The Story Of The Man Who Auditioned To Replace Bon Scott In AC/DC

Imagine a time before AC/DC ruled the arenas, packing stadiums with their electrifying brand of hard rock. Back in 1976, they were just another opening act, fighting for their place on the scene. Terry Slesser, frontman for a band called Back Street Crawler, remembers those early days well. The two bands even shared a stage at London’s Marquee Club that May.

Little did Slesser know, this chance encounter would set off a chain of events that would see him vying for the lead singer spot in one of the biggest rock bands in the world.

When AC/DC tragically lost their iconic vocalist, Bon Scott, years later, Slesser found himself in the unique position of auditioning to become his replacement.

A Chance Encounter and Lasting Friendship

Terry Slesser, frontman for Back Street Crawler, reminisced about a pivotal moment in his career during an interview with Louder back in 2009. Consulting AC/DC’s archives, he confirmed that it was indeed his band, then known as “Crawler”, who shared the stage with the rising stars at London’s Marquee Club in May 1976. Sadly, their guitarist, Paul Kossoff, had passed away just two months prior, forcing them to cancel their co-headlining gig with AC/DC at Hyde Park.

Despite the Marquee details fading with time, Slesser vividly recalls a specific act of kindness towards AC/DC. He remembers stepping in to pay their £50 fee at a Birmingham gig so they could grab a curry after the show. This gesture reflected his own philosophy of supporting fellow musicians on the road.

Slesser’s foresight proved unnecessary, as his manager warned him AC/DC might steal the show. Though their performance lived up to the hype, a strong friendship blossomed between the bands, a bond that continues to this day.

AC/DC Audition and The Power of Suggestion

Slesser recounted his experience auditioning for AC/DC after Bon Scott’s passing. The mood was understandably somber as the band had just returned from Australia and the funeral. Slesser, ever the icebreaker, suggested a “non-Bon song” like “Rocky Mountain Way” to lighten the atmosphere. This seemingly small gesture helped everyone relax a bit.

The audition progressed with them running through classics like “Whole Lotta Rosie”, “Highway to Hell”, and “The Jack”. While everyone seemed to be enjoying it, a technical glitch with the recording equipment meant they couldn’t capture the session.

Exhausted and emotionally drained from the experience, Slesser learned he was one of two final contenders. Interestingly, the other candidate was his friend Brian Johnson, who also hailed from Newcastle. Slesser reflects on a twist of fate, acknowledging that AC/DC perhaps always intended to have a Geordie frontman succeed Bon Scott.

A Near Miss with Iron Maiden

Slesser’s brush with rock royalty wasn’t limited to AC/DC. Remarkably, he also received an audition offer from Iron Maiden. However, the timing was peculiar. Steve Harris, Iron Maiden’s bassist and leader, approached Slesser discreetly while Paul Di’Anno remained the band’s vocalist.

Slesser’s singing style, described as a “whisky-soaked rasp,” didn’t quite mesh with Iron Maiden’s sound. Their music, a pioneering force in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), demanded a different vocal approach. Harris found a better fit in Bruce Dickinson, the flamboyant frontman of Iron Maiden’s NWOBHM counterparts, Samson. Dickinson’s arrival in Iron Maiden cemented a legendary partnership, forever shaping the band’s trajectory.

Recently, in a weird twist of fate, Slesser has become the new frontman of Geordie, the old band of Brian Johnson. Slesser has fronted the band since January 2022.