Bon’s boy has rock bug
WHEN AC/DC frontman Bon Scott died in 1980, he left an incredible legacy of songs and a legion of fans.
He also left behind a son he never met or knew about — with a Geelong link.
That son, Dave Stevens, turned 50 this year and is in the midst of a new career — belatedly following in his birth father’s footsteps.
Stevens is performing Bonera AC/DC songs and his new manager is shopping his story for a documentary.
Always a bass player, Stevens spent a decade running record store Pure Pop in St Kilda.
But encouragement from friends — and a need to pay bills — has seen him share the secret he kept to his close friends for decades and move to the front of the stage.
“I always thought the shoes were too big to fill, I felt extra pressure as a singer because of who my father was,” he said.
“It’s a bit of a cliche but I realised I didn’t have to fill the shoes, I could just get on stage and go, ‘How good were Bon’s shoes?’ ”
Stevens’ birth mother (who died two years ago) had an affair with Scott in 1967, while he was in rock band The Valentines. Scott was around 21 at the time.
Stevens was adopted into a family in Geelong and started d tracking down information on n his birth mum after turning 18. .
When they met, she asked if he could sing or if he liked music. Then she told him his father was Bon Scott.
“Every single one of us drives around listening to Highway to Hell and then to find out that Bon Scott is your actual blood father? It’s one of the great untold stories of Australian music.” Stevens’ manager James Young said.
Mr Young, who has known Stevens for 10 years, only saw him sing in July this year.
“My jaw dropped and I had an epiphany,” he said. “I’m driven to help Dave get the recognition he richly deserves.
“Every AC/DC and Bon Scott fan in the world would love to discover Bon Scott actually had a son and he’s actually out there playing his father’s songs.”
Stevens is aware of people thinking he’s exploiting his DNA.
“That was always my fear, people would say, ‘Oh, you’re not as good as Bon’,” he said. “I know I’m not. Who is? I’m not a Bon Scott impersonator, I’m just up there being myself.”
There are doubters. Online critics question if Scott is actually his f father th — Stevens has never taken a DNA test.
Young said AC/DC’s original bassist Mark Evans and Scott’s ex Mary Renshaw had befriended Stevens and were shocked by the mannerisms shared by father and son.
“He looks like him, he’s the same size, he’s got the same gait, same hair, same rough blotchy skin, same arch of the back,” he said. “If you come and see him perform, you’ll see there’s no DNA test required.” WHOLE LOTTA ROSIE, GRAND HOTEL MORNINGTON, NOVEMBER 10, AND ESPLANADE HOTEL (GERSHWIN ROOM), NOVEMBER 11.