Cover of the great Dio song, released as a single and included on the special re-release of As Daylight Dies. This is an excellent version of this song, and the video that is its companion is equally good, and amusing.
Rating: Well worth a listen or four. 4/5.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Monday, July 07, 2008
502. Dio / Holy Diver. 1983. 5/5
After three amazing album’s with Rainbow, Dio and Ritchie Blackmore decided to part ways. Dio was concerned with the direction that Blackmore wanted to go, turning to a more commercial sound than Dio was happy with. Given the three albums the band had produced, and the final one being “Long Live Rock and Roll”, an episode on which appears in this season of this podcast, it is hard to imagine that that could occur. Ronnie then met up with Tony Iommi, and became the replacement for Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, producing two amazing albums and a double live album. It was during the mixing of that live album that tensions began to flare between Tony and Geezer Butler, who had been with the band since its inception, and Ronnie, who was looking to become more influential in what was being done. Disagreements over the mixing levels of that album, and the possibility of Dio producing a solo album, led to tensions boiling over, and a parting of the ways. At this time Ronnie asked current Sabbath drummer Vinnie Appice if he would like to join him in forming a new band, something he readily agreed to.
Having come to a decision to move on by themselves, Ronnie and Vinny needed to flesh out the rest of the band. Due mainly to the influence of the two guitarists with which he had recently shared the stage, Ronnie had decided that he wanted to have a British guitar player in his band. Looking for advice in this direction, he came into contact with bass guitarist Jimmy Bain, with whom he had been in Rainbow with, and asked if he had any suggestions. Together, they came across a brash young Irish guitarist in a band called Sweet Savage who were just beginning to make a name for themselves. The guitarist had everything the fledgling band was looking for – style, flamboyance and an ability to write songs. Thus it came to pass that Vivian Campbell was recruited for the new band. With Jimmy now pretty much assuming that he was a part of the group, the four piece was complete, and became a band under the banner of Dio. Now it was time to see if they could produce lightning that would strike for a third time.
The album cover was the first striking moment of the new band, and did cause some controversy at the time of its release. Ronnie was quoted in Metal Mammer as saying “I seem to remember a little bit of, ‘Are you sure you wanna do this?’ from the record company. But the idea was to reverse the question of, ‘How come you’ve got a monster drowning a priest?’ We wanted to be able to say, ‘How do you know it’s not a priest drowning a monster?’ And I think that’s kind of been proven out in the last few years with all the problems we’ve had in the Catholic Church. In hindsight, I like to think we were right about who we put in the water.”
One of the most important moments in a band’s career is how they kick off the first song of Side One of their debut album. Perhaps with the experience that the band members had had over the years in other bands, this had already erased any possibility that this album would not have a great start. Maybe so, but for the fans, heading into this new project, it would have been important to hear a song that provided a statement for what the new band was going to offer, what direction they would be heading in, and whether they could immediately provide a song whose impact would not only be instantaneous, but would remain that way for eternity. With the opening track of “Holy Diver”, Dio positively nailed it.
After the charging start to the album, Ronnie has delved back into his previous bands with the opening to the title track “Holy Diver”. The mood of the opening 60 seconds is pure Rainbow, or Sabbath’s “Children of the Sea”. The keys and synth slowly draw you into the track before crunching into the opening riff, and off we go. One of my favourite quotes about Dio after he had passed in 2010 came from Susan Olsen, the actress who had played Cindy in The Brady Bunch. She said “I remember Dio from Rainbow and his amazing voice, and I always wanted to ask him what the hell was a holy diver?” Well, that question is answered by a quote from Ronnie himself that appeared in several interviews, this one from Metal Hammer - “The song Holy Diver is really about a Christ figure, who on another place, not Earth, has done exactly the same as we’ve apparently experienced or were supposed to have experienced on Earth: dying for the sins of man so that man can start again and be cleansed and do it properly.”
“Gypsy” starts with that almost primal scream from Ronnie and defies its somewhat midtempo rhythm by being an amazingly hard core song thanks to the way Ronnie sings the song, which is quite out of character for his usual singing style. This is one of the most underrated Dio songs in their catalogue, one that that has always been an awesome song but is often overlooked when it comes to people reviewing it.
One of the riffs that Vivian brought with him from his previous band, Sweet Savage, is amazingly distinct, and not something I discovered until many years after this album was released. The Sweet Savage song “Straight Through the Heart” was not released until after Vivian had left the band, but the riff of the song is unmistakable. Funnily enough though, it is not the riff to the Dio song “Straight Through the Heart” which opens side two of this album. It is the riff that opens the song “Caught in the Middle”, that distinctive wonderful kick off riff that immediately has you dragging out the air guitar to play along to, before bursting into singing along with the vocals as they start as well.
Side One of the album closes with one of the greatest metal songs of all time, and not because of its amazing ferocity or speed or heaviness. It is because of all of the elements Dio brought to their songs. Starting out in the quiet almost acoustic frame with Ronnie’s vocals in a quietly stated higher register, before crashing into the pounding metal riff and drums and the hard core change of Ronnie’s vocals, with the energy and lung capacity belting out the song with intensity... this is an amazing song. Ronnie lyrics again are masterful at painting a picture and telling a story, all with the skills of the craftsman he is.
Flip the album over, and off we go again. The aforementioned “Straight Through the Heart” kicks it off in style with Vinny’s drum entrance into the major riff. Great song. This is followed by another underrated classic, “Invisible”, which remains one of my favourite Dio songs ever. Another of Ronnie’s story telling songs, speaking of the woman alone, the man in confusion, and of Ronnie himself, is wonderfully put together surrounded by Vivian’s wonderful soloing in the middle.
The story of “Rainbow in the Dark”, Dio’s best known single, is an interesting look into the way the band and Dio himself were combining at the time. The story from all members of the band goes that when “Rainbow in the Dark” was being recorded, Ronnie himself wanted to cut it up and throw it away, such was his dislike for the track. However, both Vinny and Jimmy vehemently would not allow that to happen, saying it was brilliant and it would be adored by the fans. Jimmy then came up with the keyboard riff over the top of the chorus, and Ronnie relented and it remained on the album. And, as he has said in interviews following this, “they were right and I was wrong”.
The album then ends with the brilliant “Shame on the Night”, which truly brings the mood back to the dark and mysterious. Again this delves into those beautiful moods set from Ronnie’s two previous bands, and it acts as a wonderful and brilliant conclusion to the album. An album that still stands the test of time 40 years on.
Back in early 1986, as I had begun my conversion to heavy metal, we had an exchange student from the US turn up at our school for a few short weeks. Steve was his name, and along with him he had brought a collection of cassettes of bands that were new to my knowledge, among them being Night Ranger, Ratt - and Dio. And thus began a love affair that remains to today, as I record this episode. Something about the music grabbed me, in the same way that Iron Maiden and Metallica had just prior to this event occurring. What it was in particular I can’t really explain, but it most definitely was a combination of all four members of the band, and the way they not only performed the songs but the way they wrote them. And this was true of all of those first three albums that the band released with these four gentlemen as the original quartet.
“Holy Diver” is an amazing album. It is driven by the ridiculous and awe-inspiring vocals from the man himself, Ronnie James Dio. Arguably, “Holy Diver” provides the most diverse vocal performances of his career, from the opening of “Stand Up and Shout” and the lulls of the title track, to the more energetic screams of “Gypsy” and passion of “Invisible”, to the magnificent mood-changing lines of “Don’t Talk to Strangers” and “Shame on the Night”, he provides a full range of differing styles that help to make this album as brilliant as it is. His lyrics are a major part as well, covering the gamut of emotions and responses. Whenever I listen to this album, the vocals especially on “Caught in the Middle”, “Don’t Talk to Strangers” and “Invisible” send me careering back in time to those late high school years, bringing back the same emotions I was feeling then about both this album and the experiences I was going through at that time. The joys and the disappointments. Emotional is the right word to use when I listen to this album.
But how good are the contributions of both Vinny Appice and Jimmy Bain? The greatness of this album is set up by their synchronisation, the thumping toms of Vinny and perfect use of snare, hi-hats and cymbals that hold together each song and emphasise each section in the style that is needed. And Jimmy’s bass lines are just magnificent, rumbling like a freight train when they are needed, such as in “Don’t Talk to Strangers”, and up and down the frets to play the perfect accompaniment to the guitar, such as in “Caught in the Middle”. Sometimes, the part that these two played on these Dio album is overlooked, and it absolutely cannot be done so. Not only was their input on the writing side so invaluable, but the way they PLAYED the songs is integral to why they are so good.
For me though, it was my first experience of Vivian Campbell, and an obsession began that still remains to this day. Everything that he contributes to this album, and the next two, to me is beyond brilliant. Each guitar riff, each amazing solo. Vivian became my guitar hero, the one I placed on a pedestal above all others. I know Ronnie is the star, but Vivian for me is the genius behind it all on that guitar. No split in music history has hurt me more than when Vivian left Dio. History also shows that, for both entities, neither was able to rediscover the magic that they had been able to produce together. More is the pity.
In the past few episode of this podcast, I have managed to bring to you three albums that rank in the top ten of MY favourite albums of all time. We had Queensryche with “Operation: Mindcrime”. We had Iron Maiden with “Piece of Mind”. And you can now add Dio with “Holy Diver” on to that list. The album has lost nothing since its release 40 years ago, and the fact that it has captured in a bottle these four musicians arguably at the peak of their collective powers, only proves that even more. Many rank this as the band’s finest album. I sometimes wonder though that they didn’t do an even better job with their follow up. But that is for another episode sometime in the future.
501. Various Artists / Holy Dio: A Tribute to the Voice of Metal: Ronnie James Dio. 1999. 4.5/5
Well, you would have to say that this is a great idea, in principle. Over his long and illustrious career, Dio has been involved in so many great songs, that a tribute to that is a terrific plan. However, the one major drawback is this – how many people can sing like the great man, and do justice to these songs? As it turns out, most of the versions here are worthy of the name ‘tribute’.
As with many tribute albums, this is a bit uneven, with the very good mixed with the rather ordinary. The version of “Country Girl” by Dan Swanö & Peter Tägtgren is surprisingly well executed and done with a difference that doesn’t detract from the original. On the other hand, the version of “We Rock” by Grave Digger is OK musically, but the vocals are just not what you want on an album like this (refer to my initial comments in this review).
Then there is the unusual – two versions of “Kill The King” by two different bands – a great version by Primal Fear, and a good version by Stratovarius. Also a magnificent version of “Gates of Babylon” by Yngwie Malmsteen with Jeff Scott Soto on vocals – but on the linear notes Yngwie spends his whole spiel talking up Ritchie Blackmore (his hero) and not mentioning Ronnie once.
As a double disc, this album does contain some great tracks, and nowhere near the full complement of great songs from the Dio era. The two things I got from this are as follows:
One, it was great to hear some terrific bands putting out these great versions of great songs.
Two, no one could ever do these songs better than the originals, if only for the fact that the originals have RJD on vocals.
Rating: A better than average effort to celebrate a great man. 4.5/5
As with many tribute albums, this is a bit uneven, with the very good mixed with the rather ordinary. The version of “Country Girl” by Dan Swanö & Peter Tägtgren is surprisingly well executed and done with a difference that doesn’t detract from the original. On the other hand, the version of “We Rock” by Grave Digger is OK musically, but the vocals are just not what you want on an album like this (refer to my initial comments in this review).
Then there is the unusual – two versions of “Kill The King” by two different bands – a great version by Primal Fear, and a good version by Stratovarius. Also a magnificent version of “Gates of Babylon” by Yngwie Malmsteen with Jeff Scott Soto on vocals – but on the linear notes Yngwie spends his whole spiel talking up Ritchie Blackmore (his hero) and not mentioning Ronnie once.
As a double disc, this album does contain some great tracks, and nowhere near the full complement of great songs from the Dio era. The two things I got from this are as follows:
One, it was great to hear some terrific bands putting out these great versions of great songs.
Two, no one could ever do these songs better than the originals, if only for the fact that the originals have RJD on vocals.
Rating: A better than average effort to celebrate a great man. 4.5/5
500. L.A. Guns / Hollywood Vampires. 1991. 3/5
Coming on the heels of their excellent first two albums, the L.A. Guns had the chance to propel themselves to super-stardom with their third LP, Hollywood Vampires. As it turns out, the ingredients are all here, but they don’t seem to have been mixed in the right quantities.
What is it about this album that doesn’t quite allow it to reach its potential? Certainly, following on from their initial successes they should have been ready to conquer the world. However, in general the songs here don’t have the same spark about them, the same buzz that catches your attention and makes you want to listen.
Is it the obvious attempt to recapture the success that came with “The Ballad of Jayne”? Is that where my problem lies? Because I HATE that song, believing it is a blight on their otherwise excellent record to this stage of their career. It does feel that they are looking for that ballad hit again, and it affects the remainder of the album in my view.
Now it’s not all bad, so don’t take it that way. Songs like "Kiss My Love Goodbye", "Some Lie 4 Love" and "My Koo Ka Choo" still carry a punch that reminds you of who you are listening to. But in the end, it just didn’t quite carry over. And that is a real shame.
Rating: Not the step forward I was expecting. 3/5
What is it about this album that doesn’t quite allow it to reach its potential? Certainly, following on from their initial successes they should have been ready to conquer the world. However, in general the songs here don’t have the same spark about them, the same buzz that catches your attention and makes you want to listen.
Is it the obvious attempt to recapture the success that came with “The Ballad of Jayne”? Is that where my problem lies? Because I HATE that song, believing it is a blight on their otherwise excellent record to this stage of their career. It does feel that they are looking for that ballad hit again, and it affects the remainder of the album in my view.
Now it’s not all bad, so don’t take it that way. Songs like "Kiss My Love Goodbye", "Some Lie 4 Love" and "My Koo Ka Choo" still carry a punch that reminds you of who you are listening to. But in the end, it just didn’t quite carry over. And that is a real shame.
Rating: Not the step forward I was expecting. 3/5
Friday, July 04, 2008
499. L.A. Guns / Hollywood Rehearsal. 1998. 2/5
This is a Japanese compilation, comprising tracks which had previously been unreleased. It includes demo's and outtakes, alternate versions, and a number of cover songs ranging from bands such as Led Zeppelin, Sammy Hagar and The Clash.
As with most albums of this type, it holds a certain amount of interest for the first two or three listens. After that, it is something that only hard-core fans will ever take a great interest in. Unless you are a fan of the songs covered (I am not) then it is more likely to collect dust at the back of your CD cabinet. I know my copy was, and will now do so again having done the right thing and reviewed it.
Rating: Not for me, but others may disagree. 2/5
As with most albums of this type, it holds a certain amount of interest for the first two or three listens. After that, it is something that only hard-core fans will ever take a great interest in. Unless you are a fan of the songs covered (I am not) then it is more likely to collect dust at the back of your CD cabinet. I know my copy was, and will now do so again having done the right thing and reviewed it.
Rating: Not for me, but others may disagree. 2/5
498. Gamma Ray / Holland 23-9-1990 [Bootleg]. 1990. 3/5
This is a B quality bootleg from Gamma Ray’s initial tour, following the release of their debut album Heading For Tomorrow. While the recording is not the highest quality, you can certainly feel the vibe of the crowd and the band throughout the performance.
Probably the best part of the gig and the album is hearing so many songs from that first album give a live treatment. “Free Time” and “Money” are both great live, along with the ‘bonus’ track from that album (from the CD version, not the vinyl I’m afraid…) “Look At Yourself”.
While my rating of it does appear low, that is only because of the sound quality alone, not for the songs nor the band’s performance. Bootleg-listening is an art form, and to enjoy this to the maximum you have to be in the right mood, and the right place. Doing invoicing in your work environment is not the best place to experience it…
Rating: Early prehistoric Gamma Ray. 3/5.
Probably the best part of the gig and the album is hearing so many songs from that first album give a live treatment. “Free Time” and “Money” are both great live, along with the ‘bonus’ track from that album (from the CD version, not the vinyl I’m afraid…) “Look At Yourself”.
While my rating of it does appear low, that is only because of the sound quality alone, not for the songs nor the band’s performance. Bootleg-listening is an art form, and to enjoy this to the maximum you have to be in the right mood, and the right place. Doing invoicing in your work environment is not the best place to experience it…
Rating: Early prehistoric Gamma Ray. 3/5.
497. Split Enz / The Best Of: History Never Repeats. 1989. 4/5
Split Enz was a band that was on the cutting edge in the last 70’s and early 80’s, able to mix their quirky style and sense of fun with thoughtful lyrics and wonderful vocal melodies. This is the greatest hits package, and as such contains pretty much their best tracks.
That of course is open to question, and I guess I thought there would be a few better selections than some of those found on here. Despite that, all their biggest and best-known hits are here – “I See Red”, “I Got You”, “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, “I Hope I Never”, “Dirty Creature”, “One Step Ahead” and “Message to My Girl” – and they are all still as good today as they were in the day.
Like I said, I would have substituted a couple of different tunes in, but most of the tracks hold their own.
Given the success of Neil Finn (and to some extent Tim Finn) with Crowded House since the demise of Split Enz, it’s always nice to go back and reminisce as to how good this band was in its day.
Rating: A more than adequate greatest hits album. 4/5.
That of course is open to question, and I guess I thought there would be a few better selections than some of those found on here. Despite that, all their biggest and best-known hits are here – “I See Red”, “I Got You”, “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, “I Hope I Never”, “Dirty Creature”, “One Step Ahead” and “Message to My Girl” – and they are all still as good today as they were in the day.
Like I said, I would have substituted a couple of different tunes in, but most of the tracks hold their own.
Given the success of Neil Finn (and to some extent Tim Finn) with Crowded House since the demise of Split Enz, it’s always nice to go back and reminisce as to how good this band was in its day.
Rating: A more than adequate greatest hits album. 4/5.
496. AC/DC / Highway to Hell. 1979. 4.5/5
Rather than push hard to make these albums successful – you know, like a record company’s JOB is – they instead decided to push the band’s management to firstly replace lead singer Bon Scott (yep, that would have been a great move), and eventually pushed them to change their producers. The problem with that of course is that the band’s producers for all of their albums had been Harry Vanda and George Young – yep, Malcolm and Angus’s older brother George. Now that seems like a story that wasn’t going to end well. Atlantic’s representative flew to Sydney, and told George that for the record company to continue to invest in AC/DC, he would need to accede to their wishes, something he grudgingly agreed to. Atlantic then brought in Eddie Kramer, who had produced albums for Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Kiss, and was no doubt someone they thought could produce an album to their liking. The problem was, Kramer and the band did not gel, and it eventually came out that Malcolm and Angus were sending demos of the sessions back to George in Australia, who was obviously critiquing them harshly. Eventually, having relocated to a studio in the US and with the relationship completely breaking down, Malcolm’s constant barrage to have Kramer replaced came to pass, and another alternative came into the mix for the first time – Robert John (but better known as “Mutt”) Lange. It was to be a partnership that did indeed take AC/DC to another level of success, in album sales at least if not necessarily in the quality of the output achieved.
Lange at that time had conjured up chart success for the Boomtown Rats, and his more hands on approach as a producer was beginning to see results with whatever he was involved in. The stories from the making of this album, from him teaching Bon how to coordinate his breathing during the singing of “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” after being told by the singer “if you’re so good, why don’t you sing it?”, to which he apparently did first time, to manipulating what Angus played on what became the solo to the title track “Highway to Hell”, became legendary. It was a partnership that took both parties to a higher level of success.
When a band is on fire, and consistently releases high quality albums, I guess you can only wonder when the dry spell is going to come. Well, it certainly isn’t here, with the band putting the seal on yet another fine moment in their history. In fact, it could almost be the pinnacle of an ever evolving and growing giant.
Leading off with the great title track, there are very few weak holes to be found in this package. "Highway to Hell" is a great song, one that still stands the test of time, and is rightly considered one of the band's best. The pure simplicity of the track is often overlooked, because it is such a great song with a terrific groove and Bon’s teasing vocals over the top. The song caused a ripple in the US when it was the name chosen by the band as the album’s title (conservative US get a bit prickly about stuff like that) while many mistook the song being about wanting to party in hell, when in fact the lyrics are about the band’s experience of being on the road non-stop, and how that could very well wear you down.
It is interesting that when you listen to it in the context of the album it starts, it feels almost like a plodder when you crash into the follow up "Girls Got Rhythm", which takes off at a faster pace alongside Bon's ecstatic vocals. It's a bold comparison, and "Girls Got Rhythm" has always been a favourite track of mine because of the way it jumpstarts the album. The supporting vocals from Malcolm and Cliff also excel here. From here you dive headlong into "Walk All Over You", which starts off at a mellowing pace before exploding with Bon's blinding vocals and Angus letting rip on lead guitar. Just fantastic stuff. It mixes up the faster paced harder parts with the slower and softer mid-section along the way, and once again with Malcolm and Cliff’s supporting vocal tying out the track. Listening to this in the live environment exemplifies the strongest parts of the track in much better style as well.
There’s no time to rest, as the album moves along straight into "Touch Too Much", a song that rises on the back of Bon's great vocal performance in particular, pushing up the energy levels of the track. It’s a different style to the music for this song, built around the sensational rhythm section which ebbs and flows as to the needs of the vocals, with only two short bursts from the lead guitar to punctuate it. Another superb song, one that is crafted particularly well. The first side of the album concludes with "Beating Around the Bush", that harks back to a style found on the first couple of albums.
Side Two opens with "Shot Down in Flames", a straight up rocker where the band hits the groove from the outset and then let Bon and Angus do their work. Simple, uncomplicated, and terrific. Rinse and repeat for “Get It Hot”, following the same storyboard but making enough changes so that the band can’t be accused of plagiarising... themselves. Then comes what is arguably one of the band’s most iconic and best songs, "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)". This is a brilliant song to drum to (as those who have watched the movie ‘Empire Records’ would know), along with the great riff from Angus and Bon's blood-curdling lyrics and vocals it makes almost the perfect song. Brilliant to sing along with, a great anthem and a great party song. It covers the full gamut.
In contrast, "Love Hungry Man" appears quite lacklustre and underwhelming and seems a strange choice to follow such a terrific and energetic song. The album closes off with "Night Prowler", which probably received more attention due to its eventual association with the serial killer Richard Ramirez, who was nicknamed "Night Stalker" and was supposedly a big fan of the band. Again, this song goes against the grain of the majority of the album, plodding along to its conclusion whereas the high energy of most of the previous songs seems almost lost because of it. To me this has always been a real shame. It's not a bad song, but perhaps just a bad place for it.
As with a lot of AC/DC's work, the unheralded star once again is the rhythm section of the band. It does not miss a beat, and provides the bulk of each song, as well as the backing vocals. Phil Rudd on drums is immaculate, while Cliff Williams on bass and Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar lock in on his groove and hold together each and every song. It is their great work that allows the extroverts in vocalist Bon Scott and lead guitar Angus Young to strut their stuff and be so outward in their roles. Bon’s vocals as always are just brilliant, uniquely his, and driving each song. As his epitaph you could ask for little more. The guitaring of Angus here is once more an inspiration to those youngsters growing up in the era.
Growing up in Australia, AC/DC was an institution. In the 1980’s especially, as a high school student, you knew the band, you knew the hits. There was someone within your circle that had their music, and you all listened to it in some way. This is how it happened for me, knowing all the songs that were played on the radio and on music video shows, and hearing albums at different friends and acquaintances homes along the way. Eventually, as I found the funds required, I began to build my own AC/DC album collection. Somewhere along the way, “Highway to Hell” became one of those purchases.
Often considered as one of the best two or three AC/DC albums recorded, this has always been one of those albums that contains more than a touch of magic. There is a lot of great music here, and some of the songs are indeed legendary, and if you wanted to argue the point as to where this album should rank on any all-time list I'm sure you could have me come around to your way of thinking if you had enough good points.
“Highway to Hell” is a driving force. Put it on at work and you start playing drums on the desktop. Put it on in the car and the air guitar starts flying. There is a real perpetual motion going on with the tracklist, a consistent drive that barely abates from start to finish. Those that have only ever heard the singles and 'famous' tunes may not know a lot of the songs on this album, but they all meld together to make an album that does not quit.
Bon's vocals on his final charge are probably the peak of his career, and the mix with the backing vocals of Malcolm and Cliff add both drama and power to every song. Bon’s performance is top shelf, and the fact it was his last still stings. Phil Rudd's drumming is sublime, and the rhythm is brilliant. There aren't many times Angus Young plays second banana - and he is great here, no doubt - but Bon is the star and this is a pretty fair finale for him. His passing just seven months after the release of this album could easily have meant this was AC/DC’s final album as a band. That it wasn’t, and that they continue to tour and record 45 years later is an amazing achievement. There were still some terrific albums to come, but Bon’s passing does mean “Highway to Hell” concluded the first great era of AC/DC. Some fans think the great days ended here, while many agree that the follow up to this album showed the band had a lot more to give. Like the song says... if you want blood...
495. AC/DC / High Voltage [Australian Release]. 1975. 4/5
The band came together In November 1973 in Sydney, through several other bands forming and breaking up. Malcolm Young and bass guitarist Larry Van Kriedt had just played together and decided they wanted to continue working together. Malcolm’s younger brother Angus then came on board as well. They then found a drummer in Colin Burgess, who had worked with well known Australian band the Masters Apprentices, and the group was completed by the addition of vocalist Dave Evans. In searching for a name of the band, legend tells us that Malcolm and Angus came up with the band's name after their sister Margaret pointed out the symbol "AC/DC" on the AC adapter of her sewing machine. It was to be a prophetic decision.
AC/DC's first official gig was at Chequers nightclub in Sydney on 31 December 1973. As was a popular notion at the time, for about 18 months most members of the band dressed in some form of glam or satin outfit. Angus, being the youngest and looking for a stage presence to outweigh his more docile usual nature, tried various costumes including Zorro, a gorilla, and Superman. Their set list during this time involved cover versions of songs by the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, the Beatles and other popular blues artists, while also throwing in original songs when they cropped up. After many attempts at a stage presence in pantomime, Angus first wore his soon-to-be iconic school-uniform stage outfit in April 1974 at Victoria Park, Sydney, an idea that apparently was their sister Margaret's.
The band did a recording session in January 1974 at EMI Studios in Sydney, with George Young and Harry Vanda as the producers. George of course is Malcolm and Angus’s older brother, and both were former members of the Easybeats. Several songs were recorded, including "Can I Sit Next to You, Girl", "Rockin' in the Parlour" and an early version of "Rock 'n' Roll Singer". Following this, the band signed with Albert Productions in June 1974, which led to "Can I Sit Next to You, Girl", backed with "Rockin' in the Parlour", taken from the January session, being released on 22 July 1974 as the band's first single. The song reached the top 50 on Australia's Kent Music Report singles chart.
Despite this, there were many changes still going on in the band members. A week after the January recording session, Burgess was fired due to intoxication. Subsequently, Van Kriedt was replaced, and his recorded bass lines for the January session were re-recorded by George Young. Their replacements, Neil Smith on bass guitar and Noel Taylor on drums, lasted six weeks, replaced in turn by Rob Bailey and Peter Clack, respectively.
AC/DC had developed a strong live reputation by mid-1974, which resulted in a supporting slot on Lou Reed's national tour in August. It was during that tour that Malcolm switched to rhythm guitar, leaving Angus on lead guitar – the roles the two guitarists played from then on. At this stage the band was still persisting with a glam rock image, but the end of 1974 Malcolm and Angus had decided they needed to change their direction and pursue a more pub rock sound. It was also around this time that they decided that Dave Evans was no longer suitable as the frontman of the band. This situation was solved by befriending of Bon Scott, formerly of the bands The Valentines and Fraternity. With an audition performed to make it official, Evans was sacked and Bon named as his replacement. Bon’s first gig as lead singer was at that doyen of concert places, the Masonic Hall at Brighton-le-Sands south of Sydney on 5 October 1974, before heading into Albert Studios just a month later to record their debut studio album, titled “High Voltage”.
AC/DC recorded their first studio album, High Voltage, in November 1974, with Vanda & Young producing at Albert Studios in Sydney. During the recording, Bailey and Clack were still members of the band, but Clack played on only one track, with session drummer Tony Currenti providing the drums for the rest. George Young, as had been the case with the earlier recordings, handled some bass parts and later rerecorded others. The recording sessions lasted ten days and were based on instrumentals written by the Young brothers, with lyrics added by Scott. Following the recording sessions, the band relocated to Melbourne where both Bailey and Clack were dismissed. Paul Matters briefly took over bass duties before also being dismissed and replaced temporarily by George or Malcolm for live performances. On drums, Ron Carpenter and Russell Coleman had short tenures before Phil Rudd from the band Buster Brown joined, and when bass guitarist Mark Evans was enlisted in March 1975 it established the line-up that lasted for the next two years.
While the songs on High Voltage showcase a wider influence and perhaps more in the direction of the sound they were trying to move away from than the riff-based hard rock sound that followed this release, the structure of the songs in regards to wriitng can definitely be heard here in their infancy. In an interview with VH1 in 2014, Angus is quoted as such: "I think the '60s was a great time for music, especially for rock and roll. It was the era of the Beatles, of the Stones, and then later on the Who and Led Zeppelin. But at one point in the '70s it just kind of became... mellow. When Malcolm put the band together, it was obvious what was missing at the time: another great rock band. So it was basically a reaction to that, because the music at that point had just turned into that soft, melodic kind of period, and that seemed to be all over the world. For us, it was a pretty easy choice, especially because Malcolm and myself – we’re two guitarists – so from the get-go, it was going to be a guitar band."
From the outset, despite the fact that AC/DC is the garage band Aussie pub rock gods, it is Bon Scott that more than anything plants his influence all over this album. The re-recorded and slightly more innovative cover version of the original “Baby, Please Don’t Go” from Big Joe Williams leads off the album, and brings the energy and high tempo to the album from the start. This song was performed live by the band on the influential ABC music programme ‘Countdown’, with Bon Scott decked out as a blonde schoolgirl. You can still find this on YouTube if you have never seen it, but it was this performance that gave AC/DC a platform that showcased them to the nation rather than the bounds of the Sydney city limits.
"She's Got Balls" (apparently written about Scott's ex-wife Irene) was the first song that Scott and the Young brothers put together, and it is immersed in the sound that the band was trying to strive for. The solid guitars and bass tracking each other, and the steady clomp of the drums driving the song along, and Bon singing his diatribe over the top. As soon as the song begins, you know the era it comes from and who is behind the music. From the opening track that hits you with the pace and fun, back into this serious architecture based on blues but pushing hard at the pub rock scene, the album opens with two tracks that have stood the test of time since its release.
“Little Lover” draws itself back into the cocoon of the blues-based rock that the members of the band had grown up with, moving along at the pace of a slug sludging its way up the concrete path. Bon holds court with his captivating vocal, telling his story in his own way in his own time, and doing so as the band holds back on anything too extravagant. The band wrote several of these types of songs for their early albums, and not all of them worked as well as this one does. It’s creeper, musically and as a hook into the song. “Stick Around” sticks to the tried and tested (beyond this album) method of the solid guitar riff rhythm that AC/DC made famous. It’s the perfect example of how the band created this from their first album, making a song structure that was to survive their entire career. A good solid track that identified where the band was heading.
Another song on the album that is a real creeper is “Soul Stripper”, a song that establishes a blueprint for several songs to come later in the AC/DC catalogue. The opening of the track has the rhythm of guitar, bass and drums locked in as it would for the next 50 years and counting, with Angus’s lead guitar softly building over the opening two minutes into the track, perfectly subtle and yet building in power. Bon’s vocals come in from a softer tone before they build to the chorus and following verse. Then comes the Angus solo break that doesn’t break out to extreme levels, but instead is a well thought-out and played piece that doesn’t repeat itself, entwined as the song flows out to its natural conclusion in the same manner as it introduced the song. This apparently came from an unrecorded song called “Sunset Strip” by Malcolm and Evans, and its style may be familiar to anyone who knows later tracks such as “Live Wire” and “Squealer”. The follow up “You Ain’t Got a Hold on Me” follows similar lines to the previous song, the easy rhythm of the track, Bon’s mellow vocal lines following the lovely bass line of the track, while the solo from Angus again is understated compared to what came later on, but suits the track’s style perfectly.
"Love Song" apparently evolved from an unrecorded song called "Fell in Love" which was written by Malcolm and Dave Evans. However, Bon rewrote the lyrics for this version for the album. It’s a rather maudlin song both lyrically and musically and does feel a little out of place on the album. However, "Love Song" was released as the album's first single (under the title "Love Song (Oh Jene)") and was backed with "Baby, Please Don't Go". Not surprisingly, the radio stations who received this single to play all preferred the B side to the A side, and it was “Baby Please Don’t Go” that got the airplay, and not “Love Song”. The album then concludes with the upbeat and blues rock based “Show Business”, a song that mirrors the stock songs that filled the spaces of the hit maker songs on the following several albums. It’s a serviceable and enjoyable song, but doesn’t offer anything extraordinary in its composition, something AC/DC was about to produce in spades.
Like most teenagers growing up in Australia, I was exposed to AC/DC on a number of fronts. The singles were on the radio, the albums were around at different people’s places, and they were played in the school yard by the kids whose fathers were fans of the band. It was an all encompassing thing. If you are Australian and growing up in Australia, you knew who AC/DC were. So I was the same. I knew songs, but not albums. And it wasn’t until the late 1980’s that I actually owned an AC/DC album, and from there began to build my copies of their discography.
The problem with this debut album is that it was only ever released in Australia and New Zealand and since the end of the 1980’s the only version that is readily available to buy is the international version, which in fact is a hybrid of this album and their next album “TNT”. Then a portion of the other tracks were released on the “Jailbreak ‘75” LP. But two of the songs, “Stick Around” and “Love Song”, can only be found on the “Backtrack” compilation that was released years later. It’s a mishmash, and makes it very difficult for someone like me, who wants everything in order and as it was released, to actually make that happen. And for me, the essence of this album has been lost because of record company policies and politics. The international version of this album should not exist, just this album and then “TNT”. The same with the international version of the band’s third release “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” which for some reason does not have “Jailbreak” on it. And yet, that is the only version that is readily available. Idiots!
Anyway... let’s move on. So, I have a copy of this album, but it is a cheap version that does the job rather than adorn my collection with pride. And when I got it, which was some time after I had collected all of the other album released to that point in time, I found it to be a novelty. Because though it showcases the real roots of AC/DC, and gives us a glimpse into the window back in time when they were just starting out, it is different from what followed, even just a few short months later. There are different sides of the band that didn’t appear from this album on as the band refined their sound and began to blast it out of the speakers. And that is lost in a way by the unavailability of this album in the modern day. It takes away the progression that this album shows occurred between this and the next album. And, although others will say that the majority of these songs have been made available in other formats... that just isn’t the same as listening to THIS album.
I think this is a terrific debut for the band. Yes, there are lots of albums come from this point on that would be considered better, but it doesn’t overshadow the importance of this album. The playfulness of “Baby Please Don’t Go”, the change in moods of “She’s Got Balls” and “Little Lover”, and the songs that show the potential that the band exuded here that came to fruition going forward, songs like “Soul Stripper” and “You Ain’t Got a Hold on Me”. All of this bathes in the sound the band began with, a mix of glam rock and blues rock, the rhythm section that became the best in hard rock history, the man with the voice at the front, and the guy in the school uniform throwing out solos that electrified a generation.
Of the 17 studio albums the band has released – the AUSTRALIAN releases too I might add – for me this ranks at #9. I’ve had it on over the last week or so, a dozen times in total, and it still entertains and delights. For those of you who have missed out on this important album, it's time to track it down and give it a listen. Turn the stereo up to 11 if you like. It’s worth it. And it's a great place to remind you of the wonderful career it started.
494. AC/DC / High Voltage. 1976. 5/5
Unlike the original Australian version, High Voltage contains a majority of its songs from the highly successful follow up T.N.T., and the result is that it became a worldwide smash. it is arguably AC/DC's finest hour. It contains a collection of songs, many of which are known by everyone throughout the world regardless of their music taste, complemented by the other solid songs surrounding them.
To be honest there simply isn’t a weak song on this album. Each is followed by another of equal quality. Few albums exist where you could, when trying to compile a greatest hits collection for a band, lift every song from the one album. This is one.
There are just so many anthems here – “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock and Roll”, “Rock n Roll Singer”, “The Jack”, “Live Wire”, “High Voltage”, “TNT” – it’s probably a crime not to just list the entire tracklist. And these are real anthems too, not your pretend pop tunes that some people think are fun to sing along to. These are the real thing, where everyone knows what to sing and when. By taking what would probably be considered as the best two songs off of the Australian release of High Voltage, "She's Got Balls" and "Little Lover", and putting that with the majority of the songs off of T.N.T., the record company has produced a monster.
As an Australian, I prefer to refer to the two Australian record releases when it comes to ranking and rating AC/DC's albums. This will always be somewhat of a compilation. If forced to do so, it ranks above T.N.T. because of the extra tracks from the original release. A true rock masterpiece.
Rating: High voltage rock and roll. 5/5.
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