Almanac Poetry: ‘Handel’s Father was a Barber-surgeon’
Handel’s Father was a Barber-surgeon
Is the guitar obbligato
that Angus Young plays
throughout AC-DC’s
“Thunderstruck”
essentially Bach’s
“Toccata and Fugue”
played backwards?
—Jesus, I hope so.
And is the band’s song
“Who Made Who”
the Scottish-Australian lads’ contribution
to the Prometheus myth,
à la Shelley’s Frankenstein?
Acknowledgement: previously appeared in my latest book-length poetry collection, Orpheus in the Undershirt (Ginninderra Press, 2018).
More from Kevin Densley HERE
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Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His sixth book-length poetry collection, Isle Full of Noises, was published in early 2026 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.
The video clip accompanying this poem is a real hoot – featuring an army of cloned Angus Young figures in full schoolboy uniform! (it may also illuminate the poem a little.)
If you slow Bach down it’s Jazz.
Ha, Dips! Never quite thought of Bach that way, but you may have a point there! (I’d need to explore the matter further.)