THE AUSTRALIAN CHRONICLES 9

EXPERIMENT - HOW TO CONVERT A OLD FAMILY GUY INTO AN AC/DC FAN

Antonio: What is that thing hanging over the stage?
Matteo: That is the Bell, Antonio.... THE HELL'S BELL!

Antonio before the experiment

Among the hundreds of people we've met during our trek around Australia there is an Italian man from Ancona (in the Marche region, near Abruzzo). His name was Antonio but we called him 'Ndò or Andò according to the Abruzzo fashion. Antonio was in his mid-50's and he was visiting Australia by himself (he told us that his wife had to cancel due to some work commitments).

He caught our attention immediately: dressed as a typical Italian single man on holiday, suggesting a past of playboy lifestyle, he told us stories about his travels around the world for business and pleasure from China to the Caribbean Islands. We immediately understood he shared some of the founding principles of AC/DC Abruzzo's philosophy...

So we asked if he knew AC/DC. He bluntly replied that he had never heard of them. Then we asked if he was aware of the existence of songs such as Highway to Hell or Thunderstruk. Again he said no... The case was peculiar... but still understandable, especially considering that Italy has never had a rock'n'roll tradition. Especially in the 60's and 70's...

Antonio, a rock'n'roll virgin, could become an interesting case-study. So we asked ourselves the following questions. What happens if you bring a middle age man with a family and children who has never heard of AC/DC to an AC/DC concert? Is AC/DC live music so powerful to convert this family guy (similar age and cultural background of our fathers), who used to love Toto Cutugno, Gianni Morandi and maybe even worse Eros Ramazzotti, into a rock fan?

We couldn't resist the temptation and we immediately seized the opportunity and invited him to the next AC/DC concert on our agenda. He accepted. He offered to return the favour by cooking Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino. We accepted.

THE EXPERIMENT

The meeting was outside the stadium at 5.30. The briefing took place. Antonio was very collaborative and followed us to the "moshpit". He immediately showed interest for the stage catwalk and for the flashing horns.

Just after the beginning of Rock'n'Roll train, he started nodding the head. During the Jack he kept screaming and clapping hands (especially during the "tits parade"). During Let There Be Rock you could see him moving rhythmically his arms, head and tapping with the foot. And every time Angus or Brian came on the catwalk towards us he jumped frantically. During Highway to Hell he even grabbed our trident and started screaming (although he didn't know the lyrics). The metamorphosis had taken place.

After the shows he bought all the t-shirts available and thanked us for making him see this amazing concert. The show was incredibly powerful and that "small guy in shorts was so energetic!"

The experiment was successful. We had proven that AC/DC live music is so powerful that can convert even a 50-year old Italian guy who has never listened to rock'n'roll into a fan. The experiment now needs to be replicated in Europe.

That night Antonio insisted to cook for us again. Meatballs on the menu. Italian style.

After the show

Italian Meatballs

BRIAN AND CLIFF SALUTE THE ITALIAN FANS!

Brian Johnson and Cliff Williams can't be wrong. ITALIAN FOOD IS THE BEST!

SEE YOU ALL IN UDINE!!!

AC/DC ABRUZZO EUROPEAN TOUR 2010 ANNOUNCED!

KOSP ITALIAN SEDUCTION SCHOOL

Shot Down in Flames (part 1)

Out on the town
Lookin' for a woman
Gonna gimme good love
Anybody wanna hand off me
And give me plenty of
She was standin' alone
Over by the juke box
Like she'd some thing to sell
I said baby what's the goin' price
She told me to go to hell


The training of KK's and KOSP's instructors has continued in Australia in the last few weeks. All the guidelines provided by KK and KOSP have been implemented with very good results. But there's still room for improvement...

Today we analyze one of the most educational songs by AC/DC on picking up girls: "Shot Down in Flames". Here, Bon and the boys illustrate a typical scenario in Australian pubs and explain how to approach a girl standing alone (also referred to in technical terms as "Lone Wolf"). In the song Bon implies that direct game is the most effective and so men should not be afraid to approach a girl with a very direct opener such as"What's your going price". Perhaps, in this case, the opener is a bit too extreme but it makes you understand that sometime you should cut off all the indirect lines, like those in "Can I sit next to you girl" and go straight to the point, just like Orangus. In the end rockstars don't have too much time to waste... We have tried this approach in some pubs here in Sydney and we were really amazed with the results!

KK's School Instructor with a Lone Wolf in Sydney

EUROPEAN OPEN AIR TOUR 2010

OK folks, AC/DC Abruzzo is going to be back to Europe soon! We want to get as much rock'n'roll as we can before it's too late. And you should do the same!

Here's AC/DC Abruzzo European Tour 2010 with AC/DC. Sex, food and Rock'n'Roll coming again to a city near you!

14 May Sofia BG Vassil Levsky Stadium (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
16 May Bucharest RO Piata Constitutiei (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
19 May Udine IT Stadio Friuli (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
22 May Wels AT Air Field (Flugplatz Wels) (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
25 May Hannover DE Messe
27 May Warsaw PL Bemowo Airport (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
30 May Oslo NO Valle Hovin Stadion (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
01 Jun Tampere FI Ratina Stadium (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
03 Jun Stockholm SE Olympic Stadium (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
05 Jun Horsens DK CASA Arena Horsens
08 Jun Bern CH Stade de Suisse
11 Jun Donington GB Donington Park (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
13 Jun Stuttgart DE Cannstatter Wasen (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
15 Jun Nice FR Parc des Sports Charles Ehrmann (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
18 Jun Paris FR Stade De France (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
20 Jun Dresden DE Ostrahege
22 Jun Berlin DE Olympic Stadium (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
26 Jun Seville, ES Olympic Stadium (with AC/DC Abruzzo)
28 June Bilbao, ES San Mames Stadium (with AC/DC Abruzzo)


And soon a special VIDEO MESSAGE from the boys to all those about to rock in Italy!! So stay tuned!

AC/DC destroy the Rochester Castle

How to destroy a castle in 5 minutes with the power of AC/DC music!

Fantastic! Check it out!

AC/DC Abruzzo Iron Men and Superheroes!

AMARCORD ARGENTINA

AMARCORD ARGENTINA

"Of all the concerts that I've ever done this was the wildest audience" - D. Mallet

Those like AC/DC Abruzzo who were in Argentina definitely understand the words of director David Mallet...

THE IRON MAN 2 Soundtrack is finally out. Now we are all waiting for the Live DVD from Buenos Aires!

THE AUSTRALIAN CHRONICLES 8

FREMANTLE - Part 2

Photo gallery

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

THE AUSTRALIAN CHRONICLES 7

FREMANTLE - Part 1

The Pilgrimage of AC/DC Abruzzo to the grave of legendary Rocker Bon Scott

Whiskey on the rocks

Fremantle Cemetery March 7, 2010 - The President and Oscar "El Rana" after the 4th beer

EL RANA - Mateo, 40 years I waited to come here. 40 years... I wanna stay here now...
THE PRESIDENT- What do you mean Oscar?!? You wanna sleep here tonight?
EL RANA - No Mateo... I wanna stay here forever...

The Bon Scott Memorial

We had planned to go to Fremantle on March 7, after the first show in Perth. We had waited many years to visit the grave of Ronald Belford Scott, one of the greatest rock'n'roll legend ever existed. It was part of the promise we had made after the Hammersmith show in 2003. And finally the day had arrived. Being there on the year of the 30th anniversary of his death, after 10 AC/DC shows in a row in Australia was something really special and meaningful for us.

We arrive early in the afternoon. From the moment you spot the arch built only a couple of years ago you can tell the place has something magical.... A small small group of people are already inside, chatting and drinking, in a very respectful way. We stop in front of Bon's grave to pay our tribute to the Legend. We stay there for a few minutes observing the plaque and all the gifts that were brought from fans coming from all over the world. "Carry Me Home" is played by a small radio a few metres from us...

A big guy with curly hair waves at us. He wants us to join him. He recognizes our T-shirts from the 2003 Hammersmith show in London. He's got one too...

Hola. Me llamo Oscar. Pero todos me llaman "El Rana"... Oscar speaks only Spanish. He tells us about his bar in Madrid, about his huge bootleg collection, about the debts he made to come to Australia, about the memories from the legendary 2003 Hammersmith gig, about the fact that he doesn't have a ticket for the last show in Perth but decided to come anyway... You could clearly see in his eyes that spark that you find in all hardcore AC/DC fans when they talk about their passion... He keeps handing us bottles of beers in the meantime, which we all dedicate "TO BON"...


We stay there for almost 3 hours, sitting on the grass and sharing stories and meeting people who pass by... Families with children, people who live a few blocks away, miners from the outback and fans. Lots of fans... Each of them has a story or a reason for being there... For us it is the promise we made in London after the Hammersmith show, for John it is the promise he made to his mate who died a few weeks before. For Oscar it is simply the dream of a lifetime.

Oscar is right. You could feel there was something special, ephemeral, spiritual in the air...

After the 4 beers we are feeling a bit drunk but we have to go back to Fremantle to buy our pentacles in the Fremantle market before it closes... We say Ciao to all our friends and we get a lift from the guy of the Highway to Hell Tour, who just stopped by. We jump on his "rock'n'roll tram"and head for the market...

The Grave of Bon Scott on March 7, 2010

El Rana and his disciples from Spain

Another beer "to Bon"

THE AUSTRALIAN CHRONICLES 6

FOOD AND BEVERAGE DEBAUCHERY (OZ STYLE)

Pasta & Rock'n'Roll

We know that being on tour can be a Highway to Hell. Especially for Italians, who cannot settle easily for the mediocre food you find around the world... And it's really tough! Especially when you are away from Italy for months because you're on tour with AC/DC. Australia has been a real challenge for us. And it still is.


THE SECRETARY GENERAL (Italian cuisine and wine expert): I always manage to provide an effective solution to AC/DC Abruzzo food problems in every country we go. But I got to admit that here in Australia it's been pretty tough. I mean, here even to make a simple PASTA AL SUGO with some fresh basil becomes a challenge...

During the Australian tour we've been through all sort of food misadventures, especially when we didn't have a kitchen to cook our own pasta etc. We always try to book hostels or apartments with a semi-professional kitchen that can be used by guests, by here in Australia, with all these backpackers who survive with those disgusting $ 0.99 instant noodles, the quality standard is much lower than elsewhere. So we've seen all kinds of food aberrations, from fake Chinese Parmesan to totally tasteless mozzarella... Surprisingly, even the quality of the vegetables is lower than in Italy. We still can't figure out why, considering the sun they have here in Australia. It must be the distribution to big supermarket chains that mess everything up. Still, probably nobody cares here about taste and freshness of food (at least in the cities)... In the end we even saw people putting ketchup on spaghetti or eating "garlic bread" thinking it's BRUSCHETTA!

As for the wine, the situation is a bit better. But still very challenging. At least the Australians are developing a good taste so it is possible to find some good bottles of wine from Europe. But, as Brian told us in Perth, sometimes your dinner in a posh restaurant in Australia becomes a nightmare when you find out that they only have Australian wines on the wine list!! You ask the waiter and he will confirm that they have nothing from Italy or France! Unbelievable! Even for Brian Johnson!

Anyway the Australian wine production looks like it is improving comparing to a few years ago. But still you see things that will be unthinkable in Europe such as wine in 4-litre boxes. Yes! They sell wine in plastic bags put inside cardboard boxes. But we gotta admit that it's marketed so well that most backpackers who go shopping for wine will come out carrying a few BOXES of wine... We won't tell you what they do to filter wine (actually we will: EGGS, MILK and FISH!!! Read the small prints!).

As for wine bottles, forget about the cork! Here is the kingdom of the SCREW CAP! The future of "sustainable" wine making... But the biggest scandal we saw, as far as wine is concerned, a proper contradiction in terms, is the NON-ALCOHOLIC WINE. 3000 years of glorious history, from the Ancient Greece to Italian traditional wine making and aging techniques, destroyed by this oxymoron...

Fake arancini alla Bolognese (???) - Only 13.5$ each

The most famous OZ food specialty

Wine in box (don't read the small prints!)

The infamous non-alcoholic wine

The picky Secretary General with a disappointing OZ pizza