All week we’re looking at the biggest rock band on the planet as they fast approach their 40th anniversary and, perhaps, the end of the road as a touring entity. With latest record Black Ice still shifting copies by the bucketload these boys – sorry old blokes – have proved they still have what it takes to make music that matters. And they still don’t sell their work on iTunes. Remarkable.
A is for Angus, the school uniformed tinker with a guitar for a weapon.
B is for Black Ice, the band’s first record for eight years and an absolute belter!
C is for Cliff. Mr Williams picked up the band’s bass guitar in 1977 and never looked back.
D is for Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, the band’s third record released in 1976.
E is for the Evans brothers, Mark and Dave, who were founder members of the flegling AC/DC.
F is for Fly On The Wall, possibly the poorest of all the albums this mighty band has made.
G is for George, the Young brother who has been the prime mover for the band behind the scenes.
H is for Heatseeker, one of rushonrock‘s all-time favourite AC/DC anthems.
I is for international sales. Since 1991 only the Baetles have sold more records than the Aussie legends.
J is for Johnno. Brian Johnson, the Geordie legend who has fronted one of rock’s true powerhouses since 1980.
K is for King’s College Hospital in London, where legendary singer Bon Scott died on February 19, 1980.
L is for Mutt Lange, the uber producer responsible for the sound of the band’s breakthrough 1979 record Highway To Hell.
M is for Malcolm Young, the brother of Angus and George and a real musician’s musician.
N is for the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, a rock movement inspired by AC/DC’s late 70s attitude and sound.
O is for overdose. Conspiracy theorists claim Bon Scott died from a heroin overdose rather than excessive alcohol consumption.
P is for Phil Rudd, the band’s long-serving drummer and the man who puts the thunder into Thunderstruck.
Q is for queues. You see them snakeing around every venue AC/DC ever play and they’re full of fans with huge smiles on their faces.
R is for The Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame – the band were inducted in 2003.
S is for Bon Scott, a man before his time and a sad loss to the world of rock.
T is for Thunderstruck, the anthem of choice at football grounds around the world and a typical slice of AC/DC bombast.
U is for Up To My Neck In You, a Bon Scott penned forgotten classic from the Powerage album.
V is for VH1 which ranked AC/DC fourth on the list of their 100 Greatest Artists Of Hard Rock.
W is for Whole Lotta Rosie from Let There Be Rock. Wow.
X is for Xbox 360’s brilliant AC/DC Live: Rockband. Be Brian, be Angus, be warned…
Y is for You Shook Me All Night Long from Back In Black. There may not be a better AC/DC song.
Z is for Zurich where the band cancelled this year’s March gig at the last minute due to unexplained technical problems.