Recorded in 6 Weeks, One of the Greatest Albums of All Time Turns 45

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By: Jay Broderick - On January 27th, 1980 Australian Hard Rock band AC/DC played the last show of their Highway to Hell Tour at Gaumont Theatre (now known as the Mayflower Theatre) in Southampton, England. The album was the band's real breakthrough, specifically in America. Despite 6 other offerings prior (and all superb records), the band was finally making their mark in the music world. Despite the highs, that final show would prove to be ill fated in its own right. It would be the last show ever performed with then frontman Bon Scott.

On February 19th, 1980, after a night of heavy drinking, Scott was found dead in his vehicle by his friend Alistair Kinnear. His death was classified as "death by misadventure". The official cause? Acute Alcohol Poisoning. At the way too young age of 33, music fans lost a singer who is now regarded as one of the greatest frontmen of all time. For the band, it appeared the end, just as they were revving up to take over the rock and roll world.

After Bon's funeral, the late singer's father urged the boys to keep going, and they figured it's what Bon would have wanted as well. So they picked themselves up, and started writing music for a new album. Writing new music is a great first step, but the band was without one very key element. They needed a new singer. So the band reached out to Geordie's vocalist, a man named Brian Johnson. Running his own little business to pay his bills, and not knowing who the band was, Johnson declined the invitation. He eventually coerced the messenger into telling him that it was AC/DC. 3 weeks later, he was on a plane to the Bahamas to record the band's 7th studio album.

On April 1st, 1980, AC/DC officially announced Brian Johnson as their new vocalist. They banged out a new album called Back in Black in 6 weeks, and today, the record turns 45 years old. Let's see how it holds up after almost half a century!

When I was 13, my cousin played this album for me on a summer vacation in Newfoundland. The album kicked off with the iconic sound of church bells chiming. Actually no... those are "Hell's Bells". 20 seconds in, a gentle guitar riff is heard, and drummer Phil Rudd clangs the cymbals. The classic bass drum kick, and eventually the full cast of musicians is joined in with a rhythm that is certain to get you perked up. I thought "What is this???" Well, of course it's Back in Black's opening track. It's a minute and a half before we hear the new vocalist's first words. "I'm a rolling thunder, pouring rain". His gritty voice immediately let's us know that everything is going to continue to be perfect for AC/DC. We'll eventually learn that, while devastating, the loss of Bon Scott will be a lot easier to deal with, at least where the band's music is concerned.

"Shoot to Thrill" takes up the number 2 spot on Back in Black. Angus Young's introductory riff is held and rings through your speakers. It's a 100% certainty that you reach for the volume dial and crank it up. The song has such a killer hook, that your feet will start tapping, your head will start nodding, and you're playing air guitar in seconds. As you listen to this 45 years later, you'll visualize Angus sliding across the stage with his legendary foot kick leading the way. The arrangement is superb as the beat drops at the 3:24 mark. As you listen in amazement, you know shit has just gotten real.

AC/DC has a legendary, instantly recognizable sound and pattern in their music, that I think really solidified their place in rock and roll with this album. The rest of Side 1 continues to build on its start, and you should picture yourself speeding down an open desert road, windows rolled down, and the wind blowing your rocker locks back. As I relisten now, writing this article, I just can't believe the song writing on this record. It's simply historical!

The title track gets Side 2 started. Again, what is now a legendary "clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk" start as Angus loosely frets the strings, even back then on my first listen in 1984, I knew I was in musical glory. Johnson's voice continues to shine as the rest accompany with backing vocals "I'm back", and Angus' rhythm guitarist brother Malcolm, bassist Cliff Williams, and the aforementioned Phil Rudd drive the beat in the back. It is such a cool sounding song, that has not aged a single day.

When AC/DC was in search of their new singer, they needed somebody who could write lyrics. When Johnson arrived on the scene, Malcolm asked him if he could write lyrics. Johnson never had at that point, but was handed a pen and paper was was told to "get to it". As a huge lover of fast cars, Johnson wrote his first words. "She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean", and the lyrics to "You Shook Me All Night Long" flowed onto the paper. It was the album's first released single and is known the world over. Every music lover, regardless of their favourite genre, knows this track. It's even played at weddings, and the guests are immediately on their feet. It's a party song that cannot possibly get any better.

The anthemic "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" closes off AC/DC's 7th studio album. It's bluesy guitar riff, Johnson's narrative style vocals, and of course the accompanying beat makes this a statement song for rock and roll. It's one that will have you singing out the chorus at the top of your untuned voice... but you don't care! It's Rock And Roll!!! And it's damn good! They say rock is dead, but we all know, "Rock and roll will never die!"

Track Listing

Side A

1. Hell's Bells - 5:12

2. Shoot to Thrill - 5:18

3. What Do You Do For Money Honey - 3:36

4. Givin the Dog a Bone - 3:32

5. Let Me Put My Love Into You Babe - 4:16

Side B

1. Back in Black - 4:15

2. You Shook Me All Night Long - 3:30

3. Have a Drink on Me - 3:57

4. Shake a Leg - 4:06

5. Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution - 4:15

Along with Black Sabbath's Paranoid, AC/DC's Back in Black turned me into a metalhead. Yes, I amped it up as my tastes evolved, but there is no denying this record's place in history. There is not a track on this album that nobody knows. The record has sold 50,000,000 copies, and is the 6th best selling album of all time. Man, that's a fine standing in the annals of music, not just rock and metal. And what did I say earlier? They recorded it in 6 weeks? It's music gold, and we're lucky to be in a time where this music was created.

release date: July 25, 1980

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