AC/DC Biography (Part I)

AC/DC has solidified its name as one of the hottest tickets in rock-music history & puts on an electrifying stage show.

AC/DC: Family Affair
The influential rock band AC/DC’s long history of stirring fans with earth-shaking distortion guitars and ear-shattering vocals began in 1973. Before AC/DC was known for its racy and sometimes violent lyrics, the band consisted of two brothers from Sydney, Australia. Taking their name from the symbol on their older sister Margaret’s sewing machine, Malcolm and Angus Young felt that “AC/DC” – the conversion of alternating electrical current into direct current – perfectly  conveyed their own guitar-driven intensity and powerful stage presence. Changing lineups faster than their own stage costumes, AC/DC finally settled on vocalist Bon Scott and drummer Tony Currenti when the group recorded its debut album.

AC/DC: High Voltage Rock’n’Roll
In 1975, AC/DC released its Australia-only debut album High Voltage with vocalist Bon Scott, drummer Tony Currenti and Malcolm and Angus’ older brother George Young on bass. High Voltage contained the memorable songs “She’s Got Balls,” “Soul Stripper” and the Big Joe Williams song “Baby Please Don’t Go.” High Voltage is considered to be heavily glam-rock influenced as AC/DC had not yet created their signature hard-rock sound. By this time, guitarist Angus Young was inspired to adopt his now-signature school boy uniform after a suggestion from older sister Margaret.

AC/DC: Ignite Dynamite
After High Voltage, AC/DC recruited new bassist Mark Evans and drummer Phil Rudd to help refine its rock sound. AC/DC’s new lineup recorded T.N.T. in late 1975. The album was their second to be released only in Australia and New Zealand. T.N.T. contained the hard-rocking anthem “It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll),” “The Jack” and the title track. T.N.T. ushered in the blues-based, heavily distorted guitar-driven sound for which AC/DC would become famous and would excite fans with AC/DC tickets. AC/DC signed with Atlantic records the following year, releasing the 1976 album High Voltage in the US and UK. The new High Voltage album would contain tracks from AC/DC’s first two albums.

AC/DC: Delayed Reaction
AC/DC released its third studio album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap in 1976. Because AC/DC was unknown in the US, Atlantic records pushed back the release of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap there. When AC/DC’s 1979 album Highway to Hell proved to be a massive success, Atlantic records finally released Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap to a hungry American audience in 1981. Despite the album’s delayed release, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Chart and drove fans to buy AC/DC tickets to see the band perform. The title track gave AC/DC a Top 5 rock song on the charts. Other notable songs on Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap were “Big Balls” and “Ride On.”

AC/DC: Whole Lotta Powerage
AC/DC released Let There Be Rock in 1977, featuring the hard-rock classic songs “Whole Lotta Rosie,” “Dog Eat Dog” and the title track. Let There Be Rock was AC/DC’s first album to chart in the Billboard 200 and sold over 2 million copies in the US. Let There Be Rock was AC/DC’s last album with bassist Dave Evans. Fans with AC/DC tickets would get to see Cliff Williams, who would replace Dave Evans on AC/DC’s upcoming tour. In 1978, AC/DC released Powerage, which performed as well as Let There Be Rock, charting in the Billboard 200 and selling over 1 million copies in the US. Powerage contained the memorable AC/DC songs “Riff Raff,” “Gone Shootin’” and “Up to My Neck in You.”

AC/DC: Highway to Hell
In 1979, AC/DC released its sixth studio album Highway to Hell, the group’s last with vocalist Bon Scott. Highway to Hell paved AC/DC’s path to success in the US. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. The title track did similarly well, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Rock Singles chart. Highway to Hell sold over 7 million copies in the US alone and ranks in the top half of Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In addition to the album’s title track, Highway to Hell contained the memorable songs “Girls Got Rhythm” and “Touch Too Much.”

AC/DC: A Death in the Family
On February 19, 1980, AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott unexpectedly died of alcohol poisoning in London. Without Bon Scott’s signature ear-piercing vocals, AC/DC considered disbanding while at the height of their newfound international popularity. Eventually the members of AC/DC decided that Bon Scott would have wanted them to continue spreading their rock gospel to the masses and a search to find a suitable replacement was conducted. AC/DC hired singer Brian Johnson after his audition where he performed the AC/DC classic “Whole Lotta Rosie” and the Ike and Tina Turner classic “Nutbush City Limits.”

AC/DC: Greatest Hits with Bon Scott

• “Soul Stripper” from the High Voltage album
• “She’s Got Balls” from the High Voltage album
• "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)” from the TNT album
• “The Jack” from the TNT album
• “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” from the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album
• “Big Balls” from the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album
• “Ride On” from the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album
• “Whole Lotta Rosie” from the Let There Be Rock album
• “Dog Eat Dog” from the Let There Be Rock album
• “Riff Raff” from the Powerage album
• “Gone Shootin’” from the Powerage album
• “Up to My Neck in You” from the Powerage album
• “Highway to Hell” from the Highway to Hell album
• “Girls Got Rhythm” from the Highway to Hell album
• “Touch Too Much” from the Highway to Hell album