GREAT DEAL, DONE DIRT CHEAP
As the man who signed AC/DC to Atlantic Records in 1975, Phil Carson played a key role in the band’s career. He now manages Foreigner, another of the biggest-selling acts in Atlantic’s history. Speaking exclusively to Classic Rock, he tells the inside story of AC/DC’s rise to fame and how, after the death of Bon Scott, they rose again – with Brian Johnson and Back In Black – to become the biggest band in the world.
It seems a silly question now, but why did you sign AC/DC?
Simple answer? I thought that they were a great rock’n’roll band.
When you made that signing, in 1975, what was your position at Atlantic Records?
I was Executive Vice President, with responsibilities for the world outside of America. I started at Atlantic in 1969, as label manager for the UK. Shortly after that I became European General Manager, and then I became Executive Vice President, in charge of international A&R [Artist & Repertoire]. By then, I’d already signed Yes, whom Atlantic had dropped and then I re-signed them. So I had a bit of a track record going for me.
You once described Atlantic’s investment in AC/DC as
