Brian Johnson Reflects on the Counterculture Anthem that Sparked the Heavy 1970s Rock Movement

While Brian Johnson reached the pinnacle of his career in 1980 when he replaced Bon Scott as the lead singer of AC/DC after Scott’s tragic passing, his musical journey began years earlier. Before joining the iconic Australian rock band, Johnson had already established himself as a respected frontman in his home country of the UK. His band, Geordie, was known for its glam rock sound, although it never gained significant traction in the United States. However, the band achieved moderate success in the UK, reaching number six on the charts with their second single, “All Because of You.”
Though Geordie’s style was notably lighter than AC/DC’s hard rock approach, Bon Scott had a deep admiration for Brian Johnson’s talents. In fact, Scott often expressed that Johnson was one of his favorite vocalists and frontmen. This mutual respect between the two singers would later prove vital when AC/DC sought a new frontman after Scott’s untimely death. The band’s choice to bring in Johnson, who Scott had held in high regard, was a testament to the lasting impact of their friendship and Scott’s faith in Johnson’s abilities.
For Johnson, one song stood out as a key turning point in the evolution of heavy rock and metal. That song, Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild,” was released in 1968 and is often credited as one of the first mainstream successes to feature a heavier, more rebellious sound. According to Johnson, “Born to Be Wild” was a game-changer, not just for his own band, but for the entire genre. In a conversation on the BBC Radio 2 program Tracks of My Years, Johnson explained that the song had a profound influence on musicians of his generation and was integral to the rise of hard rock and heavy metal in the 1970s.
He recalled, “I was just starting in a small band then. We were all apprentices; we all wanted to be in bands. The Yardbirds, The Beatles, The Kinks, the whole wonderful explosion. We started a little one, we tried to do songs, but we kept running out of talent. Then we heard this wonderful, simple song, ‘Born to Be Wild,’ and it was easy to play. It was a cult song, and all the kids wanted to hear it. So we learned it, and on stage, it even made us change our clothes.”
Johnson pointed out that Steppenwolf’s track not only resonated with audiences but also served as a blueprint for bands looking to emulate this raw, energetic sound. “We saw clips of bands from the West Coast of the U.S. trying to launch this style,” he explained. “Not only did we want to copy it, but we fully adopted it for half a decade until we got tired of it.”
The song’s success was not just about its catchy, punchy riffs; it embodied the rebellious spirit of the time, and its simplicity made it accessible to young musicians eager to break away from the norms of the day. Johnson believed that this simplicity was key to its appeal. “It was punchy, it was rocky, it had everything for a young musician and band,” he said. The energy and attitude behind “Born to Be Wild” resonated far beyond Steppenwolf’s West Coast origins, spreading across the Atlantic and influencing countless artists on both sides.
Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” continues to be a monumental track in rock history. Not only did it help pave the way for the heavy rock movement, but it also earned its place as one of the defining songs of the 1960s counterculture. For Brian Johnson and countless other musicians, it remains a foundational piece in the development of hard rock and heavy metal as we know it today.
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