a toast to AC/DC...

[DrillSergeant]

Don't try to figure out the sense of this thread cause there is none. I just thought this could be the beginning of a nice little chat about the best Rock'n'Roll band in the world. Angus and his bunch were the reason why I'm surfing this forum today and they were the band of my youth. That Dave Holland thread had made me reflect a bit on my past life and I ended up thinking about how it all began. In fact I'm having a blast with these Aussie rockers tonight. So here's a toast to the best rock band in the world and to the country that gave birth to them (hey Trooper that includes you, hahahaha). Cheers!
What do you guys think about them? Which one is their best album and which lineup do you prefer? And what about Bon vs. Brian? I'd say Brian has finally won his spurs to score a tie in my book.

 

[Victim of Deception]

AC/DC rock.

Black in Black is my personal favorite AC/DC album, though I prefer Bon Scott as a vocalist.

 

[tedvanfrehley]

AC/DC are so painfully obvious that I think they're overlooked. Know what I mean? When thinking of great bands, hard rock, metal, I often forget them because they're so right there...EVERYONE knows and likes at least a couple Ac/Dc songs. I think we all (metal fans) cut our teeth on AC/DC back in the day. Some of us think they are the greatest, others think they're "ok" but like you said ANGUS is a legend and deserves that respect. I love every AC/DC album but my favorite is FLICK OF THE SWITCH only because it was the first one I owned. found it in my stocking as a child one Christmas morn along with Van Halen II and Journey's Escape. (Journey?!?!) Anyways, I'll toast them too, Drill Seargent. They are one of the greatest.

 

[baldyboy]

not my fave by a long chalk,but probably one of the bands i have the most respect for out of all of them.back in black was my fave album,first one i heard.
angus is one of the guitar gods though isnt he.
my missus likes them much more than i do .maybe i should get her to reply to this.we'd be here all night however............

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

AC/DC are one of my favourite bands ever (What do you expect from an Australian? Hehe). I listen to them all the time, can never get sick of them! And to me, their music is probably the most timeless out of any band in the world. Nothing they've done sounds outdated and probably never will coz such straight forward rock & roll that isn't stuck in any particular phase from over the years will never be outdated and live forever.

Bon vs Brian I have to call it a tie. I love both and they both suit their respective eras of the band. Bon had amazing character in his voice and in the 1970's AC/DC were certainly a very Australian sounding raw pub style hard rock band and their music really captured the working class urban Aussie life at the time, and his voice was perfect for that. When Brian joined after the band had just hit it really big overseas with Highway To Hell they were more of an arena act and his voice added that extra energy and fire to the band's sound and made them sound a bit bigger and more intense. So they're both perfect for what they did!

My favourite album? Flick Of The Switch. Rockin' album start to finish with the most attitude, sleaze and swagger they've ever had in a very hard hitting sound! Songs like Rising Power, Nervous Shakedown, Bedlam In Belgium, Guns For Hire, Deep In The Hole and Badlands are sooo overlooked and I don't know why they never play anything off that album live anymore! Back In Black is my 2nd favourite AC/DC followed by the '70s stuff and For Those About To Rock! I think Stiff Upper Lip was a great return to their early '80s attitude in alot of places too with lots of slow burning heavy attitude soaked rockers like Come & Get It, You Can't Stop Rock & Roll, Damned, House of Jazz, Satellite Blues and All Screwed Up.

So here's a toast to AC/DC! Have a drink on me!

 

[tedvanfrehley]

see there, I told you FLICK OF THE SWITCH was badass! haha Maybe I'll get that remaster...I still have the cassette!

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Flick Of The Switch is my favourite by far I don't know why some people don't like it, it baffles me.

 

[AC/DC Rocks]

LOVE AC/DC - best band I have ever heard - and I am so glad I came across their music (this was 6 months ago) - parents were saying a few weeks ago who ever thought in the 70's we'd have a kid who likes AC/DC!! At the moment Thunderstruck has got to be my favourite song, though for me, it's just about impossible to choose a favourite as I love nearly all songs I have heard by AC/DC!!!

 

[DrillSergeant]

Flick Of The Switch is my favourite by far I don't know why some people don't like it, it baffles me.

There is no such thing like a bad AC/DC album! That's like a woman of few words. And I like Flick Of The Switch a lot as well. But it wouldn't make it to my personal Top 3. Those would be

1. Back In Black
2. Highway To Hell
3. The Razor's Edge

I know, no big surprise with the first two spots. But who would dare to argue about such gems?

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Back In Black & Highway To Hell certainly are classic albums I also think every AC/DC album is great, but with the exception of Blow Up Your Video which I never really listen to, just seems to be lacking something to me. Can't put my finger on it. I still don't mind it, it's just easily their worst effort I think so I never really put it on when they have about 15 other albums that are great.

 

[DrillSergeant]

...but with the exception of Blow Up Your Video which I never really listen to, just seems to be lacking something to me. Can't put my finger on it. I still don't mind it, it's just easily their worst effort I think so I never really put it on when they have about 15 other albums that are great.

I understand your point although I can't figure out why that is so. In fact Blow Up Your Video was my first real AC/DC album. Who Made Who doesn't count, does it? Their weakest release in my opinion would be... hmmm.... I guess, Ballbreaker. Yeah, definitely that one. I think Rubin killed the spirit somehow.

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Yeah Ballbreaker was below average too but had some wicked songs still (Cover You In Oil rules! Haha!). I think my problem with Blow Up Your Video might've been coz it lacked the attitude that AC/DC usually have. Those ass kicking bad grooves soaked in attitude and sleaze with Brian or Bon spitting out nasty lyrics over the top of it with that great tongue in cheek attitude at the same time... seemed to be gone. It was a little too straight up fun time rock & roll with much less of the attitude, sleaze, nastiness and humour which to me are some of the things that really characterized AC/DC.

 

[DrillSergeant]

Yeah Ballbreaker was below average too but had some wicked songs still (Cover You In Oil rules! Haha!).

That one and Ballbreaker and Caught With Your Pants Down. I also like The Boogie Man a lot. Reminds me of The Jack. Oh, and I totally dig Burning Alive. Can't tell why but that song is something really special for me.

I think my problem with Blow Up Your Video might've been coz it lacked the attitude that AC/DC usually have. Those ass kicking bad grooves soaked in attitude and sleaze with Brian or Bon spitting out nasty lyrics over the top of it with that great tongue in cheek attitude at the same time... seemed to be gone. It was a little too straight up fun time rock & roll with much less of the attitude, sleaze, nastiness and humour which to me are some of the things that really characterized AC/DC.

What about Two's Up, That's The Way I Wanna Rock n Roll, Meanstreak and Ruff Stuff? I think especially the latter two have all that AC/DC spirit you mentioned.

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Never really liked That's The Way I Wanna Rock & Roll for some reason. Ruff Stuff rocks, that's one of my fave tracks on it! Meanstreak was another one I liked on it.

 

[DrillSergeant]

Never really liked That's The Way I Wanna Rock & Roll for some reason.

What about the live version on their Live album from 1992? And what other albums do you like? Flick Of The Switch is your fave but what about the next spots? And what stuff do you like the most with Bon singing?

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

My faves:

1. Flick Of The Switch
2. Back In Black
3. Highway To Hell

Then probably Let There Be Rock, For Those About To Rock, TNT (I believe that's called High Voltage in the USA, we have a completely different "High Voltage" here which was never released in the US) and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. I love 'em all though really, they don't have a bad album! My least favourites though would have to be Blow Up Your Video, the Australian "High Voltage" (which I think a couple of the tracks might be on Jailbreak '74 in America maybe..) and Ballbreaker.

 

[DrillSergeant]

I believe that's called High Voltage in the USA, we have a completely different "High Voltage" here which was never released in the US

I know! That fact used to give me a hard time when they were my favourite band. I'm not familiar with the releases in the USA but I suppose they have the same stuff as we do. Our High Voltage and Dirty Deeds versions are basically some kind of compilations from the Australian releases of High Voltage, Dirty Deeds and T.N.T. And it still bugs me when I see the prices they charge for an import version. I think, somewhere I read that there's also an Australian version of Let There Be Rock with a different cover. Fortunately I have a few bootlegs with all the Australian only songs so I don't have to pay such ridiculous prices. A friend of mine is currently staying in Australia and I'm thinking about asking her to bring me the missing CDs. But there's no hurry. She won't be back before the summer.
Say, do you know, where I can find all the different b sides AC/DC recorded over the years. For example I have an old vinyl single (Moneytalks) and there's a song called Borrowed time on it. Also a former friend of mine once mentioned a song called Snake Eyes but I haven't been able to find that one yet. Oh, yes, and I also have Down The Borderline on a bootleg. Do you know something about these?

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Umm, sorry no idea about the B-sides!!!

About Let There Be Rock, yep the Australian version is different. It has a different cover (closeup of a fretboard in black & white), the order of the songs is a bit different I think, and the American/European version has "Problem Child" on it which wasn't on the Australian one. The reason for that is because Problem Child was on Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, but in the US Dirty Deeds didn't come out until 1981 and probably coz Problem Child is such a cool song they chucked it on Let There Be Rock over there.

Jailbreak is also on the Australian version of Dirty Deeds, for some reason it was left off the US one. Strange coz its the best song on the album! Dirty Deeds also has a much better album cover here, I don't get the USA one, it looks weird!!

I don't understand why they didn't just release all the albums overseas the same way they did here. At the moment, the Australian releases are being sold for $15 each here (every album!) which is only US$8 or something. They've dropped in price because the new remasters are out (but for some reason the remasters are the US versions).

 

[DrillSergeant]

They've dropped in price because the new remasters are out (but for some reason the remasters are the US versions).

That sucks elephant balls! I was hoping to get remastered versions of the Australian releases to show off with 'em. What a shame! But I guess, in the end I don't give a damn - I'll ask her anyway.
Btw you can get Jailbreak on an EP called '74 Jailbreak. The songs I couldn't get in Germany but found on my bootlegs are Rocking In The Parlor, Love Song, Stick Around, School Days, Rock In Peace, Carry Me Home and a strange little tune called Fling Thing. Can you tell me which song is from which Australian release?

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Yeah they should release remastered versions of the Aussie albums overseas I think!! But I'm not complaining about the American remasters being out here now because it means the Australian ones are all dirt cheap (hehe) at the moment! Tell your friend to go to a JB Hi-Fi store because they are selling ALL their Australian releases from the original High Voltage through to Stiff Upper Lip (though from Powerage on they're all the same anyway) for only $14.99, which as I said is only about $8 in American dollars.

- "Rock In Peace" is off Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.
- "Love Song" and "Stick Around" are off High Voltage.
- "School Days" is off TNT.

And no idea about the other 3! They're probably B-sides or unreleased tracks from the early days I'd say!