Question: What do you get when you combine the untimely death of a lead singer, electricity, high volume, an odd affinity for schoolboy uniforms, aggressive guitar solos, Australia, and a new lead singer who sounds like he's been gargling steel wool and washing it down with broken glass milkshakes? The answer, of course, is AC/DC and their 1980 album Back In Black. This edition of SOTW focuses on that album's classic title track.
A little background first. In February 1980, AC/DC had already released 6 studio albums when unexpectedly, their lead singer Bon Scott died under legendary circumstances, a la Jimi Hendrix. In the aftermath of Scott's death, the rest of the band briefly considered calling it quits. However, an Englishman with a common name and an uncommon voice successfully auditioned to replace Scott shortly thereafter. His name was Brian Johnson, and you've probably never heard anyone with a voice quite like his. He's probably the only vocalist whose sound is simultaneously horrible and awesome, and he's been with the band ever since.
After Johnson got the nod from the remaining members of AC/DC, they got to work and a mere 5 months after Bon Scott's death, Back In Black was released as the band's seventh studio album. By the way, this album is the second-best-selling album of all time, with 42 million copies sold. It's second only to Michael Jackson's Thriller. As a tribute to Bon Scott, the band chose a black facade for the album and wrote a title track specifically for him. 
"Back In Black" rocks from start to finish, and truth be told, you'd be hard-pressed to find a track that crams more intensity into 4 minutes and 16 seconds. When you've got a song with really solid rhythm, Brian Johnson's singular vocal execution, and Angus Young's gut-busting guitarwork, you've got the kind of music that instantly becomes part of the canon of classic rock. Listen to Angus Young's solo starting at 1:49. That kind of vibrato is not easy to create; even slow vibrato takes a lot of hand strength. And the riff that starts at 2:19 is unmistakable. But a track like "Back In Black" is about as subtle as an A-bomb; to really appreciate this song, you can't endlessly analyze and ponder. You must crank up the volume and remember that "Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution." Enjoy.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Song Of The Week Nov 17 - Nov 23: Back In Black
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1 comments:
Still on the map…
This post makes me think about the two best shows I have ever been in attendance. The first was an Aquabats show at this small tavern in Cincinnati called Ripple’s. The opening band was a no show so they gave us the show of my life; but that is another story.
The second best show I’ve ever been in attendance was an AC/DC show which I still have not paid for (oops). The opening band was Slash’s Snake Pit… yes, as in Slash from Guns and Roses. They were a bit underwhelming until their closing song, “Mr. Brownstone” an old G&R song from Appetite for Destruction.
Anyway, the show was in the new (or at lest new at the time) Conseco Field House in Indianapolis. AC/DC was promoting some album that I really didn’t care about and to be quite honest I was not really looking forward to the show. You see I don’t care about old over the hill bands that are still touring (exhibit A: The Stones) and rocking old over the hill women out of their… well, you understand.
But, I went to the show anyway, and I am glad I did if for no other reason than they freaking rocked. I mean they ROCKED. Sure Malcolm Young an Cliff Williams looked like robots badly in need of some joint oil (ala the Tin Man), and Brian Johnson lit up on stage multiple times during Angus Young solos and even walked off stage to drink a beer (how do I know this, because we had crappy seats somewhere in no-mans-land on stage right), but who cares, they freaking Rocked!
You know when you go see some bands play and they seem tired of their “old” stuff so they play mostly new stuff (ala Weezer) and then just to appease their “die hard” fan base (teenie-boppers) they’ll play a couple of songs but change them up a little o they arne’t quite as good; or that bad who refuses to play their one big hit because they want to be recognized for their musical genius so they pull out the acoustic set on their maiden tour?
AC/DC did neither of these.
First, it wasn’t their maiden tour, and even if it would have been I am sure I would have still been rocked. Second, I think it is for these reasons that AC/DC is as big as they are. Their songs have little variance…actually they are slightly formulaic, but if the formula works, USE IT!
The AC/DC Formula:
1.) Guitar Solos that will be forever remembered by those lucky enough to have been rocked by them.
2.) Crazy sounding vocals. This all started with the late great Bon Scott; after his passing Brian Johnson took up the mic to flaunt his strangely beautiful (if not demented) vocal styling.
3.) Simple Drumming. In a world of Neil Perts, John Bonhams, and Lars Ulrichs to name a few, Phil Rudd is an understated giant. He has been keeping it simple for decades and it works. No frills, but that’s good! Sometimes it nice to have a simple beat that rocks and no one does it like Phil.
4.) Showmanship. This is a little underplayed by the backing band who stands mostly still other than to keep the beat with one foot with the occasional synchronized walks up to the mics for short backing vocal parts (very Tin Man-esk). But Briand and Angus let it out with bell ringing, floor spinning, and one legged romps across the stage.
5.) Boy’s Prep School Outfits
The played song after song and I knew almost all of them. This went on for what seemed like 2 hours. The only song of theirs that I remember thinking, “hmm, I didn’t get to hear that one” was “Who Made Who.” But really, who cares because they played EVERYTHING else you would ever want to hear AC/DC play. It was amazing!
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