Have you ever wondered what enabled Angus Young to run around stage for three hours every night like a cheetah, free of wires, cords, and other hazards? Maybe you’ve even pondered just how the hell he did all that while still sounding so damn sick. Well, ponder no more: an Italian AC/DC fan explains these mysteries and more in the latest episode of AC/DC: Beyond the Thunder, a podcast dedicated to the bolt-throwing rockers from Down Under.
Born in Dallas but raised in Rome, Filippo "SoloDallas" Olivieri—an inventor and music fanatic—grew up being marveled by the raucous guitar tones of Back in Black. So impressed was Filippo, he set out to recreate the "mystery tone" for himself, buying up tens of thousands of dollars of gear previously used by Angus Young. Which brings us back to our favorite rock n' roll sprinter.
A wireless device called the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System is what allowed Angus to roam as he pleased on stage back in the day. But in the modern era the Schaffer-Vega system was all but an antique. That is until Filippo got his hands on one and unlocked the secret to the mystery tone. Apparently, the Schaffer-Vega system was the conduit through which Angus was able to shoot to thrill on a nightly basis.
Mind you, for its time, the Schaffer-Vega system was a popular model used by many artists, including Eddie Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, Kiss, and Pink Floyd (how else would David Gilmour play the solo to "Comfortably Numb" on top of that wall?) AC/DC began using the system in 1978, but by the late 80s, original system engineer Ken Schaffer stopped producing more units, a move which potentially may have altered AC/DC's sound in the decades that followed.
But wait— there’s more to this mysterious tale of sound and shred.
Filippo contacted Schaffer, and requested his permission to hire a team of electronics experts to alter his original technology to create a new model. The result was the Solo Dallas company's latest system design, The Schaffer Replica. Word caught on fast about Olivieri's new toy, and soon the Schaffer Replica was being used by the biggest names in rock: Foo Fighters, Steve Stevens, Tony Iommi, Green Day, Sting, and Lenny Kravitz are just a few artists now able to crunch tasty riffs freely without the hassle of constriction.
It wasn't long before Angus Young caught wind that his long-lost tone was once again within reach, and a meeting between Schaffer, Olivieri, and Young was arranged in Vancouver where AC/DC were rehearsing. Olivieri presented Young with the very first Schaffer Replica unit manufactured, and the rock legend was so impressed, he began using it for both live performances and recording. This may explain why AC/DC's last album, POWER UP, found the band swingin' once again like it was 1978.
You can listen to Olivieri tell his story below on the AC/DC: Beyond the Thunder podcast—now in its third season—via Spotify. You can also listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast apps. And to check out AC/DC in action—presumably with the original Schaffer-Vega system in tow—watch the clips for "Back in Black" and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution," also below.
