Ginger Wildheart shared his reflections about The Wildhearts’ failed tour with AC/DC in an interview with Classic Rock.
“The Wildhearts were on tour with AC/DC in Europe on their Ballbreaker tour. We went to the US, and it turned from majesty to comedy to tragedy all in one month,” Wildheart explained. “We got there and took full advantage of the welcome that America affords a young band. We consumed as much drugs and alcohol as we could get our hands on. Inevitably, we started fighting with each other. And then we decided that we couldn’t work together anymore, and so we went home.”
“It’s possibly the worst thing that ever happened to me. I was partly responsible for blowing a tour of America with AC/DC,” he continued. “Our crew and manager were all as f*cked up as we were. They all agreed. Not one person said, ‘You can’t go home.'”
“As a collective troupe, the Wildhearts were all idiots,” Wildheart admitted. “I love AC/DC. They turn up, do their job, and go. You tour for years by avoiding hanging out and partying all the time. Look at us: we managed five dates. Yes, why did AC/DC make it and the Wildhearts didn’t? It’s not all sonic.”
This candid confession illuminates a pivotal moment in The Wildhearts’ career. It marked a significant turning point in their music industry journey.
Tour records revealed The Wildhearts’ selection for AC/DC’s second European and third U.S. legs of their Ballbreaker tour. This prestigious opportunity quickly dissolved due to their self-destructive behavior.
The band’s lifestyle during this period created lasting repercussions. The Telegraph reported that bassist Danny McCormack later lost a leg due to drug-related complications.
Ultimate Guitar documented a stark contrast between success stories and failures. Many support acts successfully used the AC/DC opening slot as a career catalyst. The Wildhearts’ brief five-date run serves as a cautionary tale in rock history.
The Wildhearts maintained their presence in the music scene despite these setbacks. They transformed these experiences into a narrative of resilience and survival within the industry.
