AC/DC - Power Up available November 13

[James Bond]

Finally giving the vinyl a proper crank today, and wow. What a difference! And it gives me an even further appreciation of Stevie's playing hearing him loud and clear.

[Powerage5]

I've been revisiting some older AC/DC material for the first time in a while. A few thoughts...

 

High Voltage (Australian version) is the most interesting album they've released, simply because it doesn't fit the AC/DC mold. There's a few hints at where the band is heading - namely She's Got Balls and Stick Around, but most of it is a band that's very much still finding their sound and image. Love Song is cheesy as fuck, but it's not the worst song in their catalogue (Hell, it's not even the worst song on the album - that's Little Lover if you ask me). Baby Please Don't Go and Show Business are some nice bluesy numbers. It's really amazing how much the band evolved between here and TNT in a matter of months. 

 

I'll fight anyone that doesn't think The Razor's Edge era is the band's live peak, at least in the Brian era. AC/DC Live is such a phenomenal live album - every band member is firing on all cylinders. Brian sounds like he's just chewed an entire back of razors and laying down some of the meanest vocals he's ever recorded, Slade pushing the tempos to breakneck speeds, the backing vocals from Cliff and Mal sounding extra gritty, and I love Angus' slightly heavier, more distorted tone in that era. The fact that it's a compilation live album actually does that lineup more justice because it shows it wasn't a one-off stellar gig they did. 

[James Bond]

12 hours ago, Powerage5 said:

I've been revisiting some older AC/DC material for the first time in a while. A few thoughts...

 

High Voltage (Australian version) is the most interesting album they've released, simply because it doesn't fit the AC/DC mold. There's a few hints at where the band is heading - namely She's Got Balls and Stick Around, but most of it is a band that's very much still finding their sound and image. Love Song is cheesy as fuck, but it's not the worst song in their catalogue (Hell, it's not even the worst song on the album - that's Little Lover if you ask me). Baby Please Don't Go and Show Business are some nice bluesy numbers. It's really amazing how much the band evolved between here and TNT in a matter of months. 

 

I'll fight anyone that doesn't think The Razor's Edge era is the band's live peak, at least in the Brian era. AC/DC Live is such a phenomenal live album - every band member is firing on all cylinders. Brian sounds like he's just chewed an entire back of razors and laying down some of the meanest vocals he's ever recorded, Slade pushing the tempos to breakneck speeds, the backing vocals from Cliff and Mal sounding extra gritty, and I love Angus' slightly heavier, more distorted tone in that era. The fact that it's a compilation live album actually does that lineup more justice because it shows it wasn't a one-off stellar gig they did. 

Love Song is such an oddity in the catalogue. Part of me thinks it is the worst thing I've ever heard, but the other part of me thinks it's amazing.

AC/DC Live was the first album I got and it had a huge impact on me, so I can't disagree at all. What a monstrous album and the production is fantastic! Most of the album seems to have been left alone too based on the bootleg versions I've listened to, which is all the more impressive. They really did sound that amazing on that tour.

From memory Thunderstruck had the most fixes (the take is from Donington and if you listen to the audience version Angus botched the solo entirely), and Brian's phrasing has changed as well. No matter though. Definitely the band's live peak!

[Tom2112]

On 11/25/2020 at 8:11 PM, Sosso said:

What a shame that Malcolm's last album with the band was so average. He deserved a better final call if you ask me. 

To me Black ice had the best single since the Razors Edge with Rock N Roll Train. I wouldn't say it's their best work but as a final album that he played on, I think it's pretty decent! Some mid-paced filler, but Power up has the same problem. There are forgettable songs on a lot of AC/DCs albums.

Black Ice

War Machine

Rock N roll train

Anything goes

Skies On Fire

Shot in the dark

Systems down

Realize

Moneyshot

Got Some Rock n roll thunder

baptism by fire

 

not done in any order of how I'd sequence them, but I think these are some of the best stuff... now, I had to go back and remember that some of these exist! so even with cherry picking there's still some filler!

[Sydney Fan]

On 11/30/2020 at 1:00 PM, Powerage5 said:

I've been revisiting some older AC/DC material for the first time in a while. A few thoughts...

 

High Voltage (Australian version) is the most interesting album they've released, simply because it doesn't fit the AC/DC mold. There's a few hints at where the band is heading - namely She's Got Balls and Stick Around, but most of it is a band that's very much still finding their sound and image. Love Song is cheesy as fuck, but it's not the worst song in their catalogue (Hell, it's not even the worst song on the album - that's Little Lover if you ask me). Baby Please Don't Go and Show Business are some nice bluesy numbers. It's really amazing how much the band evolved between here and TNT in a matter of months. 

 

I'll fight anyone that doesn't think The Razor's Edge era is the band's live peak, at least in the Brian era. AC/DC Live is such a phenomenal live album - every band member is firing on all cylinders. Brian sounds like he's just chewed an entire back of razors and laying down some of the meanest vocals he's ever recorded, Slade pushing the tempos to breakneck speeds, the backing vocals from Cliff and Mal sounding extra gritty, and I love Angus' slightly heavier, more distorted tone in that era. The fact that it's a compilation live album actually does that lineup more justice because it shows it wasn't a one-off stellar gig they did. 

Agree about TRE. Im glad they released moneytalks as a single. I felt it was a stronger single than thundrrstruck.

Edited December 3, 2020 by Sydney Fan

[James Bond]

6 hours ago, Sydney Fan said:

Agree about TRE. Im glad they released moneytalks as a single. I felt it was a stronger single than thundrrstruck.

Charted higher too. But no, Brian says it's a stinker to sing! We need a change.org petition to bring Moneytalks back to its rightful place in the set! I don't care if Angus tunes down to A for it.

Whew. Needed to get that out.

[Powerage5]

37 minutes ago, James Bond said:

Charted higher too. But no, Brian says it's a stinker to sing! We need a change.org petition to bring Moneytalks back to its rightful place in the set! I don't care if Angus tunes down to A for it.

Whew. Needed to get that out.

I just don’t get that excuse. It’s not way out of his range, especially not compared to some of the staples off BIB, and Thunderstruck. The only thing I can think of is it’s one that really might not sound great without Brian’s overly raspy TRE voice, and he can’t pull off that level of rasp anymore

 

It’s honestly one of my all time favorite AC/DC songs. It works great as a single with one of their catchiest choruses and some great riffs, one of Brian’s best vocal performances also. 

[Powerage5]

I really wish AC/DC would start a "From The Vaults" series a la the Stones. For a band that is very much a live band, there really isn't that much live material officially released; If You Want Blood, AC/DC Live, Let There Be Rock The Movie, Live From The Atlantic Studios, No Bull, Stiff Upper Lip Live, Plug Me In, and Live From River Plate. There's a lot more stuff that we know exists, and I'd imagine a lot more we don't know exists. It would be great to see Bondi Lifesaver 1977, the full Glasgow 1978 video, full versions of either Detroit or Houston 1983, Donington 1984, Rio 1985, Moscow 1991, VH1 Uncut, Paris 2001 (Or some other SUL gig with alternate tracks, if they exist), and of course some gig from the Rock Or Bust tour be it with Brian or with Axl, and that' just the stuff we know exists. I can't imagine what else we don't know is in the vaults. 

[James Bond]

I'd settle for an expanded version of Plug Me In that includes full concerts from each tour rather than just highlights. One of my disappointments with that package!

[Sydney Fan]

13 hours ago, James Bond said:

Charted higher too. But no, Brian says it's a stinker to sing! We need a change.org petition to bring Moneytalks back to its rightful place in the set! I don't care if Angus tunes down to A for it.

Whew. Needed to get that out.

I dont buy the whole difficult to sing. I personnaly think some songs on BIB take more effort to sing than "money". It was a well charted single, and a favourite amonv the fanbase, so i dont know why they dont bring it back in some vocal form.

[James Bond]

9 hours ago, Sydney Fan said:

I dont buy the whole difficult to sing. I personnaly think some songs on BIB take more effort to sing than "money". It was a well charted single, and a favourite amonv the fanbase, so i dont know why they dont bring it back in some vocal form.

I half expect Brian intended it as tongue in cheek and it probably has more to do with Angus, but nevertheless you're right. Half the set is more difficult to sing!

[Sosso]

9 hours ago, Sydney Fan said:

I dont buy the whole difficult to sing. I personnaly think some songs on BIB take more effort to sing than "money". It was a well charted single, and a favourite amonv the fanbase, so i dont know why they dont bring it back in some vocal form.

Phil Rudd is the problem. He didn't wanted play to the songs from Fly on the Wall to The Razors Edge. He was forced to play Thunderstruck regulary but that's it. 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Sosso

[James Bond]

42 minutes ago, Sosso said:

Phil Rudd is the problem. He didn't wanted play to the songs from Fly on the Wall to The Razors Edge. He was forced to play Thunderstruck regulary but that's it. 

They've played Who Made Who with Phil, and Angus also didn't bring it back with Slade so I don't think Phil has any sway over the set list.

They've seldomly played any "new" songs beyond the album's touring cycle since TRE in general.

[Sosso]

2 hours ago, James Bond said:

They've played Who Made Who with Phil, and Angus also didn't bring it back with Slade so I don't think Phil has any sway over the set list.

They've seldomly played any "new" songs beyond the album's touring cycle since TRE in general.

They played Who Made Who only one or two times. My source is the biography of Murray Engleheart. He said that Phil didn't feel comfortable with playing the songs of other drummers.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Sosso

[Powerage5]

33 minutes ago, Sosso said:

They played Who Made Who only one or two times. My source is the biography of Murray Engleheart. He said that Phil didn't feel comfortable with playing the songs of other drummers.

Which is an equally baffling excuse as Brian’s vocals. I mean, it’s AC/DC - it’s literally a basic four beat on drums regardless of the song. 

[Sosso]

9 minutes ago, Powerage5 said:

Which is an equally baffling excuse as Brian’s vocals. I mean, it’s AC/DC - it’s literally a basic four beat on drums regardless of the song. 

I think he's just to proud to play those songs. He was asked about the period without him in a recent interview. He just said something like "They were doing fine" and "someone else took my spot". 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Sosso

[James Bond]

Yeah it's not like AC/DC went through some prog phase after Phil left or anything. It's the same beat in every song.

Different than something like KISS where Peter Criss would of had a heart attack if he attempted to play Creatures of the Night.

[Sosso]

21 minutes ago, James Bond said:

Yeah it's not like AC/DC went through some prog phase after Phil left or anything. It's the same beat in every song.

Different than something like KISS where Peter Criss would of had a heart attack if he attempted to play Creatures of the Night.

Like I said, Phil had his very own reasons to avoid those songs. 

[Sydney Fan]

8 hours ago, Sosso said:

Phil Rudd is the problem. He didn't wanted play to the songs from Fly on the Wall to The Razors Edge. He was forced to play Thunderstruck regulary but that's it. 

Really?. That's petty and really shit. You would think he would have no issues , considering he left voluntarily from when simon wright joined.

[Sosso]

1 hour ago, Sydney Fan said:

Really?. That's petty and really shit. You would think he would have no issues , considering he left voluntarily from when simon wright joined.

Nope, he didn't left on his own. He was fired because of his drug issues and a fist fight with Mal.

[James Bond]

If Angus says, "Hey, we're bringing back Moneytalks on the Power Up Tour."

What is Phil going to do? Quit? I find a hard time believing that Phil is the sole reason why the set list has been relatively unchanged for 30 years.

[Powerage5]

11 minutes ago, James Bond said:

If Angus says, "Hey, we're bringing back Moneytalks on the Power Up Tour."

What is Phil going to do? Quit? I find a hard time believing that Phil is the sole reason why the set list has been relatively unchanged for 30 years.

I could maybe see Angus (And Mal in the past) respecting Phil’s wishes to not play songs from during his absence out of respect. But at the same time I remember during the promo for ROB Angus and Cliff (I think?) did an AMA on Reddit where someone asked why they shy away from mid 80’s material. They said they try to please everyone and if there’s enough of a demand to hear that stuff they’ll play it. I can’t imagine they only said that because they knew Phil wouldn’t be touring ROB. And Moneytalks definitely fits the bill of a song that’s highly requested to be played live - it’s a respectably well known radio single which plenty of casuals know, but also so infrequently played that the hardcore fans would be happy with it. It’s literally the ideal song to play live if you want everyone to be happy. 
 

I have a feeling there isn’t any single reason why some stuff is shied away from live - there seems to be a lot of conflicting info from various sources on the topic. 

[Sosso]

You may have noticed that they kept a couple of songs from the Simon Era on TRE tour. They suddenly dissapeared when Phil rejoined the band. (Who Made Who doesn't count for me because he has only played that song once or twice). 

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Sosso

[James Bond]

I think Who Made Who had more to do with Angus. It's a bitch to play and he was already struggling with it so that's why it was likely dropped. If you listen to the Ballbreaker version he ditches the hybrid picking entirely for the G section and ups the octave to make it easier, and even then he is sloppy.

Heatseeker and That's The Way only lasted two tours. Hard as a Rock only lasted two tours then disappeared. Stiff Upper Lip the same. Rock And Roll Train the same (so far). The only song that has survived on all subsequent tours beyond the album cycle (since 1988) is Thunderstruck.

So I don't think Phil counts for the sudden disappearance of Simon/Chris songs when the pattern of dropping songs beyond the album cycle except the lead single has continued.

[Powerage5]

5 minutes ago, James Bond said:

I think Who Made Who had more to do with Angus. It's a bitch to play and he was already struggling with it so that's why it was likely dropped. If you listen to the Ballbreaker version he ditches the hybrid picking entirely for the G section and ups the octave to make it easier, and even then he is sloppy.

Heatseeker and That's The Way only lasted two tours. Hard as a Rock only lasted two tours then disappeared. Stiff Upper Lip the same. Rock And Roll Train the same (so far). The only song that has survived on all subsequent tours beyond the album cycle (since 1988) is Thunderstruck.

So I don't think Phil counts for the sudden disappearance of Simon/Chris songs when the pattern of dropping songs beyond the album cycle except the lead single has continued.

I had never listened to WMW 96 before, even though I knew it had been played once. Wow, that does sound really rough from Angus. But as you pointed out it’s probably one of the most difficult lead guitar tracks in AC/DC’s catalogue. Brian sounded great though, and I say that not being a massive fan of his Ballbreaker era voice. 

 

A part of me hopes Riff Raff stays in rotation after it got dusted off with Axl. Brian really did it justice when they did that one in VH1 Uncut.