AC/DC - Complete 2003 Remasters (16 CD) RE-UP

One of the perennial complaints about AC/DC is that they've never changed – and if that's true, High Voltage is the blueprint they've followed all their career. Comprised of highlights from their first two Australian albums – 1975's TNT and its 1976 follow-up, also entitled High Voltage – the album has every single one of AC/DC's archetypes. There are songs about rock & roll, slow sleazy blues, high-voltage boogie, double entendres so obvious they qualify as single entendres and, of course, the monster riffs of Angus Young, so big and bold they bruise the listener upon contact. It's those riffs – so catchy they sound lifted when they're original, so simple they're often wrongly dismissed as easy – that give the music its backbone, the foundation for Bon Scott to get dirty, and rockers never got quite as dirty as Bon Scott. Scott sounded as if you could catch a disease by listening to him. He sounded like the gateman at hell, somebody who never hid the notion that lurking behind the door are some bad, dangerous things, but they're also fun, too, and he made no apologies for that. But for as primal as High Voltage is, it's also a lot weirder and funnier than it's given credit for, too – those are bagpipes that solo on "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock & Roll)," and "She's Got Balls" is a perversely funny dirty joke. This is music so primal that it's enduring – it feels like it existed before AC/DC got there, and it will exist long afterward. And if AC/DC did wind up bettering this blueprint in the future, there's no question that this original is still potent, even thrilling, no matter how many times they returned to the well, or how many times this record is played.

~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic

Tracklist :

1. It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll) - 5:02
2. Rock 'N' Roll Singer - 5:04
3. The Jack - 5:53
4. Live Wire - 5:50
5. T.N.T. - 3:35
6. Can I Sit Next To You Girl - 4:12
7. Little Lover - 5:40
8. She's Got Balls - 4:52
9. High Voltage - 4:14



• Bon Scott - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Mark Evans - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

Produced by Vanda & Young for Albert Productions at Albert Studios, Sydney, Australia
Originally Released as Atco 36-142 on September 28,1976
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

There's a real sense of menace to "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," the title song of AC/DC's third album. More than most of their songs to date, it captured the seething malevolence of Bon Scott, the sense that he reveled in doing bad things, encouraged by the maniacal riffs of Angus and Malcolm Young who provided him with their most brutish rock & roll yet. But for as glorious as the title track was, the entire album served as a call to arms from a group that wanted nothing more than to celebrate the dirtiest, nastiest instincts humans could have, right down to the insurgent anti-authority vibe that runs throughout the record. Take "Big Balls" – sure, it's a dirty joke, but it's a dirty joke with class overthrow in mind. There's a sense on Dirty Deeds that AC/DC is storming the gates – they're problem children sick of waiting around to be a millionaire, so they're gonna make their own money, even if they take down others as they go. That's what gives Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap its supercharged, nervy pulse; there's a real sense of danger to this record, something that can't be hidden beneath the jokes. Maybe that's why the album wasn't released in the U.S. until 1981, after Bon's death, after AC/DC had become millionaires – if it arrived any earlier, it would have been too insurrectionist for the common good.

~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap - 3:52
2. Love At First Feel - 3:13
3. Big Balls - 2:39
4. Rocker - 2:52
5. Problem Child - 5:47
6. There's Gonna Be Some Rockin' - 3:18
7. Ain't No Fun (Waiting Round To Be A Millionaire) - 6:58
8. Ride On - 5:54
9. Squealer - 5:27



• Bon Scott - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Mark Evans - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

'Rocker' - Studio version. Live version previously released on Atlantic SD 19212 - If You Want Blood You've Got It.
'Problem Child' previously released on Atco SD 36-151 - Let There Be Rock
All selections recorded in 1976. Originally released as Atlantic 16033 on March 27, 1981.
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

Let There Be Rock, the fourth AC/DC album – and first to see simultaneous international release – is as lean and mean as the original lineup ever got. Shaved down to the bone – there are only eight tracks, giving this a lethal efficiency even with a couple of meandering jams – this is a high-voltage, brutal record, filled with "Bad Boy Boogie." It has a bit of a bluesier edge than other AC/DC records, but this is truly the sound of the band reaching its peak. There's the near majesty of "Let There Be Rock," there's Bon Scott acknowledging with a wink that "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be," and then there's the monumental "Whole Lotta Rosie." Which gets down to a key thing about AC/DC. If Led Zeppelin were celebrating a "Whole Lotta Love," AC/DC got down to the grimy details in their leering tribute to the joys of sex with a plus-sized woman. And that's AC/DC's allure in a nutshell – it's sweaty, dirty, nasty rock, music that is played to the last call and beyond, and they've rarely done that kind of rock better than they did here.

~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Go Down - 5:31
2. Dog Eat Dog - 3:35
3. Let There Be Rock - 6:06
4. Bad Boy Boogie - 4:28
5. Problem Child - 5:25
6. Overdose - 6:09
7. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be - 4:14
8. Whole Lotta Rosie - 5:34



• Bon Scott - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Mark Evans - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

All Compositions by A. Young, M. Young & B. Scott
Produced by Vanda and Young for Albert Productions at Alberts Studio, Sydney Jan./Feb. '77
Originally Released as Atco 36151 on June 23,1977
Digitally Remastered from the Original Master Tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

Powerage was a first in the sense that it debuted bassist Cliff Williams, but it really is more of a final curtain to the band's early years. It would be the last produced by Vanda & Young, the legendary Australian production team who also helmed hits by the Easybeats, and it was the last before AC/DC became superstars. As such, it's perhaps the most overlooked of their '70s records, also because, frankly, it is the most uneven of them. Not that it's a bad record – far from it, actually. There are a few genuine classics here, most notably "Down Payment Blues" and "Up to My Neck in You," and there's a real appeal in how Bon Scott's gutter poems of excess are reaching a mythic level; there's a real sense that he truly does believe that rock & roll leads straight to hell on "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation." But overall, the record is just a bit too wobbly, one where the parts don't add up to a record as hard and addictive as before – but there's still plenty worth hearing here.

~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Rock 'N' Roll Damnation - 3:38
2. Down Payment Blues - 6:04
3. Gimme A Bullet - 3:22
4. Riff Raff - 5:12
5. Sin City - 4:45
6. What's Next To The Moon - 3:32
7. Gone Shootin' - 5:06
8. Up To My Neck In You - 4:13
9. Kicked In The Teeth - 4:03



• Bon Scott - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

All songs A.Young, M.Young and B.Scott
Produced by Vanda and Young
Recorded at Albert Studios, Sydney, Australia, on February/March 1978. Engineerede by Mark Opitz
Originally released As Atlantic 19180 on May 30, 1978
Digitally Remastered from the Original Master Tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

AC/DC was fast becoming one of rock's top live acts by the late '70s. Few others could match the band's electrifying live performances: Angus Young's never-ending energy and wise-ass antics, Bon Scott's whiskey-soaked vocals, and the rest of the band's penchant for nailing simple, yet extremely effective and memorable, riffs and grooves. While most other rock bands of the era were busy experimenting with disco or creating studio-perfected epics, AC/DC was one of the few specializing in raw and bluesy hard rock, as evidenced by 1978's live set, If You Want Blood You've Got It. Recorded during their world tour in support of their Powerage album, If You Want Blood contains many of AC/DC's best compositions up until that point: "Bad Boy Boogie" (complete with the break-down section in which Young would "strip"), "The Jack," "Problem Child," "Whole Lotta Rosie," "High Voltage," "Let There Be Rock," and "Rocker." Strangely, their early anthem "Sin City" was not included, and there's a slight sense of studio enhancement on certain tracks. While the first disc of the 1997 box set Bonfire is the best document of live Bon Scott-era AC/DC ("Live From the Atlantic Studios"), If You Want Blood You've Got It is highly recommended.

~ by Greg Prato, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Riff Raff - 5:59
2. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be - 4:11
3. Bad Boy Boogie - 7:30
4. The Jack - 5:49
5. Problem Child - 4:41
6. Whole Lotta Rosie - 4:05
7. Rock 'N' Roll Damnation - 3:41
8. High Voltage - 5:05
9. Let There Be Rock - 8:34
10. Rocker - 3:25



• Bon Scott - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

All tracks recorded live during 1978 World Tour
Mixed at Albert Studios, Sydney, Australia
Originally released as Atlantic 19212 on November 21, 1978
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser & Ai Quaglieri

Of course, Highway to Hell is the final album AC/DC recorded with Bon Scott, the lead singer who provided the group with a fair share of its signature sleaze. Just months after its release, Scott literally partied himself to death (the official cause cited as acute alcohol poisoning) after a night of drinking, a rock & roll fatality that took no imagination to predict. In light of his passing, it's hard not to see Highway to Hell as a last testament of sorts, being that it was his last work and all, and if Scott was going to go out in a blaze of glory, this certainly was the way to do it. This is a veritable rogue's gallery of deviance, from cheerfully clumsy sex talk and drinking anthems to general outlandish behavior. It's tempting to say that Scott might have been prescient about his end – or to see the title track as ominous in the wake of his death – trying to spill it all out on paper, but it's more accurate to say that the ride had just gotten very fast and very wild for AC/DC, and he was simply flying high. After all, it wasn't just Scott who reached a new peak on Highway to Hell; so did the Young brothers, crafting their monster riffs into full-fledged, undeniable songs. This is their best set of songs yet, from the incessant, intoxicating boogie of "Girls Got Rhythm" to "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)." Some of the credit should also go to Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who gives the album a precision and magnitude that the Vanda & Young LPs lacked in their grimy charm. Filtered through Mutt's mixing board, AC/DC has never sounded so enormous, and they've never had such great songs, and they had never delivered an album as singularly bone-crunching or classic as this until now.

~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Highway To Hell - 3:28
2. Girls Got Rhythm - 3:23
3. Walk All Over You - 5:10
4. Touch Too Much - 4:26
5. Beating Around The Bush - 3:56
6. Shot Down In Flames - 3:23
7. Get It Hot - 2:35
8. If You Want Blood (You've Got It) - 4:37
9. Love Hungry Man - 4:17
10. Night Prowler - 6:28



• Bon Scott - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. All titles A. Young - M. Young - B. Scott
Recorded at Roundhouse Studios, London, by Mark Dearnley
Mixed at Basing Street Studios, London by Tony Piatt, assistant engineer - Kevin Dallimore
Originally released as Atlantic 19244 on August 3,1979
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Frascr and Al Quaglieri

The first sound on Back in Black is the deep, ominous drone of church bells – or "Hell's Bells," as it were, opening the album and AC/DC's next era with a fanfare while ringing a fond farewell to Bon Scott, their late lead singer who partied himself straight to hell. But this implies that Back in Black is some kind of tribute to Scott, which may be true on a superficial level – black is a funeral cover, hell's bells certainly signify death – but this isn't filled with mournful songs about the departed. It's a more fitting tribute, actually, since AC/DC not only carried on without him, but they delivered a record that to the casual ear sounds like the seamless successor to Highway to Hell, right down to how Brian Johnson's screech is a dead ringer for Scott's growl. Most listeners could be forgiven for thinking that Johnson was Scott, but Johnson is different than Bon. He's driven by the same obsessions – sex and drink and rock & roll, basically – but there isn't nearly as much malevolence in his words or attitude as there was with Scott. Bon sounded like a criminal, Brian sounds like a rowdy scamp throughout Back in Black, which helps give it a real party atmosphere. Of course, Johnson shouldn't be given all the credit for Back in Black, since Angus and Malcolm carry on with the song-oriented riffing that made Highway to Hell close to divine. Song for song, they deliver not just mammoth riffs but songs that are anthems, from the greasy "Shoot to Thrill" to the pummeling "Back in Black," which pales only next to "You Shook Me All Night Long," the greatest one-night-stand anthem in rock history. That tawdry celebration of sex is what made AC/DC different from all other metal bands – there was no sword & sorcery, no darkness, just a rowdy party, and they never held a bigger, better party than they did on Back in Black.

~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Hells Bells - 5:12
2. Shoot To Thrill - 5:18
3. What Do You Do For Money Honey - 3:35
4. Givin The Dog A Bone - 3:32
5. Let Me Put My Love Into You - 4:16
6. Back In Black - 4:15
7. You Shook Me All Night Long - 3:30
8. Have A Drink On Me - 3:59
9. Shake A Leg - 4:05
10. Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution - 4:26



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Engineered by Tony Piatt. Assistant Engineers: Jack Newber, Benji Armbrister
Recorded at Compass Point Studios April/May I980. Mixing Engineer: Brad Samuelsohn
Originally released as Atlantic 16018 on July 25, 1980
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

AC/DC's hot streak began to draw to a close with For Those About to Rock We Salute You. While Back in Black was infused with the energy and spirit of paying tribute to Bon Scott, it became apparent on the follow-up that the group really did miss Scott more than it initially indicated. Brian Johnson's lyrics started to seem more calculated and a bit cliched, lacking Scott's devil-may-care sense of humor. And the band itself slowed down the tempo frequently, sounding less aggressive and inspired. There is still some decent material here – the title track, for example, which became a concert staple with cannon-firing sound effects.

~ by Steve Huey, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) - 5:44
2. I Put The Finger On You - 3:26
3. Let's Get It Up - 3:54
4. Inject The Venom - 3:31
5. Snowballed - 3:23
6. Evil Walks - 4:24
7. C.O.D. - 3:20
8. Breaking The Rules - 4:23
9. Night Of The Long Knives - 3:26
10. Spellbound - 4:39



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

All songs written by Young. Young & Johnson
Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Recording Engineer: Mark Dearnley Mixing Engineer: Dave Thoener
Recorded on Mobile One at H.I.S. Studio, Paris and at Family Studio, Paris, France
Originally released as Atlantic 11111 on November 20,1981
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

For Flick of the Switch, AC/DC jettisoned producer Mutt Lange in an attempt to recapture the rawness and simplicity of their early records. While they more or less succeed in terms of the record's sound, and show more energy than on the preceding For Those About to Rock We Salute You, the songs themselves suffer – AC/DC's music has always been simple, but here it sounds underdeveloped and unmemorable. As perhaps indicated by the record's idiotic original title, the utterly generic I Like to Rock, AC/DC seemed to be running out of ideas at an alarming rate, and their record sales began to reflect that fact.

~ by Steve Huey, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Rising Power - 3:44
2. This House Is On Fire - 3:23
3. Flick Of The Switch - 3:14
4. Nervous Shakedown - 4:27
5. Landslide - 3:58
6. Guns For Hire - 3:25
7. Deep In The Hole - 3:20
8. Bedlam In Belgium - 3:52
9. Badlands - 3:39
10. Brain Shake - 4:09



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

All songs written by A. Young, М. Young & В. Johnson, produced by AC/DC
Recorded at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas. Engineered and mixed by Tony Piatt
Originally Released as Atlantic 80100 on August 19,1983
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound.
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

Despite longtime AC/DC fans' immediate acceptance of replacement singer Brian Johnson (resulting in one of rock's all-time best sellers, 1980's Back in Black), there was still demand for Bon Scott-era unreleased tracks. Several of their early albums in Australia and Europe (such as T.N.T.) were later combined together for their first U.S. release, High Voltage, while several tracks were cut from the original versions and never issued stateside. 1984's five-song EP, '74 Jailbreak, features these forgotten tracks from the band's early days. "Jailbreak" automatically became a concert standard when the EP came out, and it remains a mystery why it wasn't released earlier. Also included is the largely instrumental "Soul Stripper," a cover of "Baby Please Don't Go," plus a pair of Angus Young-Malcolm Young-Scott originals: "You Ain't Got a Hold on Me" and the autobiographical "Show Business." Although '74 Jailbreak is by no means a definitive collection of early rarities (such compositions as "Fling Thing," "Love Song," "Stick Around," "R.I.P.- Rock in Peace," and "School Days" remain unreleased in the States), it is a worthwhile, brief snapshot of early AC/DC.

~ by Greg Prato, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Jailbreak - 4:41
2. You Ain't Got A Hold On Me - 3:31
3. Show Business - 4:46
4. Soul Stripper - 6:25
5. Baby, Please Don't Go - 5:00



• Bon Scott - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• George Young – Bass
• Rob Bailey – Bass
• Mark Evans – Bass on "Jailbreak"
• Tony Currenti – Drums,
• Peter Clack – Drums
• Phil Rudd – Drums on "Jailbreak"

Produced by Vanda & Young for Albert Productions
Recorded at Albert Studios, Sydney, Australia
All titles first released in Australia in February 1975, except "Jailbreak" released in June 1976.
Originally released as Atlantic 80178 on October 19, 1984
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound.
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

Fly on the Wall continues AC/DC's descent into cookie-cutter mediocrity, with the leering humor of past glories seeming forced and uninspired, and the music remaining somewhat underdeveloped and directionless. Brian Johnson's vocals are mixed far in the background, which is perhaps appropriate since he's not in very good voice. As with nearly every AC/DC album, there are a few good songs, notably "Shake Your Foundations" and "Sink the Pink" (both of which later showed up on Who Made Who), but overall, Fly on the Wall is the sound of a band desperately trying to revive its career without quite knowing how to recapture the spark that made it great.

~ by Steve Huey, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Fly On The Wall - 3:44
2. Shake Your Foundations - 4:11
3. First Blood - 3:46
4. Danger - 4:22
5. Sink The Pink - 4:15
6. Playing With Girls - 3:45
7. Stand Up - 3:53
8. Hell Or High Water - 4:32
9. Back In Business - 4:24
10. Send For The Man - 3:37



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Simon Wright - Drums

Produced by Angus & Malcolm Young
Engineered by Mark Deamley Recorded at Mountain Studios, Montreux, Switzerland
Originally released as Atlantic 81263 on June 28,1985
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser & Al Quaglieri

On paper, Who Made Who is just a cheap soundtrack to a cheap movie (Stephen King's disastrous Maximum Overdrive), but it's actually much more than that. It serves as a ripping AC/DC retrospective, tearing through such classics as "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "For Those About to Rock," adding the pounding title track to the band's canon, and rescuing overlooked songs like "Sink the Pink" from otherwise mediocre albums. It's not a perfect retrospective – there's no "Back in Black," "Highway to Hell," or "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" – but what is here is terrific.

~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Who Made Who - 3:27
2. You Shook Me All Night Long - 3:31
3. D.T. - 2:54
4. Sink The Pink - 4:13
5. Ride On - 5:51
6. Hells Bells - 5:13
7. Shake Your Foundations - 3:54
8. Chase The Ace - 3:01
9. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) - 5:54



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Simon Wright - Drums

Additional personnel:
Bon Scott - lead vocals on "Ride On"
Phil Rudd - drums on "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Ride On", "Hells Bells" and "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)"
Mark Evans - bass guitar and backing vocals on "Ride On"

Original released as Atlantic 81650 on May 20, 1986
Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, New York
Remastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

AC/DC remained a popular concert draw throughout the '80s, although such albums as Flick of the Switch and Fly on the Wall failed to replicate their mass U.S. commercial success of 1980-1981 (Back in Black, For Those About to Rock, a reissue of Dirty Deeds). But the successful soundtrack for Stephen King's lackluster movie Maximum Overdrive, titled Who Made Who, put AC/DC back on the right track commercially. Their first new studio album of all-new material in three years, 1988's Blow Up Your Video turned out to be their most successful album since 1981's For Those About To Rock, even though it was chock full of filler. The driving album opener, "Heatseeker," turned out to be a surprising Top Ten single in the U.K., while the anthemic "That's the Way I Want to Rock n' Roll" proved to be another highlight (video clips were filmed for both songs, as well). But from there on (with the exception of "Kissin' Dynamite" and "This Means War"), it gets pretty unfocused. The album is glutted with such throwaways as "Nick of Time," "Ruff Stuff," and "Two's Up" – completely missing the point of what made such previous albums as Back in Black so great (they simply did not contain a weak moment). Blow Up Your Video also marked the return of AC/DC's early production team, Harry Vanda and George Young, who man the boards for the first time since 1978's If You Want Blood.

~ by Greg Prato, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Heatseeker - 3:50
2. That's The Way I Wanna Rock 'N' Roll - 3:45
3. Meanstreak - 4:08
4. Go Zone - 4:26
5. Kissin' Dynamite - 3:58
6. Nick Of Time - 4:16
7. Some Sin For Nuthin' - 4:11
8. Ruff Stuff - 4:29
9. Two's Up - 5:20
10. This Means War - 4:32



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Simon Wright - Drums

Produced by Harry Vanda and George Young
All Tracks Recorded at Studio Miraval, France.
Engineer: Tom Swift Assistant
Originally Released as Atlantic 81828 on February 1.1988
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound.
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

Although AC/DC's popularity had decreased by the early '90s, the band still had a lot of life left in it. Arguably the Australian headbangers' strongest album in over half a decade, The Razor's Edge is quintessential AC/DC – rowdy, abrasive, unapologetically fun metal full of blistering power chords, memorable hooks, and testosterone-driven lyrics. Lead singer Brian Johnson sounds more inspired than he had since 1983's Flick of the Switch, and lead guitarist Angus Young isn't about to take any prisoners on such hard-hitting material as "Shot of Love," the menacing title song, and the appropriately titled "Got You By the Balls." Although not quite in a class with Back in Black, Highway to Hell, or Let There Be Rock – all of which would, for novices, serve as fine introductions to the distinctive band – The Razor's Edge was a welcome addition to AC/DC's catalog.

~ by Greg Pato, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Thunderstruck - 4:53
2. Fire Your Guns - 2:54
3. Moneytalks - 3:46
4. The Razors Edge - 4:23
5. Mistress For Christmas - 4:00
6. Rock Your Heart Out - 4:07
7. Are You Ready - 4:10
8. Got You By The Balls - 4:30
9. Shot Of Love - 3:57
10. Let's Make It - 3:32
11. Goodbye And Good Riddance To Bad Luck - 3:14
12. If You Dare - 3:18



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Chris Slade - Drums

All songs written by Angus Young and Malcolm Young.
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn. Engineered and nixed by Mike Fraser.
Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, NYC
Originally released as Atco 91413 on September 21, 1990
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound.
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

Despite the fact that the band's best days were obviously behind them, a live album for AC/DC was all but completely necessary. After all, the group's first live release, If You Want Blood You've Got It, was recorded at a time when AC/DC was nothing more than a cult act that had yet to produce many of its future rock staples. Though recorded well into their career on the Razor's Edge 1991 tour, AC/DC Live surprisingly captures the hype and excitement that made AC/DC such a hit in their heyday. The set list wisely overlooks the songs from the band's mid-'80s slump and concentrates on hard rock hits such as "Hells Bells," "Back in Black," "Highway to Hell," and "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap." Brian Johnson's voice may not be as strong as in the early '80s, but he still sounds competent in his role. All too often, a live album is a cheaply made, rushed recording that only serves as a testament to a band's decline. AC/DC Live, however, shows what makes this band different from their peers – here they are still entirely capable of pulling off a great live show. This ranks among the best live metal albums of the '90s. [In February 2003, the American distribution rights to AC/DC's back catalog transferred over to Epic, their new label. Epic reissued the band's catalog as remastered digipacks containing lavish, expanded booklets with plenty of rare photographs, memorabilia, and notes. Although the digipacks may wear a little too easy, the sound is terrific – clean and muscular, enhancing the raw qualities of the original record – and the packaging is loving, making the reissues necessary for collectors.]

~ by Barry Weber, allmusic.com

CD1 - Tracklist :

1. Hells Bells - 6:01
2. Are You Ready - 4:34
3. That's The Way I Wanna Rock 'N' Roll - 3:57
4. High Voltage - 10:33
5. You Shook Me All Night Long - 3:55
6. Whole Lotta Rosie - 4:31
7. Let There Be Rock - 12:17
8. Bonny - 1:03
9. Highway To Hell - 3:54
10. T.N.T. - 3:48
11. For Those About To Rock - 7:18



CD2-Tracklist :

1. Hells Bells - 6:01
2. Are You Ready - 4:34
3. That's The Way I Wanna Rock 'N' Roll - 3:57
4. High Voltage - 10:33
5. You Shook Me All Night Long - 3:55
6. Whole Lotta Rosie - 4:31
7. Let There Be Rock - 12:17
8. Bonny - 1:03
9. Highway To Hell - 3:54
10. T.N.T. - 3:48
11. For Those About To Rock - 7:18



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Chris Slade - Drums

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn
Mixing Engineer: Ken Lomas, Assisted by Mike Plotnikoff Little Mountain Studios, Vancouver, Canada
Audiofile Digital Assembly by Roger J. Monk
Originally released as Atco 92212 on October 27, 1992
Digitally Remastered from the original master tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound
Mastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri

In over 20 years, AC/DC never changed their minimalist, bone-crunching hard rock. During their first ten years, that wasn't a problem, since they were still finding ways to expand and subvert the pattern, but ever since For Those About to Rock, they had trouble coming up with consistent material. Consequently, their performances tended to be a little lazy and their records didn't deliver a reliable knockout punch. Released in 1990, The Razor's Edge showed some signs of life, and their comeback culminated in the Rick Rubin-produced Ballbreaker. What makes Ballbreaker different than the albums AC/DC churned out during the '80s is simple – it's a matter of focus. Although "Hard as a Rock" comes close, there aren't any songs as immediately memorable as any of their '70s classics, or even "Moneytalks." However, unlike any record since Back in Black, there are no bad songs on the album. Surprisingly, Rubin's production is a bit too dry, lacking the muscle needed to make the riffs sound truly earthshaking. Nevertheless, Angus Young's riffs are powerful and catchy, showcasing every element that makes him one of hard rock and heavy metal's greatest guitarists. Throughout the album, the band sounds committed and professional, making Ballbreaker the best late-period AC/DC album to date.

~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

Tracklist :

1. Hard As A Rock - 4:31
2. Cover You In Oil - 4:33
3. The Furor - 4:11
4. Boogie Man - 4:07
5. The Honey Roll - 5:35
6. Burnin' Alive - 5:05
7. Hail Caesar - 5:14
8. Love Bomb - 3:14
9. Caught With Your Pants Down - 4:15
10. Whiskey On The Rocks - 4:35
11. Ballbreaker - 4:52



• Brian Johnson - Vocals
• Angus Young - Guitars
• Malcolm Young - Guitars
• Cliff Williams - Bass
• Phil Rudd - Drums

Produced by Rick Rubin Co-Produced by Mike Fraser
Engineered and Mixed by Mike Fraser Additional. Pre-Production Engineered by Noel Rafferty
Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, New York
Remastering Supervision: Mike Fraser and Al Quaglieri