Dirty Deeds: My Life Inside/Outside of AC/DC

by Mark Evans

Overview

At only 19 years old, Mark Evans joined AC/DC in 1975 when they were one of the hardest working and loudest rock bands in Australia. In the next few years AC/DC recorded four best-selling albums, and Mark found himself headlining world tours and living the life of a bona fide rock star. His memoir, Problem Child: My Life Inside and Outside of AC/DC, is the first book written by an AC/DC insider, giving fans insight not only into the life of Evans but also that of singer Bon Scott (who died tragically in 1980) and other rock 'n' roll icons like George Harrison, Gene Simmons, Alice Cooper, Ronnie Wood, and members of Metallica.

AC/DC remains one of the top-grossing bands of all time, and Mark’s memoir is the first to reveal the band dynamic from behind the scenes, painting a portrait of five extremely hardworking, talented, and mischievous musicians who were yet culpable to the demons that drive many bands apart: sudden fame, sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935950042
Publisher:	Bazillion Points
Publication date:	12/13/2011
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.58(w) x 9.06(h) x 0.72(d)

About the Author

Mark Evans became the bassist of AC/DC in 1975, at only nineteen years old, when they were one of the hardest working and loudest rock bands in Australia. In the next few years AC/DC recorded the bestselling albums TNT, High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Cheap, and Let There Be Rock, and Mark found himself headlining world tours and living the life of a bonafide rock star.

Table of Contents

Prologue 7

The Prahran Hilton 11

"You're Barred, You Little Prick" 33

Blowing Up on Countdown 61

Enter the Sandman 81

"If this Lasts Past the First Song, It's a Fucking Miracle" 101

"I Know She's Here with One of Those Little Pricks" 109

"Who the Fuck are these Poofs?" 131

"Hey Guys, Ever Wondered Why they Call it Dope?" 143

A Giant Dose 183

"Eddie and the Hot Rods Are Looking for a Bass Player" 203

"I'm Jewish. Tattoos Are Out of the Question" 221

"It's a Long Way from Kogarah, Clive" 249

Acknowledgments 269

Editorial Reviews

A product of a rough but supportive environment, former AC/DC bassist Evans had resigned himself to a life working in the post office when a friend mentioned that an up-and-coming band was in need of a bass player. Evans got the gig and found himself swept up in a tornado of shows, booze, and girls that lasted for years. Though not founding member, Evans was there when the band's star began to rise with the recording of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Strangely, these musical landmarks are treated as asides in favor of a workmanlike telling of the day-to-day experience of being a band member. Evans goes to great lengths to describe the band's many living arrangements while rehearsing and recording, and these domestic concerns take up much of the book. There are a handful of entertaining anecdotes about fellow rock stars-George Harrison among them-and insights into the band's strange family dynamic (thanks to brothers Angus and Malcolm Young), but they're the exception rather than the rule. Those hoping for a cover-to-cover exposé full of dirt will be disappointed. Hardcore fans will probably appreciate the book, but those interested in the band's early days will likely be better served by one of the other AC/DC biographies on shelves. Photos.
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Publishers Weekly

“An honest and comical look at AC/DC’s rise to the upper echelons of hard rock through the eyes of the former bassist” —Lick Library News

"A treasure trove of insider info and intra-band intrigue. Worth every penny." —Decibel

“Evans managed to render his book much like AC/DC’s iconic hard rock: lean, raw, unflinching, and heavy on the riffs.” —The Onion A/V Club.

"One of my favorite reads this year." —Guitar World

"As someone who was around Bon Scott, Angus and Malcolm Young and Phil Rudd constantly, he provides an interesting and unique look into their personalities ... a very interesting book." —about.com

"An amazing read… from the first page on, I couldn’t put it down."—The Aquarian Weekly

"Fast, funny and full of insights about a notoriously closed shop group." —RTÉ

"An outstanding memoir." —acdczone

"Offers a glimpse at AC/DC’s studio approach and what it was like to ride the big black locomotive to superstardom in the 1970s." —Premier Guitar

"A fast-moving, hair-blowing joyride, full of fantastic stories, colorful characters and wince-inducing laughs ... a richly rewarding experience." —The Nervous Breakdown

“Much meatier on the band’s history than Brian Johnson’s recent band/car memoir, Rockers and Rollers“—Houston Press

"Evans is a fascinating study in how to learn from your mistakes and how to handle the aftermath of success when you no longer have it. This book is a must-have for AC/DC obsessives and casual fans too." [5/5] —Metal Army America

"Compelling and highly entertaining ... an eye-opening look into one of rock's biggest, and most secretive, outfits." —MusicRadar

"A first-hand look into AC/DC's early career, and what it was like playing in a band beside Angus and Malcolm Young, Bon Scott, and Phil Rudd, an insight which has never been revealed or told before, from someone that was there to experience it first hand. This makes the book stand out over any of the AC/DC books released on the market previously...certainly a must have for any true AC/DC fan." —AC/DCcollector.com

"While former AC/DC bassist Evans provides a rare 'been there, done that' perspective of touring with the group, he doesn't focus on the sultry details of groupie action or condemn the notorious dictatorial control of the band's Young brothers. Although some readers may wish for more dirt, this is the life journey of a guy who just happened to be part of the biggest rock band in Australian history. Evans's prose reads like a casual conversation you'd hear while nursing a pint on a barstool—folksy, with a gentleman's dose of rock 'n' roll attitude. He paints the late Bon Scott as a kind person more worried about being a good friend than living a rock 'n' roll lifestyle, and his glimpses of Angus Young show that the uptight teetotaler guitarist knew how to let his hair down. And without the annoying flood of 'I' sentences, Evans lets us know who he is as he opens up about his post-AC/DC depression and the shock of losing his oldest daughter. VERDICT By the end of this rewarding book, readers may find themselves more interested in Evans than his former band. Great for AC/DC fans and memoir readers, this is easy entertainment with a sincere heart." —Library Journal

From the Publisher

While former AC/DC bassist Evans provides a rare "been there, done that" perspective of touring with the group, he doesn't focus on the sultry details of groupie action or condemn the notorious dictatorial control of the band's Young brothers. Although some readers may wish for more dirt, this is the life journey of a guy who just happened to be part of the biggest rock band in Australian history. Evans's prose reads like a casual conversation you'd hear while nursing a pint on a barstool—folksy, with a gentleman's dose of rock 'n' roll attitude. He paints the late Bon Scott as a kind person more worried about being a good friend than living a rock 'n' roll lifestyle, and his glimpses of Angus Young show that the uptight teetotaler guitarist knew how to let his hair down. And without the annoying flood of "I" sentences, Evans lets us know who he is as he opens up about his post-AC/DC depression and the shock of losing his oldest daughter. VERDICT By the end of this rewarding book, readers may find themselves more interested in Evans than his former band. Great for AC/DC fans and memoir readers, this is easy entertainment with a sincere heart.—Robert Morast, Fargo, ND

Library Journal