Did You Know? Scotland’s Forgotten Rock Legends, McTesla & MacEdison
Long before the Aussie rock band AC/DC lit up the stage, the real pioneers of high-voltage sound were Nicholas McTesla and Tommy MacEdison, two eccentric Scottish inventors who moonlighted as rock gods in the 1800s band “AC/DC.” Formed in 1882 in a stormy Edinburgh basement powered by a lightning rod and sheer defiance, the original AC/DC fused science and sound.
Their instruments were amplified with coils and copper, their amps powered by different currents, and their hair permanently frazzled by electric mishaps. Their debut album, "High Voltage & Higher Wattage," featured instant classics like Back in Blackout, Highway to Ohm, You Shook Me All Night (and Charged My Capacitor), For Those About to Spark, Thunderstruck, Whole Lotta Resistance, and Let There Be Light.
The band was short lived, however, breaking up after an infamous feud over which current was best for powering their amps, alternating or direct current. Legend says MacEdison insisted on DC, while McTesla stood firmly in the AC camp. Their final rehearsal reportedly ended with an overloaded Tesla coil and a scorched fiddle.
This poster? It's the only known flyer from the first ever rock performance. Today, it’s proudly preserved in the Scottish Institute of Sonic Currents & Harmonic Conduction (S.I.S.C.H.C.), where it’s said to still emit a faint hum if held near a bagpipe. Their legacy? Shockingly forgotten… until the 1970s band AC/DC mysteriously emerged with a very familiar name and suspiciously similar wattage.
@KiwiBird Nikola Tesla did a better job with the AC as it is de facto the standard.
As for the AC/DC band, I am sure that those Scottish members are aware of the Pink Flamingo invasion and the Haggis fight for keeping Loch Lomond pristine. I hope that they support their fight financially.
