Ex-DEEP PURPLE Frontman Recalls Getting AC/DC Kicked Off Stage At Australian Festival

January 9, 2007

WHITESNAKE/ex-DEEP PURPLE frontman David Coverdale recently recalled an incident when a then-little-known band called AC/DC was kicked off the stage following PURPLE's appearance at an Australian festival.

Said Coverdale: "[DEEP] PURPLE went to Australia in 1974 for one show... Yes, ONE show. It was the Sunbury Festival outside of Melbourne... the height of the Australian summer... and we arrived in the most violent summer storm (also interesting was that our new album at the time was 'Stormbringer'!) The promoters decided bravely to go ahead with the festival, and talk about difficult... The wind was howling, it was freezing and a total mud bath. The entire audience was in a field of mud. They'd wrapped themselves in plastic sheets so it resembled an immense condom convention!

"After a less-than-satisfactory performance, we left the stage, got in our cars and started to drive away from the site. Suddenly we heard music coming from the stage. Apparently, a young Aussie band had jumped onstage, plugged into our gear and started playing! Well, all hell broke loose, from what I was told. Our roadies (big buggers to a man) wrestled with the young band to get them off our equipment and off the stage. Chaos and frolics ensued.

"Anyway, lo and behold, these ballsy lads were none other than a new band called AC/DC. I cracked up when I heard. I thought it was great! And that is how I remember that episode. I worked with and got to know the lads many years later and we recalled that time over a pint or two. Very funny memory! But they were never kicked off a DEEP PURPLE tour... just the stage!"

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