AC/DC: Still dirty, still dirt cheap
By Scott Ehrlich
Old Gold and Black Reviewer

> February 16, 2001

The Australian powerhouse act AC/DC was formed around the thunderous rhythms of Malcolm Young combined with the lightning-fast guitar work of brother Angus. When teamed up with vocalist Bon Scott, bassist Larry Van Knedt, and drummer Colin Burgess, AC/DC (named for the types of electricity the Young brothers say they saw on their sister’s hair dryer) was ready to go. Angus, on the suggestion of his sister, donned his school uniform on stage. The look, combined with the great music of their first two albums High Voltage and TNT, made AC/DC a hit in Australia.

Armed with a new bass player, Cliff Williams, AC/DC moved on to tour internationally. The band quickly garnered a cult following thanks to their raucous guitar riffs and stage shows. Fueled by the single “Whole Lotta Rosie,” the album Let There Be Rock gave the band its first chart success in the U.K. However, 1979’s Highway to Hell, centered around the single of the same name, was the band’s breakthrough hit.

But on Feb. 19, 1980, Scott was found dead in a friend’s car. After a night of binge drinking, Scott had choked on his own vomit and died.

It looked like AC/DC had peaked, never again to reach the height that they had briefly found in 1979. On the contrary, Back in Black, the first album with new frontman Brian Johnson, is widely considered one of the greatest rock albums ever. The album rose to No. 1 in the U.K. and Australia and No. 4 in the United States. This 12-time platinum album featured rock anthems such as the title track, “Shook Me All Night Long” and “Hell’s Bells.”

The 1981 follow-up, For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) topped the American charts for three weeks. Further successful albums Flick of the Switch and Who Made Who kept AC/DC in the spotlight throughout the 1980s, as did their lavish live shows.

But things were not always great for the band.

Young had to take a hiatus upon admitting to his alcohol addiction. Fans of the band were trampled at an another show, leading to mainstream criticism of the band. Also, a criminal known as the Night Stalker was arrested while wearing an AC/DC hat, which lead to harsh unmerited accusations against the band’s morals.

Still, the band persevered in spite of adversity. The Razor’s Edge, with the hit “Thunderstruck” reached No. 2 on the U.S. album charts. A successful live album in 1992 and the follow-up Ballbreaker both showed that AC/DC was still on top of their game. In 1997, the band released Bonfire, a box set tribute to their late lead singer.

AC/DC remains one of the greatest and most renowned acts in rock ‘n’ roll. Their advancing ages have done nothing to slow them down. Their highly successful tour for the 2000 release Stiff Upper Lip sold out arenas all over the country.

Now, the band has decided to return to the United States for a second leg of the tour. The band promised to hit cities they missed the first time around, good news for AC/DC fans in North Carolina as the band will be playing three shows in the state: Greensboro on March 29, Charlotte on March 31, and Raleigh on April 1. As I saw last year watching this tour rock in Philadelphia, AC/DC is clearly back in black. For everyone about to rock by seeing this legendary band, I salute you.