AC/DC New album and Tour.

Say Your Number · 18-11-2014 6:15pm

Anyway forgetting about those magnificent beasts from Airbourne for one minute (I know some people can't help but bring them up)

I really like that new song even though they re-use the riff from All Screwed Up, it's definitely on the same level as the Black Ice material, this album will be their best since Back In Black :pac:

briany · 18-11-2014 7:29pm

Say Your Number wrote: »

Anyway forgetting about those magnificent beasts from Airbourne for one minute (I know some people can't help but bring them up)

I really like that new song even though they re-use the riff from All Screwed Up, it's definitely on the same level as the Black Ice material, this album will be their best since Back In Black :pac:

Neither of the two released would quite have the anthemic fist-raising quality of RnR Train, and as AC/DC tend to release their best or at least most live friendly songs as lead singles, it's unlikely that the album will get much better than what we've already heard. That's not to say they're bad, oh no, but I can't imagine it being as good as Black Ice, unfortunately.

All Screwed Up is a great song. All the tracks off of Stiff Upper Lip are very good. It's a very mid-tempo groove-oriented album, with much more emphasis on a boogie feel and it has probably the best, most natural sound since Mutt Lange. Especially House of Jazz. That's a stomper.

http://grooveshark.com/s/House+Of+Jazz/4QeQgf?src=5

I'd give a YT link but AC/DC's management have apparently sent the copyright elves forth.

LETS GET NAKED · 18-11-2014 8:50pm

Was wondering which song they're gonna open the set with on the next tour and have fizzy balls again just thinking about seeing them again.

jack presley · 18-11-2014 10:56pm

briany wrote: »

Neither of the two released would quite have the anthemic fist-raising quality of RnR Train, and as AC/DC tend to release their best or at least most live friendly songs as lead singles, it's unlikely that the album will get much better than what we've already heard. That's not to say they're bad, oh no, but I can't imagine it being as good as Black Ice, unfortunately.

I agree, optimistic thinking there from SYN. I'm hoping it'll be a good album but like Briany, i can't see it as being an album we'll be raving about in 6 months time.

blastman · 19-11-2014 1:10pm

LETS GET NAKED wrote: »

Was wondering which song they're gonna open the set with on the next tour and have fizzy balls again just thinking about seeing them again.

I'm gonna take a wild guess that it will be Let's Play Ball.

briany · 19-11-2014 1:37pm

Relatively small thing, but will Stevie be doing backing vox as well? Did he do them in 88? Will AC/DC be able to do 'Dirty Deeds...' without Malcolm's frog voice bit? At least they still have Angus to go 'YAAAAAAAARRGH!'at the end of it...

Also, regarding backing vox, they sound great on official live releases but a bit off-key in many bootlegs. Makes me wonder if the official ones get touched up in post.

blastman · 19-11-2014 5:55pm

Noises from the listening party are encouraging

19-11-2014 8:46pm

blastman wrote: »

Noises from the listening party are encouraging

Really looking forward to it after reading that!

scudzilla · 19-11-2014 8:56pm

blastman wrote: »

Noises from the listening party are encouraging

Don't read too much into that, place was full of DC Nuthuggers.

Metallica had a listening party for Load or St Anger, can't remember which, in an Arena in NYC, the fans went nuts over it

jack presley · 19-11-2014 9:00pm

scudzilla wrote: »

Don't read too much into that, place was full of DC Nuthuggers.

Metallica had a listening party for Load or St Anger, can't remember which, in an Arena in NYC, the fans went nuts over it

Exactly. Look at what he says about Lets Play Ball and the title track and how good he thinks they are. While I think they're ok, they aren't classics by any means and if he's that enthusiastic about them two, I think his enthuasism for the rest of the tracks can be taken with a pinch of salt.

I'm still looking forward to the album though and hope it's decent.

briany · 19-11-2014 10:49pm

jack presley wrote: »

Exactly. Look at what he says about Lets Play Ball and the title track and how good he thinks they are. While I think they're ok, they aren't classics by any means and if he's that enthusiastic about them two, I think his enthuasism for the rest of the tracks can be taken with a pinch of salt.

I'm still looking forward to the album though and hope it's decent.

Yeah, Rock or Bust is very standard fare by AC/DC standards. Nice little rock song, but it's pretty sparse on ideas. I don't really hear it lighting up stadiums and arenas around the world. Play Ball could get people going, though.

It's usually AC/DC's 'stadium' songs that get all the fanfare, but there's about 70 percent of their back catalog that never gets a mention. Like any fan of the band, I'm more interested in what's after track 1 'cause the band can make rock songs that put out a serious groove but aren't really meant for live play. Even on the last album, Black Ice, songs like Rock 'n' Roll Dream are great headphone songs. I think the real quality of an album should be judged in what goes in between the singles, 'cause as far as I'm concerned, an album is still sh*te if it contains one great number and 9 stinkers.

fyfe79 · 20-11-2014 9:58am

scudzilla wrote: »

Don't read too much into that, place was full of DC Nuthuggers.

Metallica had a listening party for Load or St Anger, can't remember which, in an Arena in NYC, the fans went nuts over it

Yeah, every printed press review of an AC/DC album for the last 20 years has been the same - "the last album got great reviews, but hasn't aged well, but this one is fantastic!". The massive bands always get good reviews so that the publication in question will get their interview 'cos they haven't p*ssed off the band.
In this case, a room full of die-hards, probably after a few drinks, listening to the new album being blasted at convert volume, aren't going to be non biased.

Sugarlumps · 21-11-2014 12:08pm

briany · 21-11-2014 1:15pm

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Great interview. One of the annoying things when you follow a band through their album junkets is that they basically give the same interview about 30 or 40 times. Stern's one of the only interviewers with the sense, or maybe the license, to ask a few probing and interesting questions.

21-11-2014 8:53pm

One week to go until the new album is out ( at least in Ireland)

ned rierson · 21-11-2014 10:34pm

i know there are bullsh1t rumours all the time but i heard today that a major rock band are playing in punchestown on june 13.

asteroids over berlin · 21-11-2014 11:12pm

ned rierson wrote: »

i know there are bullsh1t rumours all the time but i heard today that a major rock band are playing in punchestown on june 13.

thats my band - "skullcrushers"

briany · 22-11-2014 5:32pm

asteroids over berlin wrote: »

thats my band - "skullcrushers"

Double live album - "Punchestown Punch-Up".

Blackie Grey · 23-11-2014 5:26pm

Heard some of the new album-awful

LETS GET NAKED · 23-11-2014 8:00pm

Heard Hard Times and Rock the House myself the other day thought they were pretty good (especially RTH, probably my favourite so far). So far I prefer this to Black Ice, but I didn't really like Black Ice. Prefer it to Ballbreaker and probably Razor's Edge as well from what I've heard so far.

Both of the new songs I heard are 2:40~, so would expect the main complaint with this album to be that it comes and goes and the weaker tracks will probably be completely unmemorable.

Anyway, the album doesn't sound like Black Ice part 2 imo, more kind of Flick of the Switch/Blow up your video groove. I hope there's a couple more with the kind of upbeat sound that Play Ball has.

Rock the house will be a complete banger live, people will have this album written off before they hear it, but if songs like Rock the house were on For Those about to Rock instead they'd be looked back on fondly.

Say Your Number · 24-11-2014 5:15am

Pretty interesting review, I agree with his point about their lyrics

www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/24/acdc-rock-or-bust-first-listen-review

24-11-2014 12:55pm

Blackie Grey wrote: »

Heard some of the new album-awful

Where can you hear it?

briany · 24-11-2014 3:08pm

zorro2566 wrote: »

Where can you hear it?

"Hard Times" and "Rock the House" leaked some time over the weekend. Sounds like they were being played on a radio station and someone ripped them. Both are mid tempo, going for a syncopated, funky-ish rhythm, similar to the titular title of Black Ice. Neither are going to particularly set the world alight but they're both decent filler. As for where you can hear it, I suppose I can't give a positive answer that would be Boards friendly, but some sniffing around on the web should produce results.

The album sounds very Black Ice-ish in terms of the production. No surprise given it's by the same producer in the same studios. Since it's mainly the production which differentiates AC/DC albums, this is very much akin to Black Ice.

Say Your Number · 24-11-2014 5:43pm

New video, it's slightly better than the last one

briany · 24-11-2014 8:15pm

That's more like what you want to see from an AC/DC video. Few fans rocking out with the band, just what's needed.

Lithium93_ · 25-11-2014 12:23am

Rock Or Bust is available for streaming on iTunes
http://smarturl.it/RockorBustStream

jack presley · 25-11-2014 11:20am

Anyone had a listen yet? I won't get a chance till this evening myself.

Lithium93_ · 25-11-2014 2:33pm

jack presley wrote: »

Anyone had a listen yet? I won't get a chance till this evening myself.

I've had several listens to it, it's nothing game changing, just good 'ol reliable AC/DC

briany · 25-11-2014 2:47pm

Lithium93_ wrote: »

I've had several listens to it, it's nothing game changing, just good 'ol reliable AC/DC

I keep going back to Dogs of War.

low pitched voice

"Dogs of war..."

Yes, absolutely no real surprises. The band try one or two production tricks here and there, though. Nothing that messes with the formula, but certainly stuff that makes it sound like a modern record. The production of the guitars sounds like a carbon copy of Black Ice to me. There's definitely parallels of BUYV in the sound with the reverb, except it's not as strong and it's not there to cover up Brian's voice which was flagging badly on that album. I prefer the warmer, up-front production of Vanda & Young, myself.

jack presley · 25-11-2014 6:35pm

I know it can be argues that all AC/DC sound the same (and that's part of the fun!) but following on from what Briany says about RoB sounding like Black Ice, the song Rock The Blues Away is very very similar to Anything Goes.

Edit - jaysus that's a short album. All done in about 35 mins. Not overly impressed on first listen but I'll give it a few more spins before writing it off.

briany · 25-11-2014 7:27pm

jack presley wrote: »

I know it can be argues that all AC/DC sound the same (and that's part of the fun!) but following on from what Briany says about RoB sounding like Black Ice, the song Rock The Blues Away is very very similar to Anything Goes.

Edit - jaysus that's a short album. All done in about 35 mins. Not overly impressed on first listen but I'll give it a few more spins before writing it off.

35 mins is about right. It's a very straightforward album because it's a set of extremely standard rock song structures. AC/DC are not a band who are known for their complex songwriting, of course, but they have been known to slip in a breakdown or bridge here and there, giving songs a bit more length.

blastman · 25-11-2014 7:34pm

I've had one listen all the way through. Not classic but not bad, the production sounds pretty good to me. I'm liking Dogs Of War, too, a bit slower and more bluesy than the rest.

jack presley · 25-11-2014 7:54pm

briany wrote: »

35 mins is about right. It's a very straightforward album because it's a set of extremely standard rock song structures. AC/DC are not a band who are known for their complex songwriting, of course, but they have been known to slip in a breakdown or bridge here and there, giving songs a bit more length.

Still, Black Ice with the same producer and recorded in the same studio (as you pointed out earlier) is about twice a long yet apart from a bit of slide guitar, i wouldn't have called that too much of a departure from the traditional AC/DC sound.

I don't know, maybe they rushed or didn't give themselves enough time to expand the songs (or write more than 11). I know they have said the songs were written from riffs Angus and Malcolm had written so maybe Malcolm was the one behind expanding ideas and turning riffs into more complete songs but as he wasn't around, it must have affected the songwriting?

briany · 25-11-2014 9:12pm

jack presley wrote: »

Still, Black Ice with the same producer and recorded in the same studio (as you pointed out earlier) is about twice a long yet apart from a bit of slide guitar, i wouldn't have called that too much of a departure from the traditional AC/DC sound.

I don't know, maybe they rushed or didn't give themselves enough time to expand the songs (or write more than 11). I know they have said the songs were written from riffs Angus and Malcolm had written so maybe Malcolm was the one behind expanding ideas and turning riffs into more complete songs but as he wasn't around, it must have affected the songwriting?

I would say so, although these could be songs that were worked on by Malcolm as well. We know that Malcolm and Angus worked on the riffs but we don't know to what extent Malcolm was involved in the process of making them into actual songs, if he was involved at all. The AC/DC songwriting process isn't very well publicised. We could be smart about it and say, 'Well, they throw darts at a board with chords, E, B, G, D, A and C, plus various cliched rock words', but I'd say they're fairly organised in what they do because they record albums in a couple of weeks which is nigh on impossible unless you know your material beforehand. I'd say these were songs that had been completed, or half-completed for a while and were pulled out of the vault, so to speak.

briany · 25-11-2014 9:16pm

blastman wrote: »

I've had one listen all the way through. Not classic but not bad, the production sounds pretty good to me. I'm liking Dogs Of War, too, a bit slower and more bluesy than the rest.

"Dogs of War...

(Soooldier of forrrtune!)"

briany · 26-11-2014 1:31pm

Phil Rudd has been in jocular and defiant form, it would seem, at his latest court hearing. He was also late to arrive.

Here he is having a little fun with a fan outside the court :

Here he is putting on a bit of a show for the cameras by attempting, successfully, to piggy back on his bodyguard :

Telling off a cameraman :

This was shortly before he proceeded to back his car out into the street, unaware of the lorry that was driving toward him and which had to brake suddenly to avoid a collision.

ush · 26-11-2014 3:43pm

briany wrote: »

Where can I get a pair of those boot runners!

RayCon · 26-11-2014 6:00pm

ush wrote: »

Where can I get a pair of those boot runners!

Back to the Future 2 :

briany · 26-11-2014 6:16pm

I still wonder what lead Phil down the path from being a fairly quiet member of AC/DC to looking and behaving like a seriously dodgy uncle. It's a bit of a sea change. His public face used to be a fairly quiet, clean cut, and respectable - you wouldn't even know he was there sometimes. Why he's left it this late to go down the road of excess and it's associated pitfalls, I don't know.

sentient_6 · 26-11-2014 6:49pm

That first pic is him outside his house a few days ago, stop making up bull****.

jack presley · 26-11-2014 6:52pm

sentient_6 wrote: »

That first pic is him outside his house a few days ago, stop making up bull****.

Well spotted. Different t-shirt as well!

seachto7 · 26-11-2014 7:13pm

ush wrote: »

Where can I get a pair of those boot runners!

The auld Reebok pumps. Pretty cool alright:

http://www.reebok.co.uk/pump-omni-lite/M42973_510.html?pr=CUSTOMIZE_IMG_Pump%2520Omni%2520Lite

briany · 26-11-2014 7:35pm

jack presley wrote: »

Well spotted. Different t-shirt as well!

I only spotted that after I posted it. I was going to amend it, but then thought no-one would notice. :pac:

26-11-2014 8:46pm

briany wrote: »

I still wonder what lead Phil down the path from being a fairly quiet member of AC/DC to looking and behaving like a seriously dodgy uncle. It's a bit of a sea change. His public face used to be a fairly quiet, clean cut, and respectable - you wouldn't even know he was there sometimes. Why he's left it this late to go down the road of excess and it's associated pitfalls, I don't know.

Midlife crisis?

briany · 26-11-2014 10:47pm

zorro2566 wrote: »

Midlife crisis?

Possibly, although he's getting to the stage where it might be better termed a 3/4 life crisis. Hopefully he sorts himself out and gets his head back where it needs to be. Right now, thoughts of whether he can get back with the band should be secondary. Even if he gets cleared of everything, the band would likely ask questions about whether they want to continue their association with him.

Since I steered the thread a bit away from the new album, I'll try to steer it back and say after a day with it, what are the opinions on it? I'll say it's an album of a band trying their best in tough circumstances, and they do well, there's conviction in the music, but it's pretty basic and stripped back even by AC/DC standards in a lot of places and misses those touches of colour that give life to the music.

Lithium93_ · 26-11-2014 10:49pm

Rock Or Bust, nothing game changing, just good old reliable AC/DC.

jack presley · 26-11-2014 10:54pm

briany wrote: »

Since I steered the thread a bit away from the new album, I'll try to steer it back and say after a day with it, what are the opinions on it? I'll say it's an album of a band trying their best in tough circumstances, and they do well, there's conviction in the music, but it's pretty basic and stripped back even by AC/DC standards in a lot of places and misses those touches of colour that give life to the music.

I think Lithium93 sums it up well in the previous post. You get what you expect to get, nothing groundbreaking. It's not on a par with Black Ice, Stiff Upper Lip or maybe even Ballbreaker but it's not bad. I can't see myself still putting it on in 6 months time though.

jack presley · 28-11-2014 12:40am

7 or 8 listens in now and Dogs of War is a fcuking great track. Probably the only classic on the album but a great song.

Wrongway1985 · 28-11-2014 12:47am

Angus on todayfm on Monday, on the same day after tickets on sale for 1st Slane hopefully they not being announced for the 2nd Slane.

briany · 28-11-2014 12:39pm

jack presley wrote: »

7 or 8 listens in now and Dogs of War is a fcuking great track. Probably the only classic on the album but a great song.

In the battle of AC/DC's war songs, I'd give it to DoW.

AC/DC New album and Tour.

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