MusicRadar

Mark Evans (right) on stage with AC/DC, 19 April 1977. It would be his last gig ever with the band. Photo credit: Jorgen Angel

"How many people get to join a really good band, let alone AC/DC?" Mark Evans asks. "I could sit around and moan and groan about not being in the band anymore, but what good would that do? The bottom line is, I got to play with one of the greatest rock 'n' roll groups ever. That's not bad in my book."

And when Mark Evans says "in my book," he's not being figurative. The former bassist for AC/DC has just written a compelling and highly entertaining account of his time in the iconic, ginormous-selling Australian quintet. Titled Dirty Deeds: My Life Inside/Outside Of AC/DC, it's an eye-opening look into one of rock's biggest, and most secretive, outfits.

Although Evans' tenure in AC/DC was short-lived (he was a member from 1975-1977), it was during a pivotal point in the band's development. "We were really honing the classic AC/DC sound," says Evans. "The steady, pounding rhythms; the hard-edged, twin-guitar attack; the in-your-face vocals - it was all right there. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was honest. It was something everyone could relate to."

MusicRadar sat down with Mark Evans recently to talk about his new book, his memories of playing with AC/DC, what the late Bon Scott was really like and how he came to grips with being tossed out of one rock's biggest acts just as they were on the threshold of greatness.

Why did it take you till now to write this book?

"Quite a few people approached me over the years to write a book. I don't know why, but it never really felt like it was the right time to do something like this. Then, about five years ago, after having so many people at gigs asking me what AC/DC was like, how was it hanging with Bon Scott and all of that, I finally decided, Hey, what am I waiting for?

"I started writing, and before I knew it I had 40,000 words down. I showed what I'd written to a friend of mine, Peter FitzSimons, who's a very well-known author, and he was very encouraging. 'This is good. You can do this,' he said.

"My main motivation, though, was to finally set the record straight and put the punters on the inside of the band. It's the first account of being in AC/DC from somebody who was actually there, so I'm pretty happy to get it all out."

When you first met Angus Young and Bon Scott, did you think they had what it took to make it?

"As I mentioned in the book, I didn't meet Bon initially; I first met Angus, Malcolm and Phil Rudd, the drummer. I had been given the band's first record to learn for my audition. I'll tell you, once the gear was set up and I heard those guitars live right next to me, it was like the biggest light bulb in the world went off over my head. I just knew this was going to work and that I was in the right place. What a sound!

"I knew Bon a little bit before I got in AC/DC. He was something of a pop star in Australia. He was in one band, The Valentines, and they were kind of bubblegum, but his next group, Fraternity, was more like The Band – he really liked rootsy music like that."

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