The extraordinary destiny of AC/DC, a group of siblings and friends who started from nothing, who managed to conquer the planet with riffs, rock-solid songs and unstoppable live performances.
“At a time when every band was trying to show off with synths, these guys were setting the stage,” Keith Richards recalls of AC/DC in its late seventies incarnation. A fitting compliment for a band that, like the Stones, did so much to recapture Chuck Berry's formula: catchy guitar riffs and clever wordplay.
Malcolm and Angus Young are in awe of the success of their older brother George and his band the Easybeats, the first Australian combo to enter a British top ten. During the early days of AC/DC, the line-ups changed one after the other to the rhythm of pub concerts, showing Angus Young wowing the gallery with his wild solos and his school uniform, which he still wears today.
The arrival of Ronald “Bon” Scott, a friend of their brother George, to replace the original singer, Dave Evans, marked a turning point in their career. In late 1974, the new line-up recorded High Voltage. It quickly became a hit in Australia and increased AC/DC's reputation: they delivered hairy rock'n'roll and virile lyrics (“She's Got Balls”). The following year, “TNT” became their first popular anthem; “It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll)” was also adopted as a Bon Scott signature tune. By 1975, AC/DC had become the most successful rock band on the island continent.
The band's first push for world domination came in 1976, when they signed an international deal with the Atlantic label. The band spent most of the year touring Europe, benefiting from the experience of their “elders” whom they supported, such as Black Sabbath, Kiss, Blue Ă–yster Cult and Aerosmith. To accompany the tour, an “international” version of High Voltage was released, bringing together tracks from the first two Australian albums.
AC/DC took a big leap forward in 1976 with the release of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Like High Voltage, it was offered in an international edition (which reached number three in the US charts in 1981). Both versions, however, included three classics: the iconic title track, the lively “Problem Child” and the surprisingly introspective “Ride On” – which Scott sang a few days before his death with French rockers Trust, who also covered “Problem Child”.
Throughout the remainder of the 1970s, AC/DC continued to gain international recognition, breaking into the big leagues with Let There Be Rock (1977) and Powerage (1978). In 1979, the band teamed up with producer Robert “Mutt” Lange; the raw sound of their early recordings was refined, but the essential energy of their live performances was retained. Together, they released Highway to Hell (1979), AC/DC's first album to enter the US top 20.
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