Imagine a time when a rock band was considered so dangerous, so morally corrupt, that parents feared for their children's souls. That was the reality for AC/DC in the 1980s, a band that, despite their global success, was often labeled as a threat to society. But here's where it gets fascinating: decades later, those same rebellious anthems would become the soundtrack to your morning coffee run or your grocery store trip. And this is the part most people miss: AC/DC's journey from 'devil music' to commercial gold wasn't just a sell-out story—it was a full-circle moment, rooted in an unexpected source of inspiration: an obscure Australian advert from the 1970s.
In the mid-1980s, AC/DC found themselves at the center of controversy yet again when serial killer Richard Ramirez declared himself a fan. This reignited protests during their American tour, with calls to ban their music as a corrupting influence. Guitarist Angus Young, exasperated, defended their work, particularly the song ‘Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be.’ ‘It’s a joke,’ he insisted. ‘We’re saying if you had to choose between heaven and hell, you might pick hell. In heaven, you’ve got harp music; in hell, there’s a rocking band. What happened to people’s sense of humor?’
Fast forward to the 21st century, and the landscape had shifted dramatically. The once-outraged parents had aged, and artists like Marilyn Manson had pushed the boundaries of what society deemed acceptable. Suddenly, AC/DC’s music was no longer seen as a threat. In fact, their iconic tracks like ‘Thunderstruck,’ ‘TNT,’ and ‘Back in Black’ became staples in TV commercials for global giants like Starbucks, Wal-Mart, Budweiser, and Coca-Cola. While some might accuse the band of selling out, the truth is they benefited handsomely from these deals, both financially and in terms of reaching new, younger audiences.
But here’s the twist: AC/DC’s relationship with advertising wasn’t new. Long before they were licensing their songs to corporations, they were drawing inspiration from the advertising world themselves. In 1976, as they rushed to record their third album following the success of High Voltage, the band was short on material. ‘We didn’t have much time,’ recalled rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young in a 1992 interview. ‘We went straight into the studio after gigs and knocked up new ideas.’
The album’s title, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, came from a cartoon character’s catchphrase, but it was frontman Bon Scott who took things a step further. The line ‘I’m dirty, mean, mighty unclean’ in the title track wasn’t just a clever lyric—it was borrowed from an Australian mosquito spray advert airing at the time. ‘Yes, we were always a very topical band,’ Malcolm joked. ‘We looked at what was happening in the world.’
So, when AC/DC’s music started appearing in commercials decades later, it wasn’t a betrayal of their roots. Instead, it was a return to form, a nod to the advertising world that had once inspired them. And this raises a provocative question: Is there a line between artistic integrity and commercialism, or is it all part of the creative cycle? If you’re an older Aussie reader who remembers the mosquito spray brand in question, we’d love to hear from you. After all, every great story deserves its footnotes.
