Original AC/DC lead vocalist Dave Evans has released his latest single, “Loup Garou“, ahead of its full physical CD and digital release on October 2, 2026. The track serves as the second single from Justice, the forthcoming final chapter in an album trilogy recorded alongside his longtime musical collaborator Mark Tinson, following 2001’s Sinner and 2007’s Judgement Day.
The recording features a lineup of prominent Australian rock veterans, including lead guitarist Justin Ngariki and drummer Scott Johnston of Rose Tattoo, as well as bassist Laurie Marlow of Heaven.
Evans was a founding member of AC/DC upon their formation in late 1973, performing on the group’s debut single, “Can I Sit Next To You Girl“. However, by October 1974, Evans had parted ways with the band following internal disputes. He was subsequently replaced by Bon Scott, who fronted AC/DC until his death in 1980.
In an appearance on Brazil’s “Guarda Volume” podcast, Evans spoke candidly about his exit from AC/DC, explaining that unresolved financial issues drove his decision to walk away despite the group’s rapid early success.
“We were very young — we were all very, very young. And our ambitions were forever. I didn’t go, ‘Oh, I’m gonna be in a band.’ No. I had my whole career, my whole life to sing. I’ve been singing since I can remember. It ain’t gonna stop because of a band I was with, I split from. I was in bands before AC/DC, of course. I was with bands before AC/DC. I split. Velvet Underground [not to be confused with Lou Reed‘s group] I was with, a top band. AC/DC, Okay, I kept going. Rabbit, my own career. I never thought about splitting or stopping to sing. It was just another band I was with, but a very successful band. We had a hit record, Can I Sit Next To You Girl was named as the best Australian group record of the year. First up. Great. Fantastic. It was a hit record. And to have a young band, first record, against all the other bands in Australia, [named] the best Australian group record of the year. That was fantastic. But there were different reasons why I split from the band, mostly because I wasn’t getting paid any money,” he said (via Blabbermouth).
Evans detailed how the band’s management structure created escalating tension over compensation while they were filling major Australian venues and touring as support for Lou Reed.
“The manager was the third manager at that time. We weren’t getting paid for the shows, and we were doing the biggest shows in Australia. The Sydney Opera House, the famous Sydney Opera House, Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Festival Hall down in Melbourne, all the shows. Where’s the money? Show me the money. No money. We toured with Lou Reed from the USA. [We played] the biggest venues, sold out — all sold out. How about some money? No money. So in the end, I couldn’t stay with the band, because I was paying off my car in Sydney, paying my car off, my flat, and I’m working hard. So we had a bit of a meeting one night and had a few drinks and stuff. And the manager was there. And he was making money because he was getting money off the top. The rest of the money, I don’t know what happened to it. We didn’t have any. So, the manager, nice new permed hair, new jeans, bell bottom jeans, leather valise, flying around the country, us in trucks. He had the money. We had no money. So at, I said to him, ‘What’s happening here?’ I confronted him. We were all bi**hing about it. And he got up and smart-mouthed to me. So I got up and bang, knocked him down. And the other boys got me and pulled me off the manager. So it was decided that when that tour we were on finished that this had to be resolved. This had to be resolved. I said, ‘If I’m not getting paid, I am not gonna go on tour again.’ So I said, ‘I’m not going.’ Who would? I’m not stupid. So at the end of the tour, no resolution. They weren’t gonna give me what I wanted. So I split from the band. I said, ‘Well, that’s it.’ I said, ‘Okay. See you later.’ I wasn’t gonna take it,” he explained.
He further contrasted his personal financial obligations at the time with those of his former bandmates.
“It’s like any job. If you’re a carpenter or you’re a teacher or something, and they don’t pay you, what are you gonna do? ‘Oh, it’s okay.’ No,” Evans continued. “How are you gonna feed your children? No children for me, but if you had children, how would you feed your children? How would you pay your car off? You can’t. And you’re working hard. Malcolm and Angus Young lived at home with their parents. They lived at home with their parents. They didn’t have to pay any money. I did. I had my apartment in Sydney, so I had to pay. Otherwise I was gonna lose it. My car, they’d come and take it away. But Malcolm and Angus, [they had] no car. And they lived at home with their parents. So it didn’t matter so much to them, but it mattered to me. And I wasn’t gonna take it. So I stood up for myself.”
Addressing the legacy of his late successor, Bon Scott, Evans shared his perspective on the intense pressures Scott faced within the group leading up to his death in 1980.
He said: “Poor Bon Scott. Bon Scott joined the band and he went through a lot of crap too. And he ended up dead. He was working, working, working, working, working, working. And he was depressed, sad. He looked happy, ’cause he was drunk all the time. Bon Scott drank all the time. Alcoholic. You see photographs of Bon Scott, he’s always got a bottle or a drink all the time. Sad. Sad. But it killed him in the end. But he was going through a lot of hell, too, with the band.
“I spoke to Bon Scott after he joined [AC/DC],” Evans added. “We had a private conversation about things, which will remain private. And so when I found out what happened to Bon Scott, when I read about it, and I spoke to his wife about it too — I saw his wife who told me what happened and stuff — I wasn’t surprised. I was not surprised.”
