If You Want Blood You've Got It
(October 1978)
Back in "the day", a live album was a great way for the labels to launch a relatively unknown band into the stratosphere. While they weren't exactly complete unknowns, Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick are just two examples of artists who owe their careers to the success of their respective live albums. This album was my initial introduction to the band and, while it is a sonic juggernaut that captures everything great about a Bon Scott-era AC/DC gig, it didn't exactly set the charts on fire.
Despite failing to break the Top 100 in the US, it did land at #13 in the UK.
As one might expect, this album captures all the greatness of a Bon Scott-era AC/Dc performance. The band does a great job reproducing the studio versions of such songs as "Rock 'N' Roll Damnation", "Whole Lotta Rosie", and "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be", but they do so with even more venom and swagger than the studio versions.
It's one of those rare live albums where you feel as if you're front row center and can actally feel the band's sweat hit you as they tear the place apart. Completely essential.
Highway to Hell
(July 1979)
The difference a year makes. In an obvious attempt to trade in their cult status for mainstream success, the band changed producers (from Vanda and Young to Robert John "Mutt" Lange), resulting in an album that retained their undeniable personality and ribald sense-of-humor while beefing up their sound considerably.
Whereas the band's previous efforts had been the result of a spontaneous live-in-the-studio approach, Highway To Hell was meticulously charted and recorded under the tutelage of a micro-managing Lange, who would go so far as to map out individual cymbal crashes. The result was an album of radio-friendly rock tracks (including my fave AC/Dc track of all, "Touch Too Much"), with nary a word or note out of place, that rode confidently into the US Top 20 on the strength of the album's arena-rocking title cut. In a brief departure from their trademark sound, "Love Hungry Man" utilized a disco beat and funky bass line.
The rock world had finally taken notice of the band in a very big way, with the album going platinum in America. Millions of rock fans the world over were awaiting the band's next move when tragedy struck swiftly and without warning. While working on the follow-up album in England, singer Bon Scott died after choking on his own vomit in alcohol-related "death by misadventure". The band was stunned into silence and momentarily thought about theowing in the towel. With Scott's parents' approval, however, the band moved on, hiring ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson.
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