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View Full Version : OT: 40th Anniversary of "Back in Black." Best Rock N Roll Album Ever?


XXtwindad
07-25-2020, 01:47 PM
You bet.

For stripped down, guttural no-frills turn-it-up "the music is the message" there wasn't any better. Sure, "Toys in the Attic" and the inaugural Van Halen album were contenders. And maybe if you venture into the artsier side of the tracks, Led Zeppelin IV deserves a nod.

But if I'm going down a highway with the windows down, blasting a guitar heavy album, this is the one I'm choosing.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9424341/acdc-back-in-black-songs-ranked

Only quibble from the list above: the title track should be number one.

ColonelJLloyd
07-25-2020, 01:51 PM
Ha! It's not even in the top five albums from that band!

FlashUNC
07-25-2020, 02:03 PM
Bon Scott was the only lead singer of AC/DC.

colker
07-25-2020, 02:43 PM
Better than Led Zeppelin 1? Or Jimi Hendrix Experience? Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street?
It could be the best hard rock album but even then it´s impossible to be sure.

pdmtong
07-25-2020, 02:49 PM
There is nothing like a packed Oakland Coliseum and the Raiders coming out of the tunnel taking the field while Hells Bells is blasting at full stadium volume. Black Hole spilling beer everywhere and going crazy. They'll try that in LV one day but it will not be the same.

Shoot to Thrill as the Iron Man 2 opener was clever.

colker
07-25-2020, 02:56 PM
Well.. yeah. Listening to this album feels like being a well tuned V8 engine at full throttle burning gas.

GOTHBROOKS
07-25-2020, 03:21 PM
rose tattoo is the better of the two australian beer drinking bands.

Blown Reek
07-25-2020, 03:42 PM
Rose Tattoo is a great Dropkick Murphys/Bruce Springsteen collaboration.

jamesdak
07-25-2020, 03:44 PM
Bon Scott was the only lead singer of AC/DC.

No way, Brian picked up the mic and has rocked us all ever since. I really can't say that either was better than the other, both are great. :banana:

Dr Luxurious
07-25-2020, 03:47 PM
BinB is great but Bon > Brian

They were just so much more fun in the early days.

BTW here's what Brian was doing prior to AC/DC

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/brian-johnson-ac-dc-hoover/

XXtwindad
07-25-2020, 03:52 PM
BinB is great but Bon > Brian

They were just so much more fun in the early days.

BTW here's what Brian was doing prior to AC/DC

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/brian-johnson-ac-dc-hoover/

Haha. Cool. Lyrics are almost as complex as "she told me to come, but I was already there."

rallizes
07-25-2020, 03:56 PM
BinB is great but Bon > Brian

They were just so much more fun in the early days.

BTW here's what Brian was doing prior to AC/DC

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/brian-johnson-ac-dc-hoover/

and here is an early Bon appearance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ-45XG7n4k

Back in Black is a great sounding LP

FlashUNC
07-25-2020, 03:59 PM
No way, Brian picked up the mic and has rocked us all ever since. I really can't say that either was better than the other, both are great. :banana:

One led a fun rock band, the other leads an arena rock band that is a poor pantomime of the earlier iteration of the band, albeit the latter clearly swims in money as a result. Huge difference.

As Colonel mentioned, Back in Black isn't even in their Top 5 best albums as a band. Much less best rock album ever.

Dr Luxurious
07-25-2020, 04:04 PM
and here is an early Bon appearance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ-45XG7n4k

Back in Black is a great sounding LP

HA! yeah, I love that one.
Bon was in a lot of bands...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVlL6uhrBV4

rallizes
07-25-2020, 04:07 PM
HA! yeah, I love that one.
Bon was in a lot of bands...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVlL6uhrBV4

ha wild

rallizes
07-25-2020, 04:09 PM
Malcolm Young was the key to the whole thing anyway regardless

jamesdak
07-25-2020, 04:13 PM
One led a fun rock band, the other leads an arena rock band that is a poor pantomime of the earlier iteration of the band, albeit the latter clearly swims in money as a result. Huge difference.

As Colonel mentioned, Back in Black isn't even in their Top 5 best albums as a band. Much less best rock album ever.

We'll I can see we're not going to agree. I think Back in Black is the best and The Razor's Edge is a favorite also. I do like all the early work but feel they tok a huge step forward with Brian.

Besides, the best Rock Album ever is Bat out of Hell!

XXtwindad
07-25-2020, 04:14 PM
Malcolm Young was the key to the whole thing anyway regardless

You must be a musician. I have two buddies who are serious musicians. They say the same exact thing. Once you get past the glamour and growl of Bon and Angus, Malcolm made the band.

Their opinion, though, and not mine.

FWIW my favorite AC/DC song is “Ride On.” But when it comes time to turning up the dial, Brian’s growl trumps Bon’s reedy angst.

Elefantino
07-25-2020, 04:44 PM
Besides, the best Rock Album ever is Bat out of Hell!

London is calling...

Spaghetti Legs
07-25-2020, 04:44 PM
I’m firmly in the Bon Scott camp, there’s a groove there as opposed to the sledge hammer of the Brian Johnson production, although I enjoy that too. My go to rock album however is RHCP Blood Sugar Sex Magik

makoti
07-25-2020, 04:45 PM
There is nothing like a packed Oakland Coliseum and the Raiders coming out of the tunnel taking the field

Well, now there isn't even that, so...

SlowPokePete
07-25-2020, 04:56 PM
When I was ab out 16 or 17 one of my best friends had a '66 Chevelle that was spay painted primer brown and had HELLS BELLS, one word under the other, painted on the entire hood.

I remember a super hot summer night underneath that thing with the tranny on my chest trying to line something up and shove the thing forward.

We used to love riding around in that thing in the summertime.

Probably around 1980, Port Chester, NY.

SPP

FlashUNC
07-25-2020, 08:37 PM
We'll I can see we're not going to agree. I think Back in Black is the best and The Razor's Edge is a favorite also. I do like all the early work but feel they tok a huge step forward with Brian.

Besides, the best Rock Album ever is Bat out of Hell!

Meatloaf sucks.

gbcoupe
07-25-2020, 08:50 PM
Meatloaf sucks.

Yup, and nope!( yes sucks. Can we get some? Hell no!)

ACDC Back in Black had/has it's place, but not anywhere close to best rock album ever.

And how do I upload a gif that works?

saab2000
07-25-2020, 09:21 PM
London is calling...

Exactly

Blue Jays
07-25-2020, 10:11 PM
AC/DC is a great band, have seen them a bunch of times. Always entertaining.

choke
07-25-2020, 11:27 PM
Best Rock N Roll Album Ever? Nope. Not even in the ballpark.

Louis
07-25-2020, 11:33 PM
"Back in Black" is one of the great ones, but there are so many others too.

There's no reason to try to rank them - crank it up to "11" and enjoy them all.

https://iconicphotos.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/images_maninchair.jpg?w=1024

54ny77
07-25-2020, 11:35 PM
Top song of all time. Hands down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTSA_sWGM44

William
07-26-2020, 01:38 AM
Time to crank up some Riff Raff!!:banana:

Crank it up!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErXbMB9R5-0





W.

rustychisel
07-26-2020, 04:27 AM
William, lock it down, jeebus. :)

OP: go and listen to Midnight Oil S/T or their second album 'Head Injuries', maybe even The Rollins Band or a thousand other albums and report back...

Louis
07-26-2020, 04:32 AM
OP: go and listen to Midnight Oil S/T or their second album 'Head Injuries', maybe even The Rollins Band or a thousand other albums and report back...

Speaking of Aussie Rock, whenever I see your "Location" I can't help but think of this:

https://youtu.be/vPbcC-F2Z0U

PTinz
07-26-2020, 04:41 AM
London is calling...

Now that there is my all time favorite album, so many interesting sources for the music on that double LP....."Clampdown" and "Death & Glory", great tunes to wrench to, alone in the garage......but I stray here.

ACDC's BnB came out when I was a senior in High School, so naturally that 8 track got a lot of play in my first ride, a '67 Dodge Dart.

colker
07-26-2020, 07:52 AM
London is calling...

You mean .. London Calling.


I vote for Velvet Underground.

rustychisel
07-26-2020, 08:08 AM
Speaking of Aussie Rock, whenever I see your "Location" I can't help but think of this:

https://youtu.be/vPbcC-F2Z0U

I follow your drift... one of many who espouse that view... but then again, PK was a Bob Dylan wanna-be and heroin addict from an affluent suburban home who kicked against the traces. As you know, he didn't do anything to kick out the jams.

Elefantino
07-26-2020, 08:32 AM
Now that there is my all time favorite album, so many interesting sources for the music on that double LP....."Clampdown" and "Death & Glory", great tunes to wrench to, alone in the garage......

I wish I still had my cassette version so I could have it on all forms of media.

You mean .. London Calling.

Obv.

WNC rider
07-26-2020, 08:55 AM
Back in Black the best rock 'n' roll album ever? Probably in the top 500, but not even close to #1.
Best AC/DC album? Debatable. I'd say the best Brian Johnson era album, but definitely not the best overall AC/DC album. Not even going to discuss the Axl Rose mess.
I am all in on the Bon Scott era, and have been since the late '70s. My choice for top 3 (in order of personal preference) would be: Let There Be Rock (would stare at the album cover while having the album blasted on the stereo), Powerage, '74 Jailbreak. If You Want Blood is also really good. The other Bon-era albums had a lot of 'singles' that got way overplayed (and many still are), so I didn't listen to them as much.
I love modern technology like youtube, where so many Bon-era live recordings are easily accessible. "Back in the day" these would be difficult or impossible to access. Some faves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is1ZEJL0XEs
which is part of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1uQM8c2jLI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkR06NFlll0 (Angus walking through the crowd during Rocker is hilarious)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RXAE971i_Y (can we hear it for the ham hocks?)


as far as other Australian bands: Radio Birdman.
I am never quite able to turn them up as loud as I want to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBJWykz3pZw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNof2jlqoO4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfjvqqOU4kE

jamesdak
07-26-2020, 08:57 AM
Meatloaf sucks.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Those are fighting words now! It's on!!!!!!!!!!!

:p:p

GOTHBROOKS
07-26-2020, 09:15 AM
meatloaf is only palatable when hes doing vocals for ted nugent.

OtayBW
07-26-2020, 09:16 AM
You bet.

Nope. EOM.

rides2slow
07-26-2020, 09:41 AM
bon scott was the only lead singer of ac/dc.

+1

William
07-26-2020, 11:33 AM
William, lock it down, jeebus. :)



Just giving the dogs here a bone!;)







W.

ddeand
07-26-2020, 01:59 PM
Only two groups I wish I could have seen and AC/DC is one of them. At my age, whenever I need to jumpstart myself Back In Black seems to do it!

FlashUNC
07-26-2020, 03:10 PM
If we're talking Aussie bands just drenched in 70s power chords, Marshall stacks and airbrushed wizards on vans, Wolfmother takes the cake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRsc57nK8mg

peanutgallery
07-26-2020, 03:38 PM
Around here, Back in Black is an AC DC cover band. Most of the members still live with their parents at age 50

I'm out, just for that

mtechnica
07-26-2020, 03:40 PM
I hate to be that guy but I think back in black is highly over rated. Once you’re done getting your ears screeched off maybe try crime of the century next as an aural palate cleanser.

grateful
07-26-2020, 03:56 PM
Bagpipes.

Nuff said.

jtakeda
07-26-2020, 04:12 PM
Back in Black being the greatest rock n roll album ever.
I think I can say thats the first time I've ever heard that.

Ill take Marcus Hook Roll Band and Coloured Balls over AC/DC no problem.

William
07-26-2020, 04:26 PM
Really good, but I don't think I would call it the GOAT. https://emojipedia-us.s3.dualstack.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/thumbs/60/apple/155/goat_1f410.png







W.

XXtwindad
07-26-2020, 04:49 PM
Haha. Lots of dissenting opinions here. I love “The Only Band That Mattered.” My favorite band of all time. But they were a band with a message. Not to mention punk, ska, reggae, etc.

For “turn your brain off” RnR, none better than AC/DC. And “Back in Black was the pinnacle of that. “Appetite for Destruction” might be a close second.

Louis
07-26-2020, 09:36 PM
then again, PK was a Bob Dylan wanna-be

I've always thought that he has a lot more in common with Springsteen than Dylan.

oliver1850
07-27-2020, 12:32 AM
If we're talking Aussie bands just drenched in 70s power chords, Marshall stacks and airbrushed wizards on vans, Wolfmother takes the cake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRsc57nK8mg

A band I know nothing about, will have to check them out.

My favorite Australian bands in no particular order:

The Saints

The Celibate Rifles (link to their cover of "Dancing Barefoot" below)

The Scientists

The Hoodoo Gurus

Radio Birdman

Midnight Oil

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Lime Spiders

The Dirty Three

Ed Kuepper

Paul Kelly (even if he was/is a heroin addict and from a wealthy suburb)

New Christs or any band Rob Younger has been in

AC/DC in the 1970s. Back in Black has some great songs but I'll take Bon over Brian any day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dOMpzRSkcs

jtakeda
07-27-2020, 12:44 AM
A band I know nothing about, will have to check them out.

My favorite Australian bands in no particular order:

The Saints

The Celibate Rifles (link to their cover of "Dancing Barefoot" below)

The Scientists

The Hoodoo Gurus

Radio Birdman

Midnight Oil

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Lime Spiders

The Dirty Three

Ed Kuepper

Paul Kelly (even if he was/is a heroin addict and from a wealthy suburb)

New Christs or any band Rob Younger has been in

AC/DC in the 1970s. Back in Black has some great songs but I'll take Bon over Brian any day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dOMpzRSkcs

OZ rock has so much to offer

Coloured Balls
Skyhooks
Buster Brown
Lobby Loyde
Stevie Wright
Supernaut
Hush
Rose Tattoo
Victims
young identities
fun things
psycho surgeons

im probably leaving a lot out--thats off the top of my head

Not to mention the great tunes coming out of Melbourne now
Gizz
civic
amyl + the sniffers
orb
etc

GOTHBROOKS
07-27-2020, 01:01 AM
buster brown was collectively uglier than slade i love it

oliver1850
07-27-2020, 01:12 AM
OZ rock has so much to offer

Coloured Balls
Skyhooks
Buster Brown
Lobby Loyde
Stevie Wright
Supernaut
Hush
Rose Tattoo
Victims
young identities
fun things
psycho surgeons

im probably leaving a lot out--thats off the top of my head

Not to mention the great tunes coming out of Melbourne now
Gizz
civic
amyl + the sniffers
orb
etc

I agree, and I'm sure I've missed out on lots of stuff over the years because I didn't come across the record review or didn't track it down while it was still on my mind. In the 80s/90s era I subscribed to a fanzine called "The Bob". Fred Mills had a page dedicated to Australia and/or NZ releases. He reviewed lots of records that I would have liked to hear but couldn't find.

Thanks for posting about bands that are current. It seems to be harder to keep up now than it was 30 years ago. I miss the days when you could subscribe to one fanzine that listed 20 new releases every month that I would buy if they could be found.

rustychisel
07-27-2020, 01:34 AM
Did a lot of gigs with New Christs; there never was a finer rock band.... Rob Younger/Charlie Owen/Jim Dickson/Nick Fisher at Melbourne's Old Greek Theatre... amazing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHSNZS1EMDY

But then again, another Younger band, the shortlived New Race (with Asheton and Thompson from MC5), ultra amazing pants!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vynJE3gV1jU

rustychisel
07-27-2020, 01:36 AM
PS: jtakeda

The Victims came out Perth, Western Australia, and Dave Faulkner formed Hoodoo Gurus when they relocated to Sydney.
Kim Salmon went to The Scientists.

gibbo
07-27-2020, 02:17 AM
Back in Black is great but this is my pick.
There was no AC/DC without Malcolm, but Angus was the showman!
Brain was along for the ride, and what a ride it was.......
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200727/a20a371a0b6a6e9c2479559bb8ad1ee2.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

martl
07-27-2020, 09:04 AM
There is nothing like a packed Oakland Coliseum and the Raiders coming out of the tunnel taking the field while Hells Bells is blasting at full stadium volume. Black Hole spilling beer everywhere and going crazy. They'll try that in LV one day but it will not be the same.

Shoot to Thrill as the Iron Man 2 opener was clever.

I imagine that must have been a great experience but for "nothing like" onr may have to readjust once witnessed the singing at a Belgrad or Athens football derby. No amps needed to be twice as loud and 10x as impressive :)