Hi, it’s Greenygrey. As we enter the final 3/7ths of the Werewolf of Oz: Fantasy Travel by Google Maps today’s episode is a momentous one in many ways. Not only do the Werewolf of Ozzers enter the magical rock decades 1960s to 1990s world of Kerang–Kerrang for thirteen chapters/episodes, but one of the most important characters leaves, and the travelling quintet become a quartet once more.
Bon Scott, AC/DC and Wizard of Oz
This episode is paralleled in the human world by Bon Scott passing away in 1980, and the AC/DC rock group he’d played a big part in elevating to rock giantdom recording a Back in Black memorial album with Brian Johnson.
The Bonzo character in Werewolf of Oz parallels Toto in Wizard of Oz. Toto of course completed the journey.
So Bonzo’s story resembles Bon’s more than Toto’s.
Chapter 81. Ghost Dog Bonzo Finds AC/DC Back in Black
There was a time-machine at the entrance to Kerang-Kerrang, and you could choose a decade to enter. The 1980s looked an exciting time, with the magazine-town being built and developed on a surge of metal euphoria. So we entered then.
Kerang-Kerrang Born too Late for Bon Scott
We had an eerie introduction to 1980s Kerang-Kerrang, walking through an arid barren region populated by just one gravestone. It reminded me of a scene out of a spaghetti western.
When we reached the gravestone I read out the inscription ‘Ronald (Bon) Scott, born 1946, died 1980.’ The next thing, Bonzo keeled over.
We revived Bonzo, and I asked if he knew what happened to him. He said he’d had a rush of déjà-vu when he saw the grave; as if it held some significance to his past. He’d felt an urge to dig into it, but had tried fighting it, and then his legs had given way beneath him.
AC/DC begin the Kerrang Construction
When Bonzo was steady on his paws we continued toward the first constructions in Kerang-Kerrang.
The first was a black house featuring a big mural of AC/DC’s Angus Young on the front. I was admiring it with the others, until noticing Bonzo wasn’t with us. I looked around, and poor Bonzo was on the ground again.
Bon Scott and Brian Johnson Meet
A man wearing a flat-cap emerged and exclaimed Hell’s Bells. He introduced himself as Brian and asked what was wrong with Bonzo. We told him it was the second time it had happened today, and Bonzo’d said he’d had a sense of déjà-vu the first time. Brian said he’d go and get some food and drink. He returned with a beer and bone, and after reviving Bonzo told him to ‘Have a Drink on Me, and chew on this bone.’
Somebody shouted from the house asking him what he was doing, and he replied that he had Given the Dog a Bone. He then asked Bonzo if he could Shake a Leg, and when Bonzo showed he could, he invited us all into the house.
It was rocking in there, and a revitalised Bonzo soon became the life and soul of the party.
Bye-Bye Bonzo
Bonzo and the householders got on so well that they asked him to stay. Having recently remembered his upbringing in nearby Melbourne, Bonzo decided that he had found his place to settle.
We were all sad to be parting from Bonzo, but understood his reasons, and stayed until the morning to make a night of it. As we waved goodbye to Bonzo and the rest of them, they sang us off with: You Shook Me All Night Long.
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Notes
Spaghetti westerns often have dramatic graveyard scenes, such as the concluding gunfight in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
AC/DC album and songs: Back in Black, Have a Drink on Me, Given the Dog a Bone, Shake a Leg, You Shook Me All Night Long.
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mistYmuse 