1980 · song
The bellfoundry where AC/DC’s opening toll was cast, tuned and recorded before becoming a familiar piece of rock theatre.
The bell at the beginning of Hells Bells connects AC/DC to a working foundry in Loughborough. In 1980, John Taylor & Co. made a bronze bell for the band. Its sound was recorded at the foundry, turning a piece of metalwork into part of the music.
These historical places remain in the list while their map positions are researched.
The Bellfoundry Trust’s history identifies bell-master Mike Milsom and describes the bronze bell as tuned to E. The raised logo created an imbalance and a wobble in its tone. During tuning, the makers marked four places on the outside where a strike would give a clear note. The bell’s appearance and its musical behaviour were therefore linked: a design feature intended to identify the band also required a practical adjustment before the instrument could make the desired sound. [1]
The band’s sound engineers came to the foundry and recorded Milsom striking the bell at the chosen points. The workshop’s role extended beyond manufacturing an object that would later travel to a stage. It was also where the object’s sound entered the recording process. That connection brings industrial craft into the geography of the song. The opening toll has a place of origin in the work of casting, tuning and striking, as well as in the performances and broadcasts through which listeners later heard it. [1]
Freehold Street, Loughborough
1980
John Taylor & Co. made AC/DC’s bronze bell in 1980, and the band’s sound engineers recorded Mike Milsom striking it at the Loughborough foundry for Hells Bells. [1]
Consult the Bellfoundry Trust for current museum and tour arrangements. Its historical account does not establish that AC/DC’s original bell is on public display, and access to working areas must follow the operator’s instructions.
