The Band AC/DC Called Their “Gods” and Tried to Copy

Every great band has a beginning that rarely looks like greatness. Before the sold-out arenas and signature riffs, there are small rooms, borrowed gear, and a setlist filled with someone else’s songs. That early phase isn’t weakness—it’s where musicians figure out who they are by first learning who inspired them.

For AC/DC, that origin story followed the same pattern. Long before they became one of the most recognizable rock bands in the world, they were absorbing sounds, copying styles, and building confidence through imitation. The raw energy that later defined them didn’t come out of nowhere—it was shaped by what they listened to obsessively.

That idea isn’t unique to them. Even bands like The Beatles spent their early days covering rock and roll classics before writing their own material. The path from imitation to identity is almost a rite of passage in music, and AC/DC walked it just like everyone else—only louder.

The Rolling Stones as Their “Bible”

For AC/DC, one band stood above the rest in those formative years: The Rolling Stones. Their influence wasn’t casual admiration—it was something closer to devotion. That first Stones album from 1964 became a kind of handbook for aspiring musicians trying to understand how rock and roll worked.

When Brian Johnson reflected on his early days, he didn’t hesitate to describe the impact. He and his bandmates treated that record like a guide, learning songs, studying the feel, and internalizing the attitude. It wasn’t just about playing notes correctly; it was about capturing a certain swagger.

There was something powerful in how the Stones themselves approached music at the time. They were still rooted in blues covers, translating older influences into something fresh. That made it easier for young bands like AC/DC to follow the trail—they weren’t just copying a band, they were stepping into a whole lineage of rock and blues.

Learning by Copying Everything

There’s a certain honesty in admitting how much you borrowed at the start. AC/DC never tried to rewrite that part of their story. In fact, they leaned into it. The band openly acknowledged that they tried to copy everything they heard from their heroes.

For Johnson, that meant going beyond just singing. He paid attention to the small details—the stage presence, the instruments, even props like maracas used by Mick Jagger. Those details might seem minor, but for a young musician, they help shape identity piece by piece.

Meanwhile, in Australia, Angus Young and his brother Malcolm were going through the same process. They were building their sound from riffs inspired by what they admired. Over time, those borrowed elements fused into something unmistakably their own, but the foundation was clearly traceable.

From Influence to Full Circle

What makes the story more satisfying is how it eventually came full circle. The band that once studied The Rolling Stones like students would later share stages with them. That shift—from fan to peer—is something few artists ever experience.

There’s also a quieter, more personal side to that connection. Late in life, Malcolm Young remained deeply tied to the music that first inspired him. When his health declined, those same sounds still had the power to lift his spirits, proving how lasting those early influences can be.

In the end, AC/DC didn’t just copy their heroes—they carried that influence forward and transformed it. The raw blues roots, the attitude, and the simplicity all stayed intact, but they pushed it into something bigger. Calling The Rolling Stones their “gods” wasn’t exaggeration. It was an honest reflection of where everything began.