The 1980 Listening Post - AC/DC - Back in Black

 AC/DC - Back in Black

#289

by Jon Rosenberg

AC/DC 

Back in Black 

Genre: Hard Rock (NOT noise pollution!) 

Allen’s Rating: 5 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 5 out of 5

Highlights: 

The whole fucking album! 

But if I must choose… 

You Shook Me All Night Long 

Back in Black 

Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution 

Let Me Put My Love Into You 

Have a Drink On Me 

A lot of people are surprised to learn that a tie-dyed-in-the-wool Deadhead like myself also loves AC/DC. I can’t explain it either. Such is life. 

AC/DC were riding high in 1979. Their brand of heavy, take-no-prisoners blues rock was finally bringing them worldwide notoriety. “Highway to Hell,” their sixth album, hit #17 on the Billboard 200, and they toured Europe and the U.S. as headliners. 

Then their lead singer Bon Scott drank himself to death at the age of 33 on February 19, 1980. Lesser bands would have called it quits at this point, but after a few months of mourning AC/DC got their shit together, recruited a new lead singer and began recording their next album. Ostensibly a tribute to Bon Scott, “Back in Black” is anything but funereal. It’s more like a swift kick in the Grim Reaper’s balls. These are all songs about drinking and fucking and… well, that’s pretty much it. 

Angus Young and his brother Malcolm, lead and rhythm guitars respectively, are masters of the hard rock riff, with Cliff Williams on bass and Phil Rudd on drums providing a relentless backbone for every tune. And wailing like a banshee above it all is new singer Brian Johnson, sounding like he’s gargling broken glass and nails as he spits out classy lyrics like “Let me put my love into you, babe/Let me put my love on the line/ Let me put my love into you, babe /Let me cut your cake with my knife.” 

The sound is crisp and clean, while still raw and dirty, courtesy of hot producer du jour Robert John “Mutt” Lange. I’ve never really been a fan of Mutt’s work on anything else, but here he gets the job done right. From the beginning (right up until their most recent album in 2014) AC/DC have tread a not-so-fine line between being a serious hard rock band and a caricature of one. In concert, with Angus’s English schoolboy uniform stage attire and assorted props and pyrotechnics, they clearly lean towards the cartoony. 

But who cares? They do one thing and they do it well. And “Back in Black” is the pinnacle of their art. I almost docked it a quarter of a point for the sexist, low-brow lyrics on a few songs that may not have aged well. But fuck that, it’s a great album!

https://open.spotify.com/album/6mUdeDZCsExyJLMdAfDuwh?si=jeTMWcOUTP-RLrL6KuY2YQ

The 1981 Listening Post - AC/DC - For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

 AC/DC - For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

#602

By Jon Rosenberg

November 23 1981

AC/DC

For Those About to Rock We Salute You

Genre: Hard Rock

Allen’s Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 5 out of 5

Highlights:  

For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

Let’s Get It Up

C.O.D.

Breaking the Rules

OK, I love this album.  It will probably cause some controversy when I say this, but I think it’s even better than Back in Black - or at least its equal.  Unlike BiB, the specter of death does not hang over FTATR.  The period of mourning for original singer Bon Scott is over and now it’s time to party again.  As expected, all of the songs here contain crunchy riffs (courtesy of the Young brothers, Angus and Malcolm, on lead and rhythm guitars respectively), a throbbing backbeat (from Cliff Williams on bass and Phil Rudd on drums), and screeching, larynx-shredding vocals (from “new guy” Brian Johnson).  Returning to produce is “Mutt” Lange, who reportedly took three days just to get the sound of the snare drum just right.  Was it worth it? Probably not, in the great scheme of things.  But the album does sound fantastic.

Did I mention that I love this album?  Every song.  Personally, I don’t think there’s a weak tune to be skipped over, but there are a few that I sometimes put on repeat: The epic title track kicks things off with a grinding, slow-burn of a groove that gradually escalates to a literally explosive climax, complete with cannons firing.  An instant classic, the song has since become the traditional show closer for their live concerts, and, yes, you better believe they have real cannons on that stage!

Another favorite is “Let’s Get It Up,” which I’m amazed hasn’t found its way into a Viagra commercial by now.  When I was young and naïve, I assumed that most AC/DC songs were about sex.  Now I’m sure of it!  Regarding “Let’s Get It Up,” Brian Johnson told Kerrang! Magazine in the 80’s that the song is, "Filth, pure filth. We're a filthy band."  And who can argue with that?  

Also great is “C.O.D.,” a nasty little ditty about getting your mail delivered.  No, actually, in this case the title means “care of the devil” and it’s a love song.  Of sorts.  With some delightful wordplay that only a rock band of AC/DC’s stature could get away with.  But don’t lower your fists and lighters just yet: “Breaking the Rules” gives us the quintessential “hesher” anthem.  “I get my kicks in my own way!” wails Brian, and I for one believe him.  The perfect soundtrack for that keg party in the woods – remember those?  At least until the cops show up.

So yeah, I’ll always consider For Those About to Rock We Salute You to be the ultimate AC/DC record: big, loud, dumb and fun.  Let’s call it rock ‘n’ roll comfort food – all carbs and sugar and deep-fried to perfection.  It’s good for what ails ya!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7DUvURQ0wfA1kgG8j99frR?si=lTxkSqjbSpC6yOauzDiOiQ

Listening Post: AC/DC Back in Black

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.




AC/DC - Back in Black - 1980 (Buy it)

This is actually a really interesting record. It’s not that it’s better than any that have come before, it’s not. It’s AS good as Let There Be Rock and Powerage (Maybe a little better than Highway) to be sure. But it’s way more accessible. Is it a bad thing to say that Bon Scott was the one thing that was holding the band back? Well, no, because they were already monster successes before Bon died, but, the alchemy of Young, Young and new addition Brian Johnson, combined with Bon’s death, the spectre of which is all over this album, Mutt Lange’s brilliant manipulations and the band’s acceptance of their place as an arena rock spectacle come together to push them over the edge. This is the second best selling album of all time. All time! That’s crazy. And great. Because it’s dynamite from start to finish. TNT, if you will.
One thing I noticed is that it’s much groovier than all the others that came before. It’s sexier, without the lasciviousness. Bon Scott was someone you wouldn’t let near your daughter. Hell, you might not let him near your son or your dog or your mail carrier. He was a scary, dirty motherfucker. Brian Johnson, whose voice is more in line with the epic metal sounds we have come to recognize (Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford come to mind), he’s a bloke who you want to have a beer with. And, while your drinking, your sister might come in the bar and join you guys. And, before you know it, you’re so drunk that you didn’t notice Brian and your sister leave and when you stumble out to the car and you find him humping her against the wall you know what? You kind of think, what the fuck. He bought the beers, he’s an okay bloke and, well, she’s a big girl. She can take care of herself.
That’s what Brian Johnson brings to AC/DC and it’s THAT element that sells 42 million copies.
How many of those 42 million people do you think ever listened to side one? It’s side two where Back in Black and You Shook Me live. Side one is just great AC/DC, though. Shoot to Thrill? Great. Givin’ the Dog a Bone? Great. What do you do for money honey? Yeah, that’s great, too. Only “Let me Put My Love into You” is a disappointment, both musically and lyrically.
The other thing about this record that struck me is how it DOESN’T sound like Highway to Hell. Highway, as I said before, sounds like everything that is about to come after, all the hair metal bands. But Black doesn’t. It’s unique. It’s classic AC/DC while sounding nothing like any of their other albums. It holds up today, unlike most records released in 1980 and before. The singer is different. The songs are groovier and bigger. It’s different.
And there’s one more thing before we put this to bed:
Brian Johnson, on Back in Black, understands melody in a way that Bon Scott never could. I’m sorry to say that because the journey from Voltage to Highway has been great. Johnson just knows a melody line and how to sing it.
This record is just shy of perfect.

Grade A+
A Side: Duh. You Shook Me All Night Long & Back in Black
Blindside: Shoot to Thrill & Shake a Leg
Downside: Let Me Put My Love Into You

Listening Post: AC/DC For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.




AC/DC - For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) - 1981 (buy it)

Okay. How do you follow up the second biggest selling album of all time? One of the monsters of Rock? You try to copy the past and fail miserably.
This isn't really a carbon copy, it's more problematic than that. Brian Johnson is still in pretty good form here and the songs are somewhat acceptable but this isn't AC/DC. This is the Mutt Lange Production Project. Those big BIG drums and killer bass, that's not AC/DC. That's something else. That's.......Def Leppard. This is a Def Leppard album. And, if you strip away the production what you are left with is a bunch of guys who used to write barroom brawlers, then were thrust on the worldwide stage and giant stadiums and decided they had to write "ARENA ROCK" songs every time.
It doesn't work. It falls flat. The opener is still a great song, but after that, it's a downhill slide. Is there anything as bad, so far, as "Inject the Venom" or "Night of the Long Knives" in the band's repertoire? No. This is "Bandit" bad. (Bandit is a crappy metal band that Brian Johnson had a hand in years before. There's some magic here, "Snowballed" is tasty as is "Spellbound" and, perhaps, "Evil Walks". But nothing can redeem the unmitigated crapola that is the lyrics for "C.O.D."
That's just awful.

Grade C
A Side: For those About To Rock
Blindside: Snowballed
Downside: Inject the Venom

Listening Post: AC/DC The Razor's Edge

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.



AC/DC - The Razor's Edge - 1990 (buy it)

What the fuck is this???
The opening blistering guitar riff of Thunderstruck and the crystal clear production, the minimalist ball breaking rock sound is BACK!
I was so worried that I would have no reason to raise my fists in the air, make the devil horns, bang my head and then I get this. Should I worry that it's a laser tight opener and 35 minutes of filler? Not if the second track, "Fire your guns" is any indication. Could the time off malcolm took from the Blow Up Your Video tour to get over alcoholism have had anything to do with this? Surely, taking any songwriting chores out of Brian Johnson's hands has had some positive effect. This album is what AC/DC should have been doing the entire last decade.
Getting their music in the hands of a producer who knows what the hell he's doing, like the late Bruce Fairbairn does here, and clearly loves the band was a smart move.
The great journeyman drummer Chris Slade (ex gary Numan, Ex Asia, ex...everybody) performs on his only AC/DC album and it's a real kick in the ass for the boys to be playing with someone so obviously more talented than any previous rhythm section. Slade is in great form as are the Young brothers.
There's a fair share of filler and pablum and they run out steam somewhere near the end but nothing is reprehensible. All things considered this is a nice return to form.
Welcome back, boys.

Grade C+
A Side: Moneytalks & Thunderstruck
Blindside: Fire Your Guns & Rock Your Heart Out
Downside: Mistress for Christmas

Listening Post: AC/DC Stiff Upper Lip

AC/DC - Stiff Upper Lip - 2000

Done.
The last AC/DC album. I want to say that I gave it my full attention and that it was a treat and that there was a lot of great stuff, but it's just not true.
After the first song, the title track which is pretty good, it just all sounds the same. It all sounds like....like them.
The answer to the question of how much AC/DC is too much AC/DC has been answered. Talk about a guest that overstays its welcome. 25 years after they did their most interesting stuff and they still want us to buy their shit. At Wal-Mart, no less.
Truth is, Stiff Upper Lip is fine. It's no better than The Razor's Edge. Not as boring as Ballbreaker. Not as bad as those three horrible ones that came after For Those About to Rock.
I do miss Bon Scott. He was the soul of this group and I don't think they ever recovered.

Okay. Whew. I'm exhausted.

Grade C
A Side: Stiff Upper Lip
Blindside: Can't Stand Still
Down Side: Safe in New York City

The 1985 Listening Post - AC/DC - Fly On the Wall

AC/DC - Fly On the Wall

#227/878

June 28 1985

AC/DC

Fly On the Wall

Genre: Rock

2.75 out of 5

Highlights:

Shake Your Foundation

I first listened to this record during an AC/DC immersion. In that context it was a huge disappointment. Now that I’m in the throes of a different immersion, I am having a different reaction. It’s not hate, though. It’s more welcoming of an old friend. 

No, it’s not the AC/DC of Back in Black. But, if you like that kind of mid-tempo, balls to the wall, rhythm guitar driven, massive muscular attack rock, this might suffice. Certainly better than Flick of the Switch, man. But that isn’t saying much. 

And Angus is all over the place here. Just uninspired and sort of doing whatever he wants. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/fly-on-the-wall/574051054

Listening Post: AC/DC Black Ice

Hey, guess what? It's time for another Listening Post. Well, not really. This is just an update. Go back into the archives and check out the AC/DC retro from last summer. Since then the boys from down under put out a new album, refused to sell tracks on iTunes, sold a monster amount and actually found me devil horning in concert at The Forum. So, how is the new one?


AC/DC - Black Ice - 2008 (buy it...at Wal-Mart)

It's good. Okay? Is it Back in Black? Guess what I'm gonna say?

You're wrong.




Gotcha. No. you're right. It's not better than BiB. But it is the best album of theirs since then. Go back and look at those reviews. After BiB it's a vast wasteland of shit. And then along comes BI and I gotta tell ya: Big Jack? With his big sack? yeah, he kicks ass. Anything Goes? It's like revisiting The Cars by way of metal.
The biggest problem with Black Ice? it's too long. Yep. That's right. it's too long by more half.
The greatest albums of the 70s were 35-40 minutes tops. AC/DC's were note perfect examples of this.
Then the CD came in and everything HAD to be 60+ minutes. Well, as a song writer, i will tell you that I don't have 60 minutes of top notch music in me. I can pull off 30. Like a stand up who has 20 great minutes but when pressed for a longer set, he falls apart, that's what the CD did to music.
And you don't have 70 minutes to devote to an album. You have 40. Twenty on the way to work and twenty on the way home.
That's perfect.
Chop off Rock and Roll Dream, a meandering, semi plodding, 80s-esque retread. Dump the insipid Smash and Grab.....you get the point.

Black Ice is a really good AC/DC album. Pound for Pound it's right up there with Highway to Hell, the weakest of the Bon Scott offerings (if that's the weakest, this band was doing something right.)

If you like the formula, you will dig the rekkid.

Grade B+
A-Side: Rock n Roll Train, Money Made, Big Jack, Anything Goes, Black Ice, War Machine
BlindSide: Too early for that, folks.
Downside: Smash and Grab, Spoiling for a Fight, Rock n Roll Dream, She likes Rock n Roll, oh, heck, they aren't downsides as much as they weight the album down. Drop two more and the album is spectacular.

listening Post: AC/DC Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.



AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap - 1976 (Buy it)

Hey, guess what? It's more of the same! I kind of have a feeling it's gonna be like this for the next 11 albums. A scary proposition at best. One which raises the question: How much AC/DC is too much AC/DC?
I don't think I've reached saturation by any means, yet. For DDDDC is a much more accomplished and solid offering. It's bluesy and ballsy and the perfect soundtrack to a ripped jeans, beach town living pot-filled summer. A nice companion to Voltage, I found myself grooving to DD a lot more. For one thing, the first half of the album clips along at a neat pace, nothing clocking over 4 minutes like the first offering. Much of the songs on that album sounded like excuses for guitar solos but not here. Here it actually seems like Scott has some stuff he wants to say. It's still all girls and balls and money and rock but it's less obnoxious. The song Big Balls being the obvious exception. That is just embarrassing.
Yet, for all the bombast and bloat that pervaded that album, the longest one here clocks in at over 7 minutes and is never boring. Ain't no fun (waiting to be a millionaire) is a joy, accelerating and groovy, it's the kind of performance that suggests that they might be better live than on record.
Another point that I would like to make is that this time around they seem to have found the endings to their songs. Tunes come to conclusions more than the easy and lazy fade outs of the first record.
And, with "Squealer" Bon Scott shows just what a lascivious and dirty fuck he is.

Grade B
A Side: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Blindside: Squealer
Downside: Big Balls. (Please. Stop with the ball talk.) Ride On. These guys just aren't slo-groove guys.

Listening Post: AC/DC Let There Be Rock

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.



AC/DC - Let There Be Rock - 1977 (buy it)

Oh, that fucking title. This is what Spinal Tap was after, wasn't it? It's almost hard to crank this one up without thinking about Tap. But, from the first clang, Nigel Tufnel goes away and Malcolm and Angus have their say.
This is different. It's familiar, it sounds like the AC/DC I expect and am more comfortable with. It's a big sound. Wider. Grander. But, it's also slightly less clear. The bass doesn't pound as much as thump. The drums are set way back except for the high hat and when the rest is really needed. This is the Young/Young/Scott show. It's aggressive and breathless. I'm really surprised the album doesn't kick off with the "Let there be Rock" track because THAT'S a showpiece. The first one, the dirty oral sex song (Bon......!) and the socio-political Dog Eat Dog don't even begin to set the table for what is about to come. The truth is, the album could be 40 minutes of that track and I'm not sure I would tire of it. (How have I never heard this song before???)
After that the boys settle in for some classic rock and I just want to get into a convertible with a blonde with big tits and white sunglasses and drive up the Pacific Coast Highway. I don't even mind the repeat of Problem Child that much It replaces the racier "Crabsody in Blue" (a racy tune about crabs v.d. that the label had removed).
On "Overdose" Bon is finally showing some signs of vulnerability. being hooked on a woman's love is not what I would have expected from the guy talking about how big his balls were just an album before. But, then again, maybe he is overdosed on the oral talents of Ruby, the object of affection from the opener "Go Down".
Oh, yeah. THIS is the record that unleashed "Whole Lotta Rosie". You know AC/DC is the only band I know of that has more female cover bands than any other. One of them was "Girls Got Rhythm", who had a smokin' hot asian chick lead guitarist who who smile as she shredded and a clumsy but super cute bassist who would get tangled in her cables.
The other was "Whole Lotta Rosies". I wish I had seen them. Any band that names themselves after this classic scorcher must blow the doors down.

Grade A
A Side: Whole Lotta Rosie
Blindside: Let There Be Rock (Yeah, I'm probably the only one who doesn't know it, but does it get ANY airplay after 1978?)
Downside: Problem Child (only because it's a repeat place holder)

The 1981 Listening Post - Slade - Til Deaf Do Us Part

 Slade - Til Deaf Do Us Part

#570

By Rob Slater

November 13 1981

Slade

Till Deaf Do Us Part

Rob Slater

Genre: Father of AC/DC, Grandpa of Quiet Riot, Brother of Sweet, and on this album Son of    QUEEN!

Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Rob’s Rating: Solid 4.75 (was a 4 on the first listen.)

Highlights:   

“M'hat M'coat” - Amazing, bluesy instrumental

"Ruby Red"

"That Was no Lady that Was My Wife"

"Knuckle Sandwich Nancy"

Nevermind, they’re all good.

This album’s running theme (joke) is Rock ‘n’ Roll Religion. You can see it in five of the titles and hear it in many of the other lyrics.   

The opening of "Rock and Roll Preacher (Hallelujah I'm on Fire)" is, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to...” This isn't Prince, but makes you wonder if he heard it and a few years later it inspired the beginning to his song. Though there are the more obvious inspirations.

"Lock Up Your Daughters" starts out sounding like Queen. Can you say, “Tie Your Mother Down.” Actually it continues to sound like Queen.

Both of these songs make you realize where AC/DC must have gotten some of their inspiration.

The first track rock and roll preacher sounds a lot like for those about to Rock We salute you except I think there's gunfire instead of cannon fire. Interestingly enough, Noddy, got the nod to audition for AC/DC after Bon Scott died. I think he would have been much better for AC/DC, though a major blow to SLADE (Who he didn’t tell about the audition). His naughty song writing chops would have kept things at a Bon Scott level, I think. Though we probably wouldn't have Back in Black, which would be a shame.   

"Funk Punk & Junk" (B-side of "Ruby Red") Bonus track on the new extended edition is a GREAT song. (And Slade almost always did extra B-sides of good songs that didn’t make the album. Massive amounts of music over the years.)

They remind me a lot of Sweet as well, though Sweet had a fair amount of U.S. success. It's hard to believe that these guys had put out 9ish (Some were mixes of releases) studio albums by this point. You could certainly see how Quiet Riot did fairly accurate respectful covers and made them into monster Hits in the US. But why not Slade? The mention that they’re a bunch of ugly blokes, but that didn’t seem to hurt AC/DC. They were usually costumed unusually.   

It would take an invite by Ozzy Ozbourne to open the Reading Festival as a replacement that lit the American fire. In 1981 they released TWO albums. This was the second. We'll Bring the House Down was a collection of previously released and new works. This one was all new and aimed for a harder sound. It was successful at that, but still did not bring them the recognition they deserved on this side of the pond. It would take "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway" (Which I loved.) in a few years to finally break into the American market, sadly they stopped touring in ‘83 before the Quiet Riot singles even came out.   

I wished I’d gone back then and found all this great music. If I don’t get The Very Best of Slade for Christmas or Birthday in February, (Their #1 album came out on my 7th birthday.) I will be buying it for myself! Now, excuse me, I’m going to go listen to it again.   

https://open.spotify.com/album/5TaKuX3UNuNwNLLmAFRsHG?si=BP3Si4DkT_aZQwWiD-EgjQ

listening Post: AC/DC Ballbreaker

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.




AC/DC - Ballbreaker - 1995 (buy it)

Rick Rubin. Who hasn't he worked with? Isn't Bruce Springsteen on a short list or something? I mean, really.
So, what does Rick bring to the AC/DC party? Nothing, really. Ballbreaker is just what I would hope and expect from the follow-up to return-to-form The Razor's Edge. It's blues-rock, great licks and lots of double entendre (and single entendre). I mean, "Hard as a Rock"? Subtlety is not in the Young brothers' vocabulary.
They don't reinvent the wheel here, in fact, I'm not sure anyone actually owns this besides true blue die hard fans. It's just a reason to say, "hey, we're still here and now we have a reason to tour, come see us and we'll play the stuff you love." Or something.
AllMusic says there isn't a bad song on the album and I would tend to agree but also add that there isn't a truly great song on it, either.
It will be another 5 years before AC/DC will put out their last effort (And, as of this writing, another 8 after that as they announced a new album for 2008 to only be sold at Wal-Mart).

Grade C
A Side: Ballbreaker
Blindside: Hard as a Rock
Downside: Hail Caeser

listening Post: AC/DC Flick of the Switch

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.



AC/DC - Flick of the Switch - 1983 (buy it)

From 1976 to 1981, in just five short years, AC/DC released 7 albums. They went from Bar Band extreme Bluesbreakers to Arena filling mega-supergroup. One of the founding members died. And they released the second biggest selling album of all time. Think about that. Think about the last 5 years of your life and put that into perspective. Five years. They deserved a break.
They took one.
Then they released their first album after that hiatus.

And it sucks.

With Mutt Lange off making his fortune with Def Leppard, AC/DC decided to try to emulate his magical production in studio and the result is a crappy, garbagy mess. The problem isn't just that they are so desperate to maintain that stadium sound, that's bad enough, the other problem is the new guy is kind of untalented. Johnson is now JUST a screamer, whatever melody he concocted on the two records previous must have been the creation or whipping of Lange because this is just short of screech-metal. it's just no fun. It might be if the lyrics were any good. They aren't. And nobody seems to care. Even the pencil sketch cover art feels unimportant.
There are some high points, of course, Landslide is a nice rocker, and Brain Shake should have come way earlier in the track listing, but this is just hard on the ears and hard to take.

Grade D+
A Side: Landslide
BlindSide: Bedlam in Belgium
Downside: Deep in the Hole

Listening Post: AC/DC Blow Up Your Video

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.




AC/DC - Blow Up Your Video - 1988 (buy it)

Okay. I'm more than a little daunted here. After the last two albums, and knowing just how much is on it's way, I think the only thing I can do here is to LiveBlog the listening experience to this album.
Let's get some crap out of the way first. This album comes THREE years after Fly On the Wall. Which is the longest span between releases by the band. And, as of now it's 20 years old. It came out the year after GnR ripped off everything AC/DC had ever done and went through the stratosphere with Appetite.
So, let's start.
Okay, it's not so bad.. The sound is awful but that's sort of endemic of the era. Where everything was sort of squashed and quashed and flattened and melded into one wall of noise. if not for that they actually sound good. The band is tight and the songs, so far, aren't all that offensively screechy. I know this is the last time Brian Johnson will be allowed to write lyrics for the band, probably a good thing. But something like "That's the way I wanna rock n roll" could have been written in the old days. It's just that, by now, metal was all about Metallica and Pantera and the like and unless they get back to their roots, just who is this for?
It might actually be that someone asked Brian to try to sound a little more like Bon. And he kind of does when he gets out of the screech. But, holy crow it's dull.
Halfway through and I just think they've run out of ideas. No one's pushing them to discover anything and I am bored beyond tears......
One thing I have noticed about Malcolm Young in the 80s is his penchant for ripping of Pete Townshend. He really likes the Baba O'Reilly sound. It's very noticeable. Just sayin. Not all that original. Can I turn this off now? 2 more songs????? Okay.......
All right. The album was almost ALL filler. After the first two tracks it was a chore to say the least. (I deserve something in compensation for this shit, I tell ya) The final track "This Means War" actually shows a glimmer of the old AC and gives me a sparkle of hope for the next album....


Grade D+
A side: Heatseeker
Blindside: That's the Way I Wanna Rock N Roll & This Means War
Downside: Meanstreak

Listening Post: AC/DC Powerage

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.




AC/DC - Powerage - 1978 (buy it)

My ears hurt. It turns out you can't turn your headphones loud enough for Angus Young. This is, what, their fourth album in four years!?!? They just keep sounding fresher and bolder with each release. Either they had a huge cadre of songs in the vault already or Young/Young/Scott were on a tear.
As always I think there's really no flow to the album, it's just one big barroom blisterer after another but, that's okay, I don't think they give much thought to the overall soundscape. They aren't writing concept albums here, they just want you to replace the needle of your turntable after it glows so hot from the searing licks, screaming vocals and barn-door blasting solos.
Special mention has to go to Riff-Raff. Possibly one of the greatest unheralded rock classics ever. It's on par with Queen's "Dead on Time" for me. The late 70s were a great time for this kind of music and it never feels dated.
The staples are there: Rock? Check. Girls? Check. Sex? Check. There's even a song about heroin addiction (Gone Shootin') though it's probably the weakest offering.
They're not reinventing the wheel here, to be sure. And I, for one am getting a little sick of the stupid album covers. This one is particularly bad. I imagine that it caused not a few people to avoid the album. But, it's more than a solid effort. It's the best of their catalogue so far, and after "Let There Be Rock", that's saying something.

Grade A
A Side: Rock and Roll Damnation (an album opener if I've ever heard one)
Blindside: Riff Raff (Do yourself a favor, listen to this and tell me if you don't wish Harmonix would put out an AC/DC version of Rock Band.
Downside: None. There isn't a bad song on the album.

Listening Post: AC/DC Fly on the Wall

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.




AC/DC - Fly on the Wall - 1985 (buy it)

Oh, god. Make it stop.

If I sold 50+ million records and toured the world, was a millionaire many times over I would buy a big big house somewhere, open a restaurant, play video games, raise some kids, adopt some, maybe buy a boat and cruise the world.

These guys made "Fly on the Wall".

This is no longer AC/DC. This is the Brian Johnson Band. And he wants to be in Kiss. And not classic Kiss. He wants to be in "Lick it Up" era Kiss.

You have no reason to ever hear this record. Don't.

Grade D-
A Side: Shake Your Foundations
Blindside: Nothing. That was the only listenable track.
Downside: Danger. The worst song in the catalogue so far.

Listening Post: AC/DC Highway to Hell

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.



AC/DC - Highway to Hell - 1980 (buy it)

Uh oh. What's that gigantic sound? Harmonies? Deeply expanded sonic tapestry? Why, it must be, yes, Mutt Lange!
Mr. Shania Twain! Crafter of the Def Leppard sound! The master has arrived just in time for the boys from Down Under to polish their talents to mass audience acceptance. (Incidentally, it should also be pointed out that Lange was The Boomtown Rats' producer on Boomtown Rats, Tonic for the Troops and one my favorite albums of all time, The Fine Art of Surfacing)
This is truly good stuff. And yet, strangely, it's not really any different from anything they have done in the past. It's really just "AC/DC". Everything you ever wanted from a blues-based, big riffed, cock-rock band, all neatly packaged on one album. In fact, the seeds of Leppard are in here on tracks like "Walk all over you", I believe. Although those lads were never this trenchant.
There's clunky junky stuff that is the genesis of glam rock that was about to come around the corner. I'm think about Touch Too Much which sounds a touch too much like Ratt will in just a few years. The more I think about it, I have to wonder just how many hair metal bands of the 80s picked up an axe and decided to be rock stars after they heard Highway to Hell? Everything that is Poison, Ratt, Motley Crue, Bulletboys and their ilk seems to have sprung from THIS record. That doesn't mean this is bad. Not by a long shot. The copies are just not as good as the original, that's all. And it seems that those bands took the big, anthemic cathedral of guitar sound and decided to forego the lead licks (I'm looking at YOU, Jet!) Too bad. But, maybe not.
Thing is, though, and this isn't the band's fault, but does "Get it Hot" sound familiar to anyone else? Like Leppard's Photograph? Now, that shouldn't reflect badly on the band, but I can't get it out of my head. I WANT to say, 'hey, it came first!' but, the latter song is better so it just dampens my experience. (I know it's not fair or right, but, fuck it, what can I do?) In fact, it's quite possible that the spectre of all that will spawn from this release haunts it and makes it difficult for me to appreciate it on it's own. Maybe if it was 1979 and I was hearing it for the first time that would be different but it's not. Its 29 years later and, sadly, there are no surprises on H2H. Not like the albums that came before.
Interestingly, the last song, Night Prowler, is so ominous and final and dirge-like that it's appropriately followed in their catalogue by the bells on "Hell's Bells".
Sadly.

Grade B+
A Side: Highway to Hell & Girls Got Rhythm
Blindside: Night Prowler. A heavy, dense and sad coda.
Downside: Love Hungry Man & Shot Down in Flames (Bon's just running out of ideas here and it's hard to believe that he has trouble getting laid at this point in his superstar rock band life. I don't buy it and the song sounds forced and fake)

The 1981 Listening Post - Krokus - Hardware

 Krokus - Hardware

#154

by Rob Slater

March 1981

Krokus

Hardware

Genre: Wanna Be AC/DC, Judas Priest, and the Scorpions. 

Allen’s rating: 2 out of 5

Grade/Rating: B-. 3.25 out of 5. (Initial score was a 2.75 C-) 

Highlights: (Best of the B-sides)

Celebration

Burning Bones

Rock City

Winning Man

So, AC/DC was stupid not to grab the Krocus lead singer when Bon Scott died. If you have not heard, "Tonight, Long Stick Goes Boom," go to the corner and listen to it right now. Better than Brian Johnson, eh? Though I suppose it's hard to argue with Back in Black. But it was like AC/DC shot their.... uh... stuff with that one. After that it was one decent song per album, maybe…. 

Celebration is a good opener. Rockin’ but not too rockin’. Followed by Easy Rocker, alo decent, basically about that guy who wishes he was in the band or at least a Roadie.

The next two, Mr. 69? Smelly Nelly? It's kind of obvious that English is not the first language of these guys. but one has to appreciate the balls to the wall sort of choices they make. And from another album, the aforementioned "Tonight, Long Stick Goes Boom." They've got the idea, even if they tend to be offensive and are not subtle and did not have the innuendo and word play of Bon Scott era AC/DC. 

She’s Got Everything is utterly acceptable 80s metal and as utterly forgettable. 

Burning Bones of War. Lyrics are actually pretty cool on this one. Not like many of the others, though reading the lyrics enhanced my appreciation, though it also included some revulsion.

Rock City is pretty decent, at least as good as KISS’s Rock City, though I know I'm speaking sacrilege for some people. This is a good example of the voice that should have replaced Bon Scott. And I'm pretty sure they used an English rhyming dictionary to come up with as many words that rhyme with rockin’ as possible. 

The next song, Winning Man, foreshadows their later big pop hits, like Screaming in The Night, my favorite Krokus song. I actually like it quite a bit. 

Interestingly enough the band Krokus also had a guitarist named Tom Kiefer, the same name as the lead singer guitarist and primary songwriter of the band Cinderella. Thankfully, he only wrote one song, Smelly Nelly.

Interesting factoid: Chris von Rohr, bassist/keyboardist (original drummer, then lead vocalist) and Tommy Kiefer, both former members of Kaktus. Also, since I need to figure out a way to mention Spinal Tap… These guys had Eleven (11) drummers! And 10 guitarists, 9 bass players, 8 lead singers, 7 keyboardists, 6 albums that charted in the U.S., 5 members of the “Classic” Krokus, 4 hits that were covers, 3 major guest singers, 2 live albums and 1 partridge in a pear tree. 

Give them points for writing all the songs on this album themselves, whereas, later they relied on covers for the hits. They did have some pretty impressive guest singers later, Bruce Dickinson, Jimi Jameson, and Rob Halford. 

So, definitely one of those, “Buy the Greatest Hits collection,” bands. I listened to it a lot while I was doing construction and fighting the rain and wind to keep said construction dry and together!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5CK8mbL1Yr6iWRfrsMTHeW?si=b_aOolJaRUCWNFYba3l8YQ

Listening Post: AC/DC High Voltage

They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let's find out.



AC/DC - High Voltage - 1976 (Buy it)

High Voltage explodes with a crunchy, stereo-guitar assault that sort of winks at KISS and says, "Oh, yeah? THIS is what you're trying to sound like!".
It's pretty audacious in lyrical content, too. Now, I don't imagine that Bon Scott is too deep a guy and judging from what I've heard here, I'm right. He's interested in telling you how great he is, how great they are, how much like sex, girls and rock. I think that's fine. I mean, that's sort of the template for rock and roll all the way back to Leadbelly, isn't it? Here it's dressed up in a more vicious posturing that will either influence or happen to come at the same time as Foghat, ZZ Top and every fist pumping blues based bar band that ever came down the "Classic Rock" road.
The audacity I am talking about is "It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll". Spoken with such authority, as is "Rock and Roll Singer" the guys come across as seasoned Rock vets telling it like it is. In truth, this is their first album, basically a redux of the same stuff from a year earlier when Epic picked up their contract.
There can be no surprise here, however, just a passing appreciation. Inasmuch as they were just putting their spin on Blues Rock and were SO influential that this seems tame.
It has it's moments, though. And it definitely has me looking forward to more.

Grade B
A Side: T.N.T. & It's a Long Way To The Top [if you wanna rock and roll]
Blindside: Can I Sit Next To You Girl? (Unexpectedly goofy and glammy)
Downside: The Jack (I actually fell asleep listening to it and had to go back to make sure it was as dull as I thought)

The 1983 Listening Post - AC/DC - A Flick of the Switch

AC/DC - A Flick of the Switch

#141
August 1983
AC/DC
Flick of the Switch
2.75 out of 5

Highlights:
Landslide
Brain Shake

Whatever alchemy and magic that was Back in Black is almost completely gone by the time Flick of the Switch happened. Mutt Lange is out and whatever he did to Brian Johnson to make him into an elite arena rock singer he must’ve taken with him when he left cuz this is just a lot of screaming.
But, honestly, from 1975 - 1980 this band just crushed it. Sure, For Those About to Rock sounded like they were trying to deliver more of the same that brought them massive success, and that almost succeeded. This is a band trying to “get back to our roots” without realizing that they exist in a terrarium.
It’s sluggish and so often I wanted to list a song as a “highlight” but Brian’s shrieking would deter me.