It can safely be said that AC/DC are probably the kings of this type of boogie rock. The Young brothers, Malcolm and Angus on rhythm and lead guitars respectively, always seemed to come up with the most infectious tunes and catchy riffs. The brothers formed the band in Australia in 1973, recruiting drummer Phil Rudd, bassist Mark Evans and ex- Valentines and Fraternity vocalist, Bon Scott. They relocated to London in 1976 and proceeded to take the place by storm! Evans would later be replaced by Cliff Williams, from the British folk/rock out fit, Home ( another ex-Home member, guitarist Laurie Wisefield, would go on to join Wishbone Ash ). AC/DC became known as one of the most popular stage acts around, complete with elaborate stage sets, in addition to Angus Young prancing around in a school uniform! They toured relentlessly, building up a cult following almost wherever they went. Scott tragically died on the 19th of February 1980, another sad case of a great talent throwing his life away as a result of overindulgence, and his replacement was ex-Geordie vocalist, Brian Johnson, who fitted in perfectly, and they went on to release a number of charting albums. They're still around today, and a new album, " Stiff upper lip ", is due for release at the end of February this year.
AC/DC - Beating Around the Bush, from "Highway to Hell" in 1979, their 7th album. Another dedication - this time to vocalist Bon Scott, whose self-destructive tendencies claimed his life on 19 February 1980. Before becoming the vocalist with the Australian rockers, Scott had previously been in two other lesser known outfits, The Valentines and Fraternity, who he joined in late 1970. Scott recorded two albums with Fraternity between 1971and 1972. After the release of their second album,' 'Flaming Galah", the band relocated to England where they played for a year or so under the name of Fang. Scott then left to become the chauffeur, of all things, for AC/DC! He was given the opportunity to take over vocal duties in the band when regular vocalist Dave Evans refused to go on stage one night in September 1974. Scott appeared with guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young, bassist Mark Evans and drummer Phil Rudd on AC/DC's debut album, ''High Voltage", which was released in 1974, and they were an almost instant success, with Scott developing the reputation of being one of the best frontmen of the 70's. He recorded seven albums with the band between 1974 and 1979, but on the night of 19 February 1980, after a night of heavy drinking, he suffocated on his own vomit. His death was a terrible loss to rock music, and it threatened the band's future, although the band managed to secure the services of ex-Geordie vocalist Brian Johnson. AC/DC' s popularity has never really slacked off, though, and they're still around today.
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Reviews Stephen Thomas Erlewine
AC/DC's mammoth power-chord roar
became one of the most
influential hard rock sounds of
the '70s. In its own way, it was
a reaction against the pompous
art rock and lumbering arena
rock of the early '70s. AC/DC's
rock was minimalist — no matter
how huge and bludgeoning the
guitar chords were, there was a
clear sense of space and
restraint. Combined with Bon
Scott's larynx-shredding vocals,
the band spawned countless
imitators over the next two
decades.
AC/DC was formed in 1973 in
Australia by guitarist Malcolm
Young after his band, the Velvet
Underground, collapsed (Young's
band has no relation to the
seminal American group). With
his younger brother Angus as
lead guitarist, the band played
some gigs around Sydney. Angus
was only 15-years-old at the
time and his sister suggested
that he should wear his school
uniform on-stage; the look
became the band's visual
trademark. While still in
Sydney, the original lineup
(featuring singer Dave Evans)
cut a single called "Can I Sit
Next to You," with ex-Easybeats
Harry Vanda and George Young
(Malcolm and Angus' older
brother) producing.
The band moved to Melbourne the
following year, where drummer
Phil Rudd (formerly of the
Coloured Balls) and bassist Mark
Evans joined the band. The
band's chauffeur, Bon Scott,
became their lead vocalist when
their singer, Dave Evans,
refused to go on-stage.
Previously, Scott had been
vocalist for the Australian prog
rock bands Fraternity and the
Valentines. More importantly, he
helped cement the group's image
as brutes — he had several
convictions on minor criminal
offenses and was rejected by the
Australian Army for being
"socially maladjusted." And
AC/DC was socially maladjusted.
Throughout their career they
favored crude double entendres
and violent imagery, all spiked
with a mischievous sense of fun.
The group released two albums —
High Voltage and TNT — in
Australia in 1974 and 1975.
Material from the two records
comprised the 1976 release High
Voltage in the U.S. and U.K.;
the group also toured both
countries. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt
Cheap followed at the end of the
year. Evans left the band at the
beginning of 1977, with Cliff
Williams taking his place. In
the fall of 1977, AC/DC released
Let There Be Rock, which became
their first album to chart in
the U.S.
Powerage, released in spring of
1978, expanded their audience
even further, thanks in no small
part to their dynamic live shows
(which were captured on 1978's
live If You Want Blood, You've
Got It). What really broke the
doors down for the band was the
following year's Highway to
Hell, which hit number 17 in the
U.S. and number eight in the
U.K., becoming the group's first
million-seller.
AC/DC's train was derailed when
Bon Scott died on February 20,
1980. The official coroner's
report stated he had "drunk
himself to death." In March, the
band replaced Scott with Brian
Johnson. The following month,
the band recorded Back in Black,
which would prove to be their
biggest album, selling over ten
million copies in the U.S.
alone. For the next few years,
the band was one of the largest
rock bands in the world, with
For Those About to Rock We
Salute You topping the charts in
the U.S. In 1982, Rudd left the
band; he was replaced by Simon
Wright.
After 1983's Flick of the
Switch, the band's commercial
standing began to slip; they
were able to reverse their slide
with 1990's The Razor's Edge,
which spawned the hit
"Thunderstruck." While not the
commercial powerhouse they were
during the late '70s and early
'80s, the '90s saw them maintain
their status as a top
international concert draw. In
the fall of 1995, their 16th
album, Ballbreaker, was
released. Produced by Rick
Rubin, the album received some
of the most positive reviews of
AC/DC's career. Ballbreaker
entered the American charts at
number four and sold over a
million copies in its first six
months of release. Stiff Upper
Lip followed in early 2000.
Brian
Johnson
Bon Scott
Mark Evans
Phil Rudd
Chris Slade
Cliff Williams
Simon Wright
Angus Young
Malcolm Young
Dave Evans
Y&T
London Quireboys
Joan Jett
Guns N' Roses
Angels
Grand Funk Railroad
Brian Johnson
The Cult
Thunder
Fleshies
The Billion Dollar Babies
Cold Chisel
Rainbow
Blue Öyster Cult
Whitesnake
Twisted Sister
Thin Lizzy
Joe Perry
Jimmy Page
Mötley Crüe
