In the 1970s, punk fans started spitting at AC/DC. The band spat back
AC/DC drew punk audiences in the 1970s because their loud, distorted guitar sound overlapped with punk, but the band rejected being labelled as punk. Angus Young recalled that some fans spat at the group during shows, and AC/DC spat back, reflecting a clash between the audience’s expectations and the band’s own identity.
The article contrasts punk’s emphasis on accessibility and rebellion with the blues and R&B influences AC/DC saw as central to their music. Young said the band had been placed on bills with punk acts and audiences “got the wrong idea”; AC/DC considered themselves a rock and roll band and dismissed punk as a fad.
In short
- Punk fans sometimes spat at AC/DC during 1970s gigs.
- The band spat back and rejected the punk label.
- AC/DC described their music as rock and roll rooted in blues and R&B.
Explained simply
AC/DC are a rock band formed in the early 1970s, known for loud guitars and a blues-influenced rock and roll sound. Their music shared some features with punk, a movement whose bands often favoured raw, direct songs and a rebellious image.
The overlap meant AC/DC sometimes played to audiences who expected them to fit into the punk scene. The band, including guitarist Angus Young, described their music and identity differently, drawing on blues and rhythm and blues influences. The distinction matters because punk and rock were related but separate scenes, with different ideas about how music should sound and what it should represent.
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