The big debate: the power of AC/DC

[KiwiCoromandel]

AC/DC

They may be Australian rock legends, but does AC/DC make a mess or masterpeice of heavy metal? Sacha Molitorisz and Tony Davis debate topic.

AC/DC represent the pinnacle of Australian musical culture.

AGREE: Fact one: The band's songwriters are the creme de la creme. There's the Harry Vanda/George Young connection. They wrote Friday on My Mind, named best Aussie song of the past 75 years at the 2001 APRA awards. George's younger brothers - guitarists Malcolm and Angus - wrote AC/DC's songs, together with singers Bon Scott and Brian Johnson. Among their classics: It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock'n'Roll), and Highway To Hell.

Fact two: Bon Scott was the Joan Sutherland of rock'n'roll. The diminutive brawler could squeal and yell and grumble like Satan in a thunder box.

Fact three: Angus Young is the virtuoso of our time. AC/DC's best songs are deceptive: they seem stupid, but are intricately constructed and expertly played. The best feature pauses, dynamics and subtle changes in gear. Angus offsets simple, bluesy riffs with uncannily fast fretwork in his solos. Naysayers note Mozart was once accused of using too many notes.

Fact four: More than 90 million albums sold counts for something.

Sacha Molitorisz

DISAGREE: AC/DC do not even sit at the high end of their genre, the knuckle-scraping, air-licking end of hard rock. Many bands play better, rock harder, write tighter, more tuneful songs and aren't so repetitive. AC/DC once did have one small thing going for it: the wit of Bon Scott. It wasn't sophisticated but at least it made the 1973-1980 incarnation of the band stand out in a generally humourless genre.

Scott's dour, screeching successor, Brian Johnson, quickly showed himself to be lyrically challenged. Spinal Tap produced more intelligent couplets than AC/DC; sample the latest AccaDacca masterpiece, Stiff Upper Lip (composers: Angus and Malcolm Young): "Now I warn you ladies/I shoot from the hip/I was born with a stiff/Stiff upper lip."

If Angus Young is a great guitarist he hides it from the people who buy AC/DC records. They are treated merely to his heavy-metal guitar skills, popularly measured by the number of notes hit in a given time rather than light, shade, mood or melody. Mozart may have been accused of using too many notes, but at least they were all good ones.

Tony Davis

[bmc]

ac dc will always be one of my top favorite bands despite what anyone says :)

[Shawn]

ac dc will always be one of my top favorite bands despite what anyone says :)

Right on

[Ken]

"Back in Black" is my favorite AC/DC song.

They're a good band. Not the best band in the world, but good.

[KiwiCoromandel]

i saw acdc with bon scott in a crowded, sweaty pub in melbourne in the early 70`s..they were excellent..bon scott stole the show.........i liked all their albums up to and including " highway to hell "......after that i felt that they lost something....even though " back in black " and " for those about to rock " were good, it just wasn`t the same...... :)

[Undying Wizard]

All I have to say is Ac/Dc RULES !!!!!!!!!

best rock band ever IMO , there not really metal yet there live album sounded more metal then other albums did .

[KiwiCoromandel]

According to a posting on the AC/DC fan site Crabsody In Blue, former AC/DC singer Dave Evans will be supporting Molly Hatchet in Germany to promote his recently released CD, Sinner.

The dates are as follows:

Apr. 16 – Hellendoorn, GER - De Lantaarn Holland

Apr. 17 - Hamburg, GER - Fabrik

Apr. 19 - Erfurt, GER - Gewerkschaftshaus

Apr. 20 - Mannheim, GER - Capitol

Apr. 21 - Bochum, GER - Zeche

Apr. 22 - Bonn, GER - Harmonie

Apr. 23 - Berlin, GER - Columbia Fritz

Apr. 24 - Braunschweig, GER - Meyer´s Music Hall

Apr. 26 - Augsburg, GER - Spectrum

Apr. 27 - Nürnberg, GER - Hirsch

Apr. 28 - Halle, GER - Easy Schorre

Apr. 29 - Afalter, GER - Linde

Apr. 30 - Karlsruhe, GER - Stadthalle Durlach

May 01 - Pratteln, GER - Z 7 Switzerland

Evans, who reportedly recorded "Sinner" in Newcastle, Australia, is joined on the album by former Rabbit bandmembers Mark Tinson and David Hinds. The rest of the group are said to be "some of Newcastle's finest players" — Steve "Mac" McLennan on drums, Trevor Dare on guitar, Justin "Ngariki" Bolth on bass and Simon Croft on guitar.

Source:RockNerd

[slum_goddess]

whoa, they're playing bonn 22. april, gonna mail this to Chris.

[Cerebral_Assassin]

AC/DC, you either like them or ya don't.........I do, always have, always will..........they do their own thing, try to sound like no one but themselves.......I miss Bon Scott but Brian Johnson has done a tremendous job since he came on board.

[Crazy Diamond]

Was there ever a debate?