheart and wonderful support to me when I had my heart broken by a boyfriend who took off with a French bimbo. I will never forget his kind heart. We caught up again in London years later when I went to visit Fraternity who had won the Hoadley’s Battle of the Sounds. I have a photo somewhere of the boys lined up on the couch in front of a wall of empty Fosters beer cans. Aussie Aussie Aussie!
In 1974, I moved to Country Music Capital, Tamworth and one year later this happened:
Tamworth Town Hall was becoming a regular venue for touring bands. Our local music journalists with the Northern Daily Leader, Peter Cochrane and Greg McDonald let me know that AC/DC were coming to town. I was so excited at the possibility to see Bon again after our last meeting in London. AC/DC were touring their smash hit albums “High Voltage” and “TNT”. I was hoping to have a quiet coffee and catchup with him. I was breastfeeding around the clock at the time and mostly in an exhausted baby haze. After a few garbled and confusing messages, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. Bon wanted me to go to the show and drinks at the after show party. If there’s one thing I am saddened about, it was this! I never saw Bon again.
Watching from afar at how massive AC/DC became globally was inspirational. Bon passed away in 1980 at 33 years old. The official report of the Coroner concluded that Bon had died of “acute alcohol poisoning” and classified it as “death by misadventure”.