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Monday, Nov 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I saw AC/DC open for Aerosmith in 1978. I’d never heard of them before, but they totally blew Aerosmith off the stage.”Frenetic” is a word that comes to mind. I had to know more. Who were these guys?

And when Bon Scott died a couple of years later, a bunch of us got together and lowered our high school’s flag to half mast

And you could hear the fingers pickin’
And this is what they had to say:
Let there be light
Sound
Drums
Guitar
Let there be rock

       

41 Comments
  1. - William j Kelly - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 4:30 am:

    Are you kidding me?! ac/dc will NEVER get elected comptroller!


  2. - Chi - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 5:13 am:

    If you get pulled over for speeding and AC/DC is on the radio, the cop has to let you off with a warning. It’s the law.


  3. - A guy - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 5:39 am:

    You were at Commiskey. That was the legendary take away from that show. Opener better than main event. Hey man, Life is like golf…every shot makes someone happy.


  4. - Grandson of Man - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 5:56 am:

    Heck yes.

    I saw AC/DC for the first time right during the “Back in Black” tour, with their new singer. They blew all of us away. The entire auditorium was bopping up and down.

    I used to blast the you-know-what out of AC/DC, real loud. Still do.

    I was coming home with a new turntable I just purchased to listen to AC/DC (and other bands) when I learned that Bon Scott died.


  5. - John A. Logan - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 6:33 am:

    Day before the election. Yeah, this fits the mood.


  6. - MrJM - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 7:18 am:

    “And when Bon Scott died a couple of years later, a bunch of us got together and lowered our high school’s flag to half mast…”

    For those about to rock…

    – MrJM


  7. - Edron - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 7:45 am:

    Saw them with Molly Hatchett, The Babies, and Cheap Trick in Pecatonica in 1978. Even though we came for Cheap Trick (and they were great), AC/DC mesmerized us. Nice choice of “Let There Be Rock”, my all-time favorite album of theirs…


  8. - VanillaMan - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 7:51 am:

    I was a punk rocker, so I was a bit incredulous when my brother put Back In Black on the hi-fi. It was too gorgeous to dislike and too dark not to savor. It was better than Van Halen and far less pretentious. It was wicked good.

    My sons, who are in first and second grade, call AC/DC, “men’s music” and absolutely loves it, while their sisters hold their ears and complain.

    Almost as good as punk.


  9. - votecounter - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:01 am:

    AC/DC was the back up to a band named Detective at the Riviera. We had been listening to both bands but we went to see AC/DC. The lights go out and Detective comes on first and all 11 of us knew why. Detective was good but what AC/DC did was amazing. There was no security when Angus got on Bon Scotts shoulders and came into the crowd it was unbelievable Angus spent the night running up and down the aisles covered in sweat. We had never seen a cordless guitar. BTW we started listening to them because my friend read they were kicked out of Australia for playing to loud they said that the plaster was falling from the roof. They were right!!! 42-39-56 you can they got it all!!!!!


  10. - votecounter - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:07 am:

    Sorry to go on— but since they got to headline they played Both albums we had “Let there be Rock” and “High Voltage” Thanks for the trip down memory lane


  11. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:11 am:

    Probably the only thing I will miss after November 4th is the music.

    If you are part of a Crew in an office this morning, this is as good as the 3rd cup of coffee by 8 am.


  12. - Phenomynous - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:12 am:

    AC/DC’s performance of “Sin City” from the Midnight Special is one of my favorite recordings of all time. Bon Scott is unnervingly electric. What a cool dude.


  13. - Not OW - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:14 am:

    Dunno.

    AC/DC has its place, I suppose, and I have seen both Aerosmith and the band from down under (with Brian Johnson), albeit separately. But it’s formulaic stuff that hasn’t held up well over the years. I’ll still listen to it, but only very rarely, not even enough to call it a guilty pleasure.

    If we were going to bang heads this morning, I would have preferred Nirvana. Or the Sex Pistols. Or Trampled Under Foot by LZ. AC/DC? Sorry, but high school was over a long, long time ago.


  14. - Ghost - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:17 am:

    Some day I shall run for office, and use dirty deeds as my theme song……


  15. - anon - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:18 am:

    After watching that i have to wonder: how is it that Malcolm Young is the one suffering from dementia and not Angus? Awesome pick, Rich. Way to start off the week!!


  16. - Stones - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:19 am:

    Back in Black is definitely one of the best albums ever.


  17. - Ghost - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:20 am:

    Not ow reminds me of the pretentious music snobs in high fidelity…..


  18. - William j Kelly - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:21 am:

    And speaking of people who will NEVER be elected comptroller, this guy is friggin hilarious. http://youtu.be/hZLhqTzjpUM


  19. - MrJM - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:21 am:

    “it’s formulaic stuff that hasn’t held up well over the years.”

    Many dubious assertions have been made in the CapFax comments of late, but this may well win the prize.

    – MrJM


  20. - Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:22 am:

    ===You were at Commiskey.===

    Nope. Salt palace.


  21. - William j Kelly - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:25 am:

    Bono has nothing on this guy, the only problem is if he tried to do this today he would be charged with assault and be forced to ISSUE A PUBLIC APOLOGY. http://youtu.be/hZLhqTzjpUM


  22. - VanillaMan - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:25 am:

    Not OW is right.
    Gang of Four
    PiL
    X
    Adult music with adult lyrics

    It isn’t pretentious - it is righteously sick and powerful. You can’t handle it if you need a melody.


  23. - Give Me A Break - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:26 am:

    - Ghost - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:17 am:

    Some day I shall run for office, and use dirty deeds as my theme song……

    I think you mean, “Listen to the Money Talk”.


  24. - lake county democrat - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:27 am:

    The genius of AC/DC (and I mean this sincerely) is they made disco music for rock fans - just listen to that beat (it never changes, and that’s a good thing!)

    Vanilla Man - you left out The Fall.


  25. - VanillaMan - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:30 am:

    There is room in my computer for AC/DC as well as Punk and Grunge. My boys like AC/DC, and when they get older, I’ll let them listen to grunge, and when they become adults, I’ll let them listen to punk.


  26. - JS Mill - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:38 am:

    Alaways loved AC/DC, Dirty Deeds ought to be the theme for this entire election cycle.

    You know you have an interesting crowd when the are dropping PiL, Gen X, and Sex Pistols references.


  27. - MrJM - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:41 am:

    “Adult music with adult lyrics”

    And isn’t *that* what rock ‘n’ roll is all about?

    – MrJM


  28. - Dear Abby - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 8:45 am:

    Thanks Rich! What a great start to my day. I salute you!


  29. - Not OW - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 9:01 am:

    Thanks for the support, VM. There’s room for AC/DC in my collection as well, and I do have plenty. There is also room for Styx. And Neil Diamond. And lots of other artists that aren’t upper tier, but still worth having. This is where AC/DC lies. No one is obligated to agree, of course, but if I had a limited window in which to post music, as I understand the case is here, I would be filling it with some of the aforementioned groups, not to mention Hendrix, long before I pulled the AC/DC card.

    And whoever mentioned Bono–don’t get me started on U2. If there was a pretentiousness contest–and who can argue that a four-piece band that includes two members who have just one name isn’t pretentious–U2 would be neck-and-neck with REM. Lord, the 80s were an awful decade for music.


  30. - Team Sleep - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 9:05 am:

    It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock-n-roll!


  31. - walker - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 9:12 am:

    Now we got music critics on the blog? LOL

    Just wake up and enjoy.

    Thanks Rich for starting us out right!


  32. - Joe Bidenopolous - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 9:14 am:

    I’m down with some AC/DC but I’m more punk myself as well. That said, if we’re going metal, this campaign sure feels more like Metallica’s Seek and Destroy.


  33. - VanillaMan - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 9:16 am:

    If you like Nirvana and the best of grunge, then you cannot dismiss all the music of the 1980s. There wouldn’t have been a Wicker Park or a Seattle grunge scene without it. The pioneers of that sound had to make a living until their kids rekindled the flame, hence the 1980s.


  34. - Ghost - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 9:47 am:

    Give me a break, I would probably go operation mindcrime from queensryche instead


  35. - Not OW - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 9:55 am:

    VM,

    I wouldn’t dismiss anything and everything from any decade, but the 80s, as a whole, were bloody awful, and I think that grunge sprung up as a reaction/rebellion to the awfulness of hair bands, the already-mentioned U2 and REM and other “stuff” like Tears For Fear–much like punk was a Newtonian reaction to corporate rock in the 1970s (yes, sometimes the prevailing wisdom is true). When Spinal Tap (and I loved those guys) has a legitimate claim to being one of the best bands of the decade, there’s an issue.

    We probably shouldn’t delve too deeply into what was and was not grunge–there was no shortage of pretenders (ah, The Pretenders–now there’s a decent band from the 80s). But if you haven’t yet purchased Live At Reading, do so immediately. It will get your blood pumping and make you smile all day long.


  36. - Fiercely Independent - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 9:59 am:

    What a great clip to start the day with.


  37. - OldSmoky2 - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 10:40 am:

    Got to defend the 80s - a decade that produced Husker Du, Flipper and the Butthole Surfers is just fine by me.


  38. - Not OW - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 11:17 am:

    OldSmoky2,

    Good point, good bands. Still rotten decade.


  39. - Ghost - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 12:50 pm:

    The eightys also produced parachute pants and shirts, and the brat pack…. Hmmmm perhaps you have a point….


  40. - Freeze up - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 1:31 pm:

    Back in Black, from beginning to end is one of the most solid rock and roll albums ever made.

    It is one of the few albums I still listen to in its entirety. (Toys In The Attic is the other, a little ironic in this post)

    I must have worn five of those BinB cassettes out in my first few vehicles and a quarter century later I’m still not sick of it. I can’t get through half of VH 1 anymore.


  41. - Kissfreak - Monday, Nov 3, 14 @ 2:19 pm:

    Saw them at the Rosement in 80 during the Back in Black tour. Blackfoot opened up. From start to finish, it was electric.

    How about some GFR “Footstompin Music” to get us going some morning?


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