AC/DC: Classic or Dud

Hey, fair enough. I also thought Trump was gonna drop out of the US presidential race when he had to declare his financials. Apparently, I have a much lower threshold for crazy, idiotic ideas than lots of other people.

TBF, Axl is literally strapped to a chair for the moment, so his antics are somewhat limited. I wouldn't be surprised if Angus breaks his other foot, just to be safe.

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ7RO70Xg9qJQ1IzyFY-gMO3LhNtrOMkoFpmX6ZllrzNPNxb5ayhNZPrw

It's kinda weird to think that one of the rowdiest rock and roll bands in AC/DC is hanging on life support because of real estate rental out clauses all over the world.

Consider that a band like AC DC makes this big plan to play a world tour, you got to work with bookers to arrange sports stadiums and arenas around the world. Basically hold the date, which booking agency has to put up some money. If AC DC totally cancels, I would imagine they have to pay back to the booking agency for cancel fees.

When you get to be artist playing a bunch dates in big rooms, that can add up to a whole lot of money. I'm pretty damn sure that's why the Who probably in the wake of Entwistle's death retooled and were back on it in a very short time. I don't doubt this AC DC situation is the same deal.

Mal's health put him out of action, Phil's in jail and Brian's gone deaf - what a rough run.

Bands are insured to cover these issues and massive tours have been cancelled in the past, so I guess there's also this bloody minded determination to go ahead despite everything. Also that's a hell of a lot of money.

'm pretty damn sure that's why the Who probably in the wake of Entwistle's death retooled and were back on it in a very short time.

According to Townshend, the Who were insured (and, in fact, made sure to insure themselves given Entwistle's unhealthy appearance during their tour rehearsals). The main reason they didn't cancel the tour was the vast numbers of employees who would've been out of work for x number of months. That said, I believe Townshend was on the same band-tour-treadmill train of thought that also wouldn't allow for the cancellation of their 1979 tour post-Cincinnati.

So.... Against all odds, this crazy thing seems like a home run, I don't think Axl's sounded this good in years and by all accounts was super respectful and professional.

Is it the difference between Axl running the show and Axl being, in effect, an employee who has to do a proper job?

Yeah probably, and I suppose even for Axl Rose there some element of wow this is what 13 year old me dreamed about. Also as chachi mentioned elsewhere he actually asked way more together and rational in interviews lately maybe he's in a good place?

Yeah, those clips sounds pretty good! He's more Bon Scott than Brian Johnson, surprisingly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf2Vk3MdVis

I think it could be that time also also mellowed out Axl. I think for most 54 year old guys, you aren't the same lunatic you were in your 20s and 30s. Axl was a like a rapper, he had beefs with all sorts of people going on for years.

Wait is Tommy Hamilton in the band now too?

I guess the lesson here is that people shouldn't be so hasty to assume Donald Trump will be a bad president

At the least I am sure the Oval Office would finally get a throne.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7431095/acdc-bassist-cliff-williams-to-retire-after-current-tour

Man, what a shitty way for this band to grind to an end (Cliff's fine, but as aware as the rest of us that AC/DC isn't what it once was).

, if Williams does indeed retire it would leave guitarist Angus Young as the only original member of the group

literally one paragraph earlier you said he joined in 1978

AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first album, High Voltage, in 1975; Malcolm and Angus were the only original members left in the band

See, The brothers Young started off different bands. George was in The Easybeats, Malcolm the Velvet Underground, and Angus Grapefruit.

literally one paragraph earlier you said he joined in 1978

― Shakey δσς (sic), Monday, July 11, 2016 10:33 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

hah, yeah. technically Phil wasn't an original member either. Obviously Phil and Cliff were in the band for 99.8% of its existence but I do find it funny that a lot of the rockist fanbase who has been loudly whining about the departure of "original members" hurting the authenticity are forgetting that the Australian version High Voltage was recorded with Bon, Angus, Malcolm, and a handful of no-names on bass/drums.

Ah man, sad news: George Young has passed:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/george-young-easybeats-guitarist-and-acdc-producer-dead-at-70-w509890

You scared me by bumping this one and the Easybeats at the same time.

A legit scare in this case.

I was annoyed today that not many people were acknowledging George's death, especially with regards to his influence on AC/DC. He was greatly responsible for the raw sound of the band's pre-Highway to Hell output, and Let There Be Rock has one of the gnarliest, aggressive guitar tones ever recorded. Here's a great story about the recording that album via wiki:

In a 1991 interview with Guitar World, Angus recalled, "The song "Let There Be Rock" was unusual for me. I remember my brother, George, saying in the studio, 'C'mon Ang, let's get something different here'...I had great deal of fun on that whole album. On the last track, I remember the amp blowing up at the end. I said, 'Hey, the speakers are going!' You could see it in the studio, there was all this smoke and sparks, and the valves were glowing. He kept yelling at me, 'Keep playing, keep playing!'"

I didn't know Vanda and Young were Flash and the Pan until the day George passed. It's funny because I've had the song "Down Among the Dead Men" going through my head, it's a great little 60s "death ditty" pop tune disguised as new wave.

Flash and The Pan are completely classic for "walking in the rain" and "California"

RIP Malcolm Young

aw fuck rip

what a shitty couple of weeks for angus

I was about to say, how miserable to lose two brothers like that.

But man...Malcolm's rhythm work, you almost just want to stare and point at it in awe. It's that good.

There used to be a YouTube video of Malcolm's isolated guitar track from "Let There Be Rock" - it was breathtaking in its metronomic precision and force. Made Michael Rother sound like some kind of jam-band hippie by comparison.

Yeah, krautrock comparisons really are the ones to make. Anything that values utter focus.

RIP.

Still amazes me just how spectacularly the wheels came off AC/DC after all those years, and so quickly.

RIP. Never heard a rhythm guitarist that could match him. And lest we forget, within the band, he was known as "The Riffmaker", being the point of origin of so many of their greatest songs.

unperson and Ned OTM, a huge part of what converted me to AC/DC was the precise energy and leanness of the rhythm section. RIP.

Wow. There are ample interviews with Angus describing Malcolm as the better of the guitarists. It's also Malcolm who imposed (in the best way) the band's open chord minimalism. I love his rhythm playing on "Thunderstruck" so much. RIP.

\m/ RIP \m/

good interview with Angus re Malcolm from a year or so ago

https://www.guitarworld.com/.amp/artists/let-there-be-rock-acdcs-angus-young-rhythm-playing-malcolm-young

so sad to lose Malcolm

shaping that sound so precisely, right out of the gate and then making it so unassailable for so long <3

absolute legend

There used to be a YouTube video of Malcolm's isolated guitar track from "Let There Be Rock"

Here, credited to Angus.

If you read the nerdy comments, people are pretty sure that's Angus's rhythm part.

This is from a few years ago, but it's still kind of freshly sad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6_rpuuvxpc

Dunno if this has been posted upthread since it’s a few years old but great interview with their first lead singer Dave Evans here:
https://2fast2die.com/2013/10/shot-down-in-flames-original-acdc-singer-recalls-early-days-with-future-rock-gods/

Includes this A+ photo from ‘74 featuring Malc in amazing knee high boots & satin jumpsuit <3

https://2fast2die.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/acdc-ealry-bw.jpg

i mean... everything in this photo is amazing

I had no idea Cliff had retired! So no Malcolm, no Brian, no Cliff, no Phil. That leaves Angus to sole AC/DC anchor, which ... I dunno.

yeah seems sadly rudderless

i mean i like Angus but

Even if Mal was still there, you can't expect now to be 1977 or 1987 for that matter. Hard to know if Angus will continue, but I kind of hope he still keeps playing music in some form. Whatever happens from now on really can't change what has already gone down.

I'd just hope peace to the Young family for losing two members so close together, that is not easy however it goes.

There is a funny thing in one of the ABC/BBC documentaries about AC/DC where their mom figures there is no way the two brothers will be able to play together for long without killing each other. It was a surprise to the family that they were able to make it work together in the same band since they fought like cats and dogs as kids.

yeah there’s stories in the Dave Evans interview abt Angus’ temper & him & Malc punching on a fair bit

This is fucking monumental:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuUTtVGO10Y

Seems like the new album is essentially Angus getting the most long-standing members in to put songs on top of demos that Angus and Malcolm recorded in 2003; so a final album with Phil Rudd, Cliff Williams, Brian Johnson, Stevie Young, Angus Young, and Malcolm rhythm guitar on every track. If Angus does a farewell tour with none of those players except Stevie, plus Axl or rotating allstars as singer, good luck to him.

(one hopes that "final" and "farewell" are the crucial modifiers. this band have been characterised by forward momentum in the face of appalling challenges, but closure would probably be appropriate for fans and Angus by then.)

I still think the best would be to tour with just backing tracks and make the stadiums shriek along collectively in tribute.

haha yeah, would work

maybe some cool live footage on big screens