Two drunk friends sat alone in a pick-up truck... they have been classmates, bandmates, teamates, orgy buddies. They dreamed of the ultimate rock n' roll band. JEFFREY (EXCITER/SAL'S BIRDLAND) would weild his Fender Precision bass like a medievil sword. THE HOG (HEADS OR TAILS) would lay a solid foundation of tribal drummin'... Ozzy tribute? nope, doesn't sell enough beer. AC/DC?... Highway to Hell next exit. The game was afoot. A hitchiker with a thumb and an SG named MARK (PROBLEM CHILD) was picked up, and provided a home base for the ambitious devils. Damnation. Now... who could lead this gang of riff-raff? Who would be the captain of this drunken ship of fools? The answer would cum in the most unexpected of packages... enter THE BUTCHER. The spirt of BON SCOTT was alive and kicking, and breeding in the voice of the most enigmatic and hypnotic frontman the world was about to see. The true King of Rock N' Roll was almost ready to be unleashed upon the world. The final piece of the puzzle arrived that spring, with a beat-up Marshall cabinet, filthy Converse All-Stars, and more tattoos than brains. SCOOTER was now plugged in. It was 1994.
GREAT/SCOTT hit the stage for the first time that September at an outrageously intoxicated hootenany aptly-titled BONSTOCK. It would be all uphill from there. The band hit the road in March of 1995, with a St. Patty's Day gig in Winnipeg Manitoba, and would begin a march towards CANADIAN domination the country had never seen. Playing only the Bon Scott era AC/DC, GREAT/SCOTT thundered thru the west like a bolt of lightning. Nobody was better, nobody was safe. Atlantic Canada was still sleeping quietly, unaware of what would soon be kicking in it's door. GREAT/SCOTT prowled the nation armed with laughter, guitars, and enough beer to kill the charging armies of normality. Yukon? yup, been there. Victoria? sure. Moncton? Hell yeah. Montreal, Saskatoon, CALGARY, Vanderhoof, Red Deer, Vancouver, Ottawa, and about 500 more gorgeous towns layed stunned the morning after GREAT/SCOTT stopped in for tea. With Mark's exit in 1996, MR. BROWN (FATAL MISTAKE/SOUL TATTOO) stepped in, and helped take the band further than ever dreamed possible. Classic Rock Festivals along side the likes of Blue Oyster Cult and Steppenwolf would follow, as were gigs along side Warrant, Headpins, and BLACK DIAMOND (KISS). Mr. ARTIE would swap guitar duties with Brown in 1998, and GREAT/SCOTT's domination of the maritimes would begin in ernest. The band would play along side The HEADSTONES, BIG JEEZUS TRUCK, and DAVID WILCOX. The band had become hometown heroes playing at the hallowed BARRYMORE'S MUSIC HALL in Ottawa, while helping many local bands get their start by opening the show. Both HOG and SCOOTER said their goodbyes in early 2004, and Scooter continued to pursue his recording project known as BACKFAT. By this point, GREAT/SCOTT was un-killable. Mr. BROWN would return with his six-string, and SEAN (LOUDLOVE) would take over Angus duties. DAVE (LIMELIGHT), a longtime friend of the band would take a permanent role behind the drum kit. In late 2005, SCOOTER would be welcomed home to play some shows with the band. In early 2007, G/S added the powerful pipes of the most rockin' chick in a kilt, BETHANY (THE SONS OF SCOTLAND PIPE BAND). With LOUDLOVE poised to take over the world with love & funky grooves, SCOOTER moved back in with his G/S family in the summer of '07, and trust me, he couldn't be happier to be Home. GREAT/SCOTT welcomed home founding member MARK as well in late '07, to help reinstate some volume and punch at stage left. DREW (THE LOST MARBLES) graduated to bass player after more than a decade as the band's driver/stage tech/spiritual guru in the fall of 2007. TED (BIG JEEZUS TRUCK) joined up at the start of '08 behind his Gretch kit, adding more muscle, thunder and kick behind the drums with the power of a thousand canons. The band has never been happier, more positive, and are having the times of their lives. If you stare up at the stars hard enough, if you listen closely... you'll be able to hear GREAT/SCOTT playing it's heart out somewhere, on some stage, in some town tonight... like it always has... and like it always will. If you want Bon, you've bloody well got it! Oi Oi Oi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Photos, as always, by MARTALLICA 2008
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