Effectively a compilation of their best songs from Australia-only releases High Voltage and T.N.T. which were released in 1975, AC/DC’s 1976 international version High Voltage was the album that introduced the world to the hard rock stylings of one of the best rock and roll bands to ever do it. Since this was obviously back in the day before digital streaming services existed, a time when distribution channels and marketing played an outsized role in determining what bands would be released in your market (which is kind of a difficult concept to imagine honestly), the release of High Voltage became a watershed moment for rock and roll. It was released in a time when punk rock was beginning to explode in the United States and Great Britain, and somewhat ironically, AC/DC was lumped into the “punk rock” category by promoters upon its release. This led to them being put on bills where they would play alongside punk bands and, as lead guitarist Angus Young would tell it, led to scenarios where “the punk rockers sure got a shock when they started spitting at us and we spat back” during the performances. Ain’t nothing more rock and roll than that.
AC/DC’s brand of meat and potatoes rock hasn’t changed much over the years, and 1976’s High Voltage features the same traits that has made the band such a mainstay in hard rock for 50 years. The sinewy rhythm guitars of Malcom Young, fits of explosion from lead guitarist Angus Young, steady thump from bassist Mark Evans and drummer Phil Rudd, and the highly-charged bellow of lead singer Bon Scott. As I said during my write up on 1979’s Highway To Hell (the highwater mark during the Bon Scott era) AC/DC came out of the womb as the highest form of rock and roll. Forever imitated, never replicated.
As soon as those first chords hit on “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)” and kick off into the eternal anthem of every rock band to ever pursue their dreams (I can’t tell you how many live shows I’ve seen where bands enter to this song) you know you’ve arrived. It was a personal highlight of mine to see them live at PowerTrip in October of last year and a memory I’ll never forget.
Standout Songs: “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)”, “Live Wire”, “T.N.T.”, “High Voltage”
Matthew. 