AC/DC: Beyond The Thunder

Season 4 kicks off with one of the most award-winning rock lighting directors / designers in the world, who since 1990, has worked on more than 700 shows for AC/DC — plus countless others, including The Stones, Black Sabbath, Scorpions, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Judas Priest, and a list that is simply unrivaled in the industry. Listen in as Cosmo sheds light on what it takes to makes this electric circus the greatest show on Earth. The late, great Bon Scott, once said 'Let there be Light', but we're changing it to, 'Let there Be Cosmo!'

Go “behind” Beyond the Thunder with this special bonus episode which wraps up Season 3 by answering listener letters while unearthing never-before-heard interviews with NASCAR driver and AC/DC super-fan Clint Bowyer, who joins the show to share his insights on the band's impact on the racing community, while Canadian heavy metal legends, Anvil, reminisce about meeting the original AC/DC lineup backstage, including a semi-sober Bon Scott. But that's not all – Australian children's entertainers, The Wiggles, also make a surprise appearance to discuss their unexpected love for the band, including an exclusive live performance of an AC/DC beloved classic from their big red car.

Although he does have a degree in Biochemistry from Manchester, this is not the guy from The Big Bang Theory…it’s the other Jim Parsons who is certainly a much, much bigger AC/DC fan, and plays a much more important role in the band’s history than Sheldon Cooper could ever fathom—including bringing to life the fan favorite AC/DC TV performance on VH1’s Uncut! In this season finale, we dive into Jim's 30+ years as a producer & director who's gone shootin' with everyone from Metallica, McCartney, U2, Foo Fighters, Chili Peppers & Rolling Stones—not to mention his Grammy Award winning Led Zeppelin concert film and the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert featuring Brian Johnson. 

After Simon Wright's career with AC/DC 'blows up', he goes on to sit behind the drum kit for even more rock 'n' roll heroes, including Ronnie James Dio, Rhino Bucket, Michael Schenker & UFO, John Norum of Europe, Geoff Tate's Queensryche and Metal Gods with Tim "Ripper" Owens, the ultimate ode to Dio & Judas Priest. Through divorce, death, and decades of drumming, Simon's musical journey continues.

In this very special two-part, skin-bashing, foundation-shaking edition of 'AC/DC Beyond the Thunder', we sit down with veteran stickman, Simon Wright, the drummer for AC/DC who kept the band’s heartbeat alive throughout the '80s. After being plucked from obscurity and into the eye of the storm, Part 1 allows listeners to be a fly on the wall, from Simon's audition, to meeting Stephen King, and playing Rock in Rio...before things blow up when he decides to leave AC/DC for Dio. 

This finger-licking episode takes us to Nashville, TN to visit the four-piece bluegrass phenomenon—Hayseed Dixie, capturing exclusive moonshine-inspired renditions of both 'T.N.T.' and 'Let’s Get It Up' performed by the classic band lineup. The Southern boys also discuss how AC/DC became fans of the band, listening to Hayseed Dixie before shows and even hiring them to play an AC/DC end of tour wrap party.

On the day Elvis Presley died in 1977, 21-year Wisconsin native, Susan Masino, was assigned to organize a meet and greet for an unknown Australian band by the name of AC/DC. She not only remained lifelong friends with the band, but was also inspired to write two books about AC/DC, becoming the first female to do so. Masino discusses everything from recent tour rumors, thoughts on Axl Rose, her own ‘Suzy’ name-drop in “Down Payment Blues” and even the ghost of Bon Scott.

What do we think about Canadian singer songwriter, Kathleen Edwards? Well, to quote Bon Scott—she’s got balls! We first fell smitten with Kathleen after hearing her reimagined version of AC/DC’s highest charting U.S. single of all time, “Moneytalks”. Then we witnessed her share the same bill with AC/DC at Toronto Rocks. But she really had us when she said Brian Johnson's vocal style is as hard to sing as…opera!

The latest episode of AC/DC Beyond the Thunder, features Filippo “SoloDallas” Olivieri, telling a story spanning four decades, three continents, and eventually a summons to the recording studio from Angus Young. During the show, the inventor and obsessive music fan describes how he discovered the secrets behind the highly coveted AC/DC guitar tone that may have otherwise been lost forever.

Did AC/DC drive the serial killer known as 'The Night Stalker' down a personal 'Highway to Hell'? The podcast's first foray into the true crime genre unearths a chilling posthumous interview with Philip Carlo, author of The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez.