In a new interview with Leo Montero of Argentina’s América TV, original AC/DC singer Dave Evans was asked if he and his former bandmates ever thought the band was one day going to become as popular as it is now. Dave responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “No one ever expected the band to be as massive as it became, but we did believe that we were gonna make it worldwide. We already that mindset, to be an international band, but we never thought, of course, it would be as massive as it is.”
Evans was also asked if he had a favorite AC/DC song that he still enjoys performing live after all this time. He said: “Yeah. ‘Can I Sit Next To You, Girl’. That was the very first song I recorded with AC/DC. It’s funny — all around the world, people love that song. So many AC/DC fans, I can’t believe it, but they tell me that of all the AC/DC songs, that’s their favorite song ever of AC/DC, and it’s the very first song that we ever recorded. It’s a great song. It’s got an innocence about it. Everybody remembers, when they were kids, going to the movies [and] asking the girl, ‘Can I sit next to you, girl?’ It’s still a great song to this day. People love it.”
Dave recorded AC/DC‘s first two singles, “Can I Sit Next To You Girl” and “Baby Please Don’t Go”. But in October 1974, less than a year after AC/DC‘s first gig, Evans was out of the group.
Evans was replaced by Bon Scott, who sang on AC/DC‘s first six studio albums and became a legend himself after his death in 1980.
Last month, Evans released a new compilation album called “BADASS Greatest Hits”. The effort, which can be ordered at this location, contains “20 massive hits on one album,” including Dave‘s version of “Rockin’ In The Parlour”, the song that originally appeared as the B-side of the “Can I Sit Next to You, Girl” single.
In December 2019, Evans took to his Facebook page to shoot down rumors that he was hoping to come back to AC/DC, explaining that “the real essence of the band” died when founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young passed away in November 2017.
Earlier this year, Dave Evans was asked in an interview with The Rocker Diaries if he thought “that would be it” for AC/DC after Bon‘s death in 1980. He responded: “No, not at all. I mean, we all keep going. And AC/DC has had that many players through [the history of] the band. I don’t know how many. 20? And three singers, plus a stand-in singer as well.
“We were always ambitious when we first started,” he continued. “We always wanted to be the best in the world — all of us. And after me, Bon Scott got his chance. He did great with the band. And when he died, I just thought, ‘Who are they gonna get?’ I never thought [I would be approached about it] myself, because that’s water under the bridge. And I was busy with bands as well at the time, and doing my own music and recording. I was just wondering who it would be. I had heard of [Brian Johnson‘s pre-AC/DC band] GEORDIE — just the name GEORDIE. I’d never heard of Brian. And then Brian popped up and, of course, the ‘Back In Black’ album came out, which was a massive album around the world, and they were off and running with Brian. But if Brian quit, they’d get another singer, and another singer. [They’ve gone through] different bass players [and] different drummers.
“The drive was always Malcolm Young,” Dave added. “I remember Malcolm when I first met him. He was such a driving force. Just a tiny little guy — just a little touch over five foot tall — but, boy, he had a big heart and a big personality. And he was tough, too — Malcolm was very tough. And no matter what, he was AC/DC through and through. And, of course, once he passed away, which is very sad, AC/DC, of course, will never, ever be the same without Malcolm. How can it be?”
