The death of a charismatic lead singer would kill off most bands.
Scots-made rockers AC/DC were on top of the world in 1979.
Their sixth album Highway to Hell was their first to go platinum in America.
But six months after its release, singer Bon Scott, who was raised in Kirriemuir, Angus, before moving to Australia aged six, choked to death on his own vomit. He was 33.
It looked like the end of the Highway for the band.
But within six weeks they found new singer Brian Johnson and decamped from London to the Bahamas to record what would become not only a tribute to Bon but the second biggest-selling album of all time with an estimated 50million sales.
Today is the 40th anniversary of Back In Black, which features two references to Bon – the all-black album cover and the series of massive tolls which kick off opener Hells Bells.
Legendary guitarist Angus Young, 65, who was born in Glasgow before moving to Australia when he was eight with his brother Malcolm, said: “We knew what we were going to call the album because it was our thing for Bon – Back In Black.
“You try convincing the record company when the front guy’s passed away that you want an album called Back In Black with a black sleeve…”
After family and friends told the shellshocked brothers to carry on with AC/DC, they settled on Brian, who Bon had previously rated.
Angus added: “We weren’t looking for a clone. You’ve got to get someone with their own character.”
The band were not sure if it would work. Bon had worked on a couple of tracks and despite myths that the lyrics were his, the group had to start almost from scratch.
Angus insisted: “We really didn’t know what was going to happen. It could’ve gone either way.”
Then, when they got to Compass Point Studios in Nassau to record the album with Mutt Lange, the region was hit by devastating storms.
Just as Brian, 72, of Tyne and Wear, was due to sing incendiary opener Hells Bells, a thunderstorm struck.
He recalled: “I said, ‘That’s rolling thunder, that’s what they call it in England’. Mutt says, ‘Rolling thunder, write that down’. It went ‘boom’.
The rain came down in torrents. I went, ‘Pourin’ rain’, the wind whipped up, ‘I’m comin’ on like a hurricane’ I was gone. The song was ready that night.”
With Angus on lead guitar, Malcolm on rhythm guitar, Cliff Williams on bass and Phil Rudd on drums, the band tore through tunes.
Final track, Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution, was bashed out in 15 minutes as they needed 10 tracks.
AC/DC will mark the anniversary with a docuseries about Back In Black.
Rare footage on their social media will include interviews with Malcolm, who died in 2017 aged 64.
It seems even the death of their founder may not stop them.
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AC/DC will always rock.
