1981 – AC/DC

In honor of the new AC/DC release “Power Up“, let’s revisit one of the greatest rock albums of all time shall we?

Yes, yes “Back In Black” is one of the best selling albums in music history, 50 million copies yada, yada, yada. We all know that record kicks your ass out the door, into the street and down the block with such classic tracks as “You Shook Me All Night Long“, “Hells Bells“, Shoot To Thrill” and don’t forget the unprecedented title track and well, ok so every song on the bloody album.

Since that topic has been talked to death, let me kindly remind everyone of a certain little “Back In Black” follow up album that just happens to be one of my favorite AC/DC albums of all time.

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I shall begin by saluting one of the greatest rock guitarists and head bangers to ever walk the Earth, Mr. Angus Young.

Now that I have that out of the way, let’s rock!

Following up on the success of the bands seventh album in 1980, number eight is a pure force to be reckoned with. Wasting no time, the band opens the album with a title track that just kicks you right in the balls (ladies, just pretend).

Leading with a slow, methodical guitar riff that screams “This song is seriously going to rock!”, Angus nods his head back and forth and prepares for the battle to begin. Backed up by the hard hitting Phil Rudd on drums, the kick and snare drums are reminiscent of bombs and gunfire going off on the battlefield. Forty eight seconds in, from out of nowhere the battle cry of lead singer Brian Johnson melts the mascara right off your face (guys, just pretend).

The first minute of this album is definitely one of the greatest first minutes of any rock song, ever.

And the record never lets up.

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Track List

I’ve linked a few of my favorites above, but really the album as a whole has such a great sound, it gives me chills. Thanks Mutt! This is pure hard driving rock-n-roll energy!

“The curse of love is the cause of the pain

The crime of the day is when you do it again”

C.O.D. – AC/DC

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Unfortunately, this is the last of the Mutt Lange productions.

Three incredible records in three years, quite a run. If only all AC/DC records could have been Mutt-ified.

Mutt-ified [mut-tuh-fahyd]

verb – Calling on the ancient gods to magically combine the forces of music to create a thunderstorm of rock.

adjective – Having a natural magnetism that attracts incredibly hot women.

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For Those About To Rock (We Salute You), what a kick ass way to say – “Hey fans, we love you!”

“We rock at dawn on the front line

Like a bolt right outta the blue

The skies alight with a guitar bite

Heads will roll and rock tonight”

-AC/DC

The song has become a rock anthem and the rest of the album right along with it. Riding on the wave of success created by “Back In Black”, the album “For Those About To Rock” went double platinum in the US and became AC/DC’s first and only number one record in America. The album held that claim to fame until the release of “Black Ice” in 2008.

Without a doubt, a fun, hard rockin’ record that belongs in your vinyl collection. My 1981 original pressing still calls out to me from the “A” section every now and then. Sometimes, I just gotta scratch that itch.

So…

“Pick up your balls and load up your cannon

For a twenty one gun salute”

-For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)”

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The new one from AC/DC – Power UP