JESSE FINK – Bon: The Last Highway
- Posted on 18-05-2018
Author Jesse Fink presented us with an excellent and thought-provoking book on the Young brothers of AC/DC a few years ago, namely the one entitled "The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC", and this fourth book of his focuses on the enduring myth and legacy of the sadly missed Bon Scott. Contrary to other books and writings on AC/DC and more specifically Bon Scott, Fink actually brings something new and revelatory to the table. Instead of repeating the tired old lies and rumors surrounding Scott’s rather mysterious death and his importance in relation to the creation of AC/DC’s “Back in Black” album, Fink penetrates the veil of secrecy and goes further than any other rock journalist or author on AC/DC has gone before. Many questions present themselves throughout the book. How much of an influence did Scott have on the aforementioned album? Did he actually write some of the lyrics or come up with any of the song titles for it? What is the relation between the Youngs and the Bon Scott estate? And more importantly, what actually happened the night that he died in London and why does his tragic demise remain so shrouded in mystery? Why are there so many loose ends and unanswered questions tied to the entire affair?
Fink leaves no stone unturned and one can only marvel at how much new and fascinating information he has uncovered in his pursuit of the truth. It might seem obsessive at first, but gradually one is sucked into the vortex of madness that was Bon Scott and AC/DC and it is simply impossible to put the book down once you have started absorbing and digesting its content. “Bon: The Last Highway” is not only powerful and captivating, but also a fascinating portrait of a man who was both larger than life and utterly mesmerizing to watch on stage. There was something about Scott that still resonates with fans everywhere and although Fink’s account of what went down and who were involved and so on is not definitive as such, it certainly feels like it is when one reads it. The amount of research undertaken in order to be able to weave this complex narrative together is staggering and downright amazing, so hats off to Fink for devoting three years of his life to this one. It has certainly paid off big time, because this superb literary work oozes class and quality. Countless different individuals, be they former lovers of Scott, band mates, friends, musicians, and so on and so forth, have all been interviewed and the entire chronicle is a most compelling one. Different thoughts and opinions, conflicting points of view, and mystifying statements held by some of the key witnesses to the whole spectacle are presented, analyzed, and discussed rather thoroughly throughout the book. As you can probably imagine, quite a few statements are in direct opposition to one another and the very thought of obtaining something that even resembles the truth seems far-fetched and diffuse at times, but by some miracle Fink manages to guide us through the maze and leave us much wiser and more enlightened than we did when we set out on the remarkable journey that is “Bon: The Last Highway”.
The book is well-written, cohesive, and coherent, and it finally feels as if we are all getting closer to knowing the truth surrounding the life and death of Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott. If you are looking for a page-turner, then look no further. “Bon: The Last Highway” is it.