The Sunbury Festival in Australia was known for its vibrant atmosphere and unforgettable rock performances. But the 1975 edition turned into something much more chaotic—a dramatic clash between two of rock’s biggest names: AC/DC and Deep Purple. It was an unexpected showdown that went far beyond music.
This fiery confrontation took place during the festival’s final edition, marking a stark contrast to its earlier glory. Just a year prior, Sunbury had drawn massive crowds and celebrated acts like Queen for only $5 a ticket. By 1975, attendance dwindled, ticket prices soared, and tensions were on the rise.
What unfolded at this iconic festival shocked the rock community. A fight broke out between the two legendary bands, cementing this event as one of the most notorious moments in rock history. Here’s how it all went down.
The Sunbury Showdown
AC/DC’s performance at Sunbury was marred by a payment dispute. The British band, Deep Purple, received around $60,000, leaving the Australian band without any payment. Despite warnings from the Australian Musicians Union about potential riots, the organizers ignored the concerns.
Guitarist Angus Young recalled the unexpected turn of events. “We were playing in this pub on Saturday,” he said. “The manager asked us to head over to Sunbury, worried Deep Purple wouldn’t go onstage. He thought we could keep the crowd calm if things got messy.”
When AC/DC arrived, they were shocked to see Deep Purple still performing. They waited for the set to finish, only to be blocked by Deep Purple’s technical team when it was their turn to play.
The Unexpected Chaos
Despite the tensions, AC/DC was still scheduled to perform. “Everything was cool as far as we knew,” Angus Young recalled. But at the last minute, things escalated. Word spread that a punch had been thrown at their manager by one of Deep Purple’s crew members, sparking anger within the band.
A full-blown brawl broke out, with AC/DC furious over the situation. Instead of introducing the band, Angus Young approached the microphone to call for help, as they found themselves outnumbered by Deep Purple’s crew.
The Australian band quickly found unexpected allies. A forklift operator used his machine to drop equipment onto Deep Purple’s security, while Bon Scott threw himself into the chaos. “Bon had someone in a headlock, spinning him in the air, shouting, ‘Don’t worry, guys, I’ve got him!’” Angus recalled.
The Stage Intervention
As chaos erupted, Angus Young took to the stage to try to regain control. “I got on the microphone and asked the kids at the front for help,” he said. With the crowd spilling over the fence, he called for some order. Miraculously, the promoters intervened, proposing a plan: Deep Purple would perform first, followed by AC/DC.
But things didn’t go as planned. After Deep Purple finished their set, Young recalled, “They cut it short and started stripping the gear.” The promoter and Deep Purple’s crew began arguing, reigniting the conflict. “It started off again,” Young said, with tensions boiling over once more.
Despite leaving with their $60,000 intact, Deep Purple managed to avoid the physical altercation. As for AC/DC, they never got to perform. However, the next day, the story of the brawl made headlines, and Young noted, “In the end, it elevated us—more people came to see us!”
Coverdale’s Take on the Chaos
In 2007, David Coverdale reflected on the chaotic Sunbury Festival experience. “We arrived in the most violent summer storm,” he said. The promoters, undeterred by the harsh conditions, went ahead with the festival. The weather was fierce, the crowd was covered in plastic sheets, and the scene resembled “an immense condom convention.”
Coverdale remembered the aftermath of a less-than-satisfactory performance. “We left the stage, got in our cars, and started to drive away,” he said. That’s when music suddenly blared from the stage. A young Aussie band had jumped onstage, plugged into their gear, and started playing, causing a wild scene. “Chaos and frolics ensued,” he added.
It turned out that the band causing all the commotion was none other than AC/DC. “I cracked up when I heard,” Coverdale recalled. Despite the madness, he laughed about the incident with AC/DC in later years. However, the festival itself was a financial failure, even while it was still happening.