Tony Currenti

Antonino "Tony" Currenti (born 26 June 1951) is an Australian rock drummer of Italian descent, best known as a session drummer for Australian hard rock band AC/DC (1975 debut album High Voltage, the "High Voltage" single, and 1984 album '74 Jailbreak) and various Vanda & Young projects – including Stevie Wright (international hit "Evie") and John Paul Young (hit singles "Yesterday's Hero" and "I Hate the Music").

Early life Currenti was born on 26 June 1951 on the Italian island of Sicily. He migrated to Australia on SS Galileo Galilei in August 1967 with his parents, brother and sister at the age of 16,

When Currenti was five years old, his dad bought him a piano accordion. He learnt to play drums by bashing his accordion and whatever chairs he could find with spoons. Currenti bought his first set of drums after he got his first pay packet in Australia. It was a second-hand Premier drum kit. Currenti later purchased a white Ludwig drum kit with which he did all the session work in the 70s.

In 1972, they recorded a cover version of The Who's "Join Together", which was released as Grapevine featuring Jackie Christian with B-side called "That's Life".

Jackie Christian & Flight The band adopted the new name Jackie Christian & Flight. The first single, recorded under the Jackie Christian handle, was "Rosy" (with "You Chose a Fine Time" as a B-side) and released in 1972. In 1974, the band released two songs penned and produced by Vanda & Young, namely "Love" and "The Last Time I Go to Baltimore". "Love" was chosen as an A-side and a single was released on the Alberts label. Polydor released it under the name Jackie Christian & Target in Canada.

Flight also recorded another Vanda & Young song called "Love Fever", but the producers did not like Jackie Christian's vocals and eventually gave the song to Ray Burgess, who recorded verses over Jackie Christian & Flight's track (which included backing vocals). The single was released by Burgess in July 1975 and reached the Australian Kent Music Report top 30.

Session work for Vanda & Young AC/DC

It was during this time in early 1974 that George Young approached Currenti and asked if he would record with his two younger brothers in a band called AC/DC. Currenti completed a number of tours of the UK and Europe with various AC/DC tribute bands and received civic honours in his hometown of Fiumefreddo di Sicilia in Sicily. Currenti typically plays all the songs he recorded with AC/DC but also Bon Scott-era songs such as "Gimme a Bullet", "Highway to Hell" and "It's a Long Way to the Top".

In May 2016, Currenti was a special guest for the unveiling of a fan-funded statue of Bon Scott at the 10th Annual Bonfest in Kirriemuir, Scotland, alongside former AC/DC bassist Mark Evans and Bon Scott friend and author Mary Renshaw. Currenti had known Scott before he joined AC/DC.

In July 2015, he announced on his Facebook page a maiden tour of Italy with tribute band Overdose74. In Italy, he also performed with tribute bands Bon Scott Experience, Black Ice and Back In Hell. While in Europe, Currenti visited Germany and made a guest appearance on the album Disadvantaged by Stinger. He played a farewell tour in the UK in 2023.