Cons: Maybe be too rough for some non-rock listeners
The Bottom Line: Heavy-hitting, loud, obnoxious...oh and nearly perfect. AC/DC broke through with 1979's Highway To Hell. Soon after, the band lost an important part of their successful equation.
lambchops's Full Review: Highway To Hell [Remaster] by AC/DC
It’s been almost thirty years since AC/DC formed in Sydney, Australia. And even after the band’s many notable ups and downs their star continues to shine brighter and brighter. Their sound was original, hard-hitting, and extremely influential throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s. Today, the monstrous rock outfit continue to make music, most recently releasing 2000’s Stiff Upper Lip.
The glue that has helped to hold AC/DC together has been that of two brothers. Malcolm and Angus Young (both on guitar) have stuck with the band for it’s entire career beginning at the formation and with 1976’s High Voltage. Also with the band for most of its three decades is drummer Phil Rudd. Cliff Williams (bass) didn’t join until 1977. And then there was Bon Scott. Scott was the excitable, wild, and screeching vocalist for the band throughout their rise to fame in the 1970’s. His young life was cut short when he ‘drunk himself to death’ in early 1980.
AC/DC grew more and more popular around the world as the 1970’s wore on. 1976’s High Voltage contained rock classics like T.N.T., It’s A Long Way to the Top and Rock & Roll Singer. Loud, obnoxious and crazy as hell the album was a modest success. With each subsequent release, AC/DC was awarded more publicity and a larger fan base. A year later came the equally impressive Let There Be Rock followed almost immediately by Powerage.
But 1979’s Highway To Hell turned out to be a breakthrough for AC/DC and remains one of the most popular in their catalog. The album is also the last one ever released with Scott at the helm vocally. Without a doubt, the album was the band’s most complete to date and included the largest concentration of ready made hits. Famed producer Mutt Lange was the apparently perfect compliment to the band’s brash, rebellious style. The end result of this divine combination was Highway To Hell, ten tracks, and AC/DC’s first platinum album. Fans couldn’t have possibly hoped for more.
Two songs on Highway To Hell stand out the most to me. This isn’t to say that the other eight aren’t nearly perfect. Rather, these two songs are the most memorable to me…a life long listener of rock music and for that matter AC/DC. Both Highway To Hell and Girls Got Rhythm are amazing rock tracks. I’d never, ever say that AC/DC made lyrically meaningful music. Instead the Youngs’ crunchy dueling guitars and Scott’s no-holds-barred vocals were the equation that equaled hard rock success. These two vibrantly evocative songs are great examples of what has always been right about AC/DC and what the band will be forever remembered for.
The opening riffs of Highway To Hell send shivers up my spine every time. And those first growls from Scott add to the anticipation by the second. AC/DC knew just how to put listeners on the edge of the seats and to incite them to screech along to the words. It’s easy to imagine the band jumping around the stage, chanting along to Scott at the chorus, and stomping in perfect time to Rudd’s thunderous drums. Songs really don’t get better than this.
And then there’s Girls Got Rhythm. Sex is a common theme in AC/DC songs and albums. This particular track an obvious ode to sex. It’s not as overt as some other songs. The lyrics are perfectly layered over those fervent guitars and that amazing drum. The overall feeling of this song is anxious and rebellious albeit not as heavy as some of the band’s other tracks. You can’t go wrong with this rocker.
I also harbor a fondness for If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It). Once again, AC/DC kicks out characteristically harsh guitars and drums. Scott yowls in revolt throughout while screaming about blood being “on the rocks” and “on the streets.” But, what really make the track a standout are the Young guitars. It’s a must listen sometimes forgotten when compared to the first two tracks.
Each track on Highway To Hell can easily stand on its own and each gets radio play even today once in a while. In fact, every rock radio station I’ve ever listened to gets on an AC/DC kick every month or two. The Australian band will certainly go down in history as one of the most vocal innovators of rock music. Other songs of note on this album (keep in mind…they are all superb) are: Walk All Over You, Touch Too Much and Shot Down In Flames
After the release of Highway To Hell, AC/DC continued on without Scott and instead with Brian Johnson. 1980’s Back In Black, a tribute to Scott, is the most impressive rock album from AC/DC and one of the absolute best hard rock albums ever from any band. Even 1981’s Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is nearly flawless. Other impressive albums include: The Razor’s Edge [1990] and For Those About to Rock We Salute You [1981].
If you enjoy rock music and for whatever reason have yet to buy anything from AC/DC let Highway To Hell be one of the first (with the other two being Back In Black and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap). I highly recommend this album to all fans of hard rock done well. Scott was a massive talent, and who knows where and what AC/DC would have done with him still alive…especially considering the boost they got from Johnson. Don’t pretend to be a rock fan if you don’t yet own Highway To Hell.
Track Listing:
1. Highway to Hell
2. Girls Got Rhythm
3. Walk All Over You
4. Touch Too Much
5. Beating Around the Bush
6. Shot Down in Flames
7. Get It Hot
8. If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
9. Love Hungry Man
10. Night Prowler
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I’ve already mentioned the three most perfect albums from AC/DC. If considering other albums from the band check out the stateside debut High Voltage, the epic AC/DC Live and the wholly underrated Ballbreaker.
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