AC/DC

AC/DC is a group of music Australia N, pioneer of the Hard rock (called sometimes Hard Blues Rock'n'roll ).

Music

The compositions of the group are in the purest line of the Blues and Rock “roll: binary measurement (very supported at AC/DC), pentatonic Range (used in Blues) and solo of Guitar.
Les saturated guitars (the sound Marshall), the squeaking voice and the aggressiveness of the pieces arrange AC/DC in the category Hard rock. However, the music of AC/DC is impressed blues as well in the solos ( Touch Too Much …) that in the fronts ( The Jack , Stiff Upper Lip …).
Qualifier the music of AC/DC of Heavy Metal is abusive so much it is close to the structure common to the Blues and the Rock. Only tracks of the album The Razor' S Edge and Thunderstruck borrow some elements from the metal.

La pallet of agreements employed by the Young brothers is rather simple; agreements of Mi5, La5, Si5, generally returning Ré5 (except in certain titles of the album Ballbreaker and in The Razor' S Edge). The discography of AC/DC is particularly homogeneous, as well on the level of the style as of quality. The music of the group evolved/moved since its formation, but its orientation remained the same one.

History

The beginning

Born in Scotland in Glasgow, the brothers Young (George, Malcolm and Angus) arrive in Australia in 1963, and settle in the suburbs of Sydney. It is George who begins the first to play of the Guitare, followed by Malcolm then Angus. In the Years 1960, George is success with the Easybeats. This success fades on Malcolm which joined in 1971 Velvet Underground of New Castle (not to be confused with that of Lou Reed). In December 1973, Malcolm creates its own group: AC/DC.

Name AC/DC comes from a suggestion of Margaret, his/her sister, who saw these initials with the back of a sewing machine of mark Singer. AC/DC is the initials for alternating current/direct current , that is to say, in French, “Alternative course/D.C. current”. However, the members of the group do not carry out the connotation that the term could have: in slang, AC/DC means “with veil and vapor”, i.e. bisexual, another satanic connotation this one, but completely distorts, defended the following translation: “Antichrist Death to Christ” (or, according to certain “Antichrist Devil' S Child”). Another idea of Margaret is the use of the uniform of schoolboy like costume (according to certain sources, Angus Young worked already at that time, certain rumors said whereas it did not take time to remove his costume of schoolboy to go to repeat, it is what would have given the idea of the costume). This uniform became integral part of the image of the group.

In 1973, the group is composed of Malcolm Young, Angus Young, Dave Evans, Larry Van Kriedt and Colin Burgess (with for respective stations, rhythmic Guitare, Guitare solo, Chant, low Guitare and battery). The exit of individual and the round of the clubs which follows bring to meet AC/DC and Michael Browning who becomes the manager of the group. The line-up undergoes many change of beater (Ron Carpenter, Russell Coleman then Peter Clack) and of bass player (Rob Bailey). Ronald “Good” Scott, the driver of the group, proposes his services of musician to the group and becomes again singer, after his beginnings in 1967 with the Spektors, then The Valentines and Fraternity, its place of driver having been for him, above all, a means like another of providing for its needs. Here are months indeed that Good scott, since its last Fraternity group, was held far away from the world of the rock'n'roll because of a serious motorbike accident.

The group records its first album High Voltage in 1975 with Malcolm Young, Angus Young, Bon Scott, George Young, Tony Currenti (guitar, song, low guitar, battery), produced by George Young and Harry Vanda, former member of the Easybeats. Left in March 1975, this album does not have discounted success. The line-up is fixed after the recruitment of Mark Evans at the low guitar and Phil Rudd at the battery.

The beginning of success

The second album of the group T.N.T leaves in February 1976 and is a success: it is sold with more 100  000 specimens.
the popularity of the group is enormous in Australia. Dirty Deeds Gives Dirt Cheap , their third album is recorded in January 1976 and leaves in September. To conquer an international recognition Micheal Browning obtains a contract with Atlantic Records.

In April 1976, AC/DC settles with London. For eight month, the group connects the concerts, as well in first part as at the head of poster. In parallel, the first albums of AC/DC leave in Europe. The group returns in Australia in December 1977.

Let There Be Rock'n'roll leaves in March 1977.

In June, Mark Evans leaves the group and is replaced by Cliff Williams. AC/DC turns from now on to the the United States mainly in opening (Reo Speedwagon, KIS, Rush, Black Sabbath…) or in small rooms. During the European round, AC/DC makes nevertheless the head of poster.

In 1978 leaves Powerage and the first album live the group, If You Want Blood . All two are great successes.

The producers Harry Vanda and George Young are isolated with the profit of Eddie Kramer (KIS, Led Zeppelin) then of Mutt Lange for the recording of Highway to Hell . Mutt Lange gives to AC/DC a sound more filled while keeping the edge which made its success. The album of the dedication leaves in July 1979. Success is phenomenal. AC/DC connects the rounds with shows always such imposing.

The death of Good Scott

February 19th, 1980, Good Scott, after one evening apparently extremely sprinkled, would have been made accompany back by certain Alisdair Kinear (undoubtedly a name of loan which was allotted to him by the police force in order to protect its true identity), which would have proposed to him to bring back it at his place. Good, deadened in a Renault 5, would have been according to the declarations of Kinear to the police force absolutely impossible to awake. Kinear, rather than to bring back Good at his place, would have decided to take it along to its own residence, hoping that it had awaked during the way. The singer sleeping always once the two made men, Kinear would have left it in the car, covering it with a cover and barring the vehicle. The following day, late in the afternoon, Kinear would have awaked, would have remembered its passenger and would be descended to seek it. Arrived at the car and finding still deadened Good, it would have taken it along to the hospital where the doctors would have noted that it was already deceased, death being due to an asphyxiation caused by its own vomiting. This version of the facts is not completely attested, only the causes of not died of Good are certain.

Whereas this death could have been the crushing argument of the career of AC/DC, the group decides to continue. It is Brian Johnson which will take the station of the singer.

The members will pay homage then to him by playing a piece of guitar: “Bonny”, at the time of a concert in its birthplace.

Success continues

In July 1980 leaves Back in Black , less blues that Highway to Hell , always produced by Mutt Lange. This album, which begin with stories (because this one is named Hell' S Bells), is obviously a homage to Bon Scott. Back in Black becomes the second best sale of album, all categories, just after Thriller of Michael Jackson: the album was sold to 63 million specimens to him only. AC/DC then collects the prices, the rewards, the titles honorary and the first places. From now on, AC/DC makes its shows always and even more spectacular with a bronze bell of more than one struck ton of a “AC/DC” and a “ Hells Bells ”, in reference to the first track of the album.

The passion continues in 1981 with the exit of For Those About to Rock , always with Mutt Lange, and the round Canon and Bell in 1982, which will be done with guns of the American Civil War.

Decline

In 1983, AC/DC records a very binary album: Flick off the Switch , where the own-produced group for the first time. It leaves in July 1983 and is a relative commercial failure. Phil Rudd is then replaced because of reports/ratios tended with Malcolm Young.

Simon Wright takes the place of the beater within the group. In January, AC/DC is with the poster of the first edition of the Rock in Rio at the side of Van Halen or Scorpions: 2 triumphs in front of 260.000 spectators époustouflés by the phenomenon Angus Young. Fly one the Wall , left in June 1985, own-produced also, is to him as well a commercial failure as musical, like the preceding album ( Flick off the Switch ), for the fans in any case clearly a notch in lower part of the others. On the other hand, the quality in the concerts is always high.

The return to the top

The career of AC/DC is started again in 1986 when Stephen King proposes to them to make the band original of its film Maximum Overdrive . It will result from this the album Who Made Who (half compilation), produced by Harry Vanda and George Young for the first time since 1978.

In 1988, AC/DC leaves Blow up Your Video , recorded in France and produced by Harry Vanda and George Young, who ratifies the return to the top of AC/DC. Triumphal return of the group in France to the Zenith of Paris, the April 6th 1988.

At the end of the European round, Malcolm Young, exhausted by his addiction with alcohol, yields its place to its Stevie nephew who replaces it on the 110 dates of the American round.

Simon Wright leaves the group in 1989 (Malcolm reproaches him never for not being completely synchro with the other instruments of the group) and is replaced by Chris Slade. In 1990, return of Malcolm Young. AC/DC leaves The Razor' S Edge , produced by Bruce Fairbairn. The sales are enormous, and the masterly rounds. It will be recorded during the round the second live one of AC/DC: Live . It is necessary to await 1995 for the return of Phil Rudd for the battery and a new album: Ballbreaker .

Then in 2000, leaves Stiff Upper Lip , produced by George Young.

AC/DC ensured the first part of The Rolling Stones on July 30th, 2003 Toronto with the Canada.

The March 22nd 2000, a street of Leganés (close to Madrid in Spain - Comunidad of Madrid) was renamed Rue AC/DC ( Calle of AC/DC ).

Then on October 1st 2004 it is the Australian city of Melbourne which inaugurated “street AC/DC” ( ACDC Lane ).

Members

Anecdote

AC/DC, Australian group, counts only Phil Rudd which is native of Australia. For the period when the beater was Simon Wright then Chris Slade, the members all were native of the United Kingdom. The Australian legend comes from the childhood of the Young brothers and the beginnings in this country.

Material of the Guitarists

See the articles on Angus Young and Malcolm Young.

The Young brothers use mainly Marshall JTM 45 in studio and Marshall SLP 1959 100W in concert.

One can notice that the sound of AC/DC evolved/moved with the passing of years. Two major periods are distinguished:

  • Of 1973 with 1980 (before the death of Good Scott), the sound coming from the amplifiers was fatty, acute with wish with few low.
  • Of 1980 at our days, the sound evolves/moves: as of the album Back In Black, one notes an obvious change: the sound becomes hotter, more serious, and the distortion was increased.
Angus was always faithful to the Gibson SG, although it uses 17 different models of them, Malcolm, as for him uses same Gretsch Jet Firebird with the micro rest connected directly on the exit jack (disconnected volume and tonality).

Discography

Put aside the Australian versions and the box Bonfire, all these albums left in Digipack version. The first box of Bonfire contained a poster of the group, a carry-key as well as a médiator, which is not any more the case in the recent versions.

Videotex

Official:

NonOfficial:

  • 2000 - Thunder Rock'n'roll (VHS)
  • 2003 - Live '77 - Rock'n'roll Masters (DVD)
  • 2004 - Let There Be Rock'n'roll (DVD)
  • 2005 - And then there was Rock'n'roll Life before Brian (DVD)
  • 2005 - The Good Scott Years (DVD)
  • 2006 - Rough And Tough (DVD)
  • 2006 - Music in Review (DVD)
  • 2006 - Back In Black (DVD)
  • 2006 - Thunder Rock'n'roll (DVD)
  • 2007 - Highway To Hell (DVD)
  • 2007 - Good Scott - The Years Before AC/DC (DVD)
  • 2007 - Back In Black (DVD)
  • 2007 - Rock Puts Studies (DVD)

See too

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