An AC/DC superfan who has unlocked his treasure trove for Bonfest fans for the past 15 years says closing Kirriemuir’s award-winning museum would be a “disaster”.
Rock fans from around the world are clearing the hangovers and heading home after three-days of high-voltage celebration in honour of Bon Scott.
At the weekend thousands invaded the town Scott spent his early years in before his family emigrated to Australia.
They included the son Scott never met, and Tony Currenti, the first session drummer in the band formed by Glasgow brothers Angus and Malcolm Young in 1970s Sydney.
And during the three-day festival many dropped in on Kirrie’s Gateway to the Glens museum.
Kirriemuir museum’s AC/DC display
A display there contains just a tiny selection of band memorabilia amassed by probably the world’s most prolific AC/DC collector.
Neil McDonald has followed the rockers since he was 16.
And, 45 years on, his house is filled with box after box of band rarities.
The collection includes countless records, cassettes, posters and one-off AC/DC items.
Neil even has a prized Christmas card from the Angus-born former frontman who died in 1980.
He’s made the trip to Angus from Edinburgh to be part of Bonfest since the festival began.
The items Neil has loaned to Kirrie are on year-round display.
But the town centre museum could close its doors before the next Bonfest comes round.
Council leisure trust Angus Alive is handing Kirrie and Brechin museums back to the authority later this year.
So unless volunteer community groups step up to keep them open it will signal the end of the county’s two small museums.
Neil said: “It would be a disaster if the museum was to close down.
“And not just for those interested in AC/DC and Bon, but the community as a whole.
“I’ve been coming here since 2005 and I’ve met people from all over the world.
“The interest in the band is as strong as ever.
“I now see children coming in with their parents and they have picked up the interest from coming to the likes of Bonfest.”
And Neil, now 61, says he is still avidly tracking down pieces of AC/DC history.
“I don’t get rid of anything,” said the Edinburgh-based fan.
“When I’m looking out stuff to bring along to Bonfest I often go hunting for one thing and then discover something really rare that I forgot I had.
“People who are now friends come in to the museum to say hello every year.
“It’s only through this that I know them so it would be terrible if this was to close.”
