14 hours ago
The high-voltage row over an AC/DC tribute
Ping! An email detonates in CBD's inbox with a sensational claim about a plan for civic enhancement paying tribute to esteemed rockers AC/DC: 'The City of Melbourne stole my idea for a Long Way to the Top parade and didn't credit me.'
We wondered if we had the journalistic fettle to prosecute such a pointed J'accuse!
Let's find out.
For those who came late: February 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the filming on Swanston Street of the iconic AC/DC music video clip It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll) for the ABC TV program Countdown.
Industrial advocate Joel O'Connor sent us a strongly worded email telling us how he approached the council months ago with an idea to stage a Moomba-style parade in celebration of the rock landmark, only to find after a period of unsatisfactory correspondence the idea popping up with no warning in a Herald Sun article complete with glowing quotes from Lord Mayor Nick Reece.
And on Tuesday Reece staged a presser drumming up support for the idea (see what we did there?) with Cherry Bar owner and former 'night mayor' of Melbourne James Young.
'Personally, the thing I loathe most is when a beautiful thing gets muddied by disrespect and self-interest,' O'Connor wrote to us, but our call to him as well as Young's willingness to champion his idea, appears to have had a soothing effect.
'The article came out without any acknowledgement. Hopefully that is turning around today,' O'Connor told CBD.
'I am hoping to get out of it an acknowledgement that I came up with the idea and hope to be able to participate in the event with my son.' O'Connor is a single dad to a seven-year-old who worships AC/DC's Angus Young.
