by Jeffrey Weinstein

Created on: January 19, 2009

AC/DC is one of the most polarizing bands in rock. Their brand of straight ahead no frills hard rock is seen by many as boring and repetative. Others however, love the music, love the band and see them as more than just a rock group.

When they started out in the early 70's, they were just a bunch of teenagers. They were very much a typical young rock n roll band. They had little song writing ability and no direction. They went through many different line up changes. They played Australian bars and clubs with little hope of escaping the Land Down Under.

As luck would have it one evening, original lead singer Dave Evans was late to a gig. The rest of the band, who were growing sick of Evans' glam look and attitude, decided to let the band's van driver have a shot fronting the band. The driver's name was Bon Scott. Scott had previous band experience and had been around the block quite a few times. The band heard Bon sing and immediately knew they found their new front man.

The band's sound was rough and gritty and Scott's look was rougher and grittier. They knew Scott was a better fit than Evans. Energized by Scott's voice and tough guy personna, the band released their first album(High Voltage) in 1974 and started their journey along the Highway To Hell.

They were able to leave Australia and relocate to London in 1976. With Scott and the Young Brother's (Angus & Malcolm) leading the way, AC/DC took no prisoners and quickly became a global sensation. 1977's Let there Be Rock solidified the band as hard rock heavyweights. Songs like the title track and Whole Lotta Rosie became instant classics.

In the late 70's disco and hard rock battled for supremacy among music lovers. Disco was winning. When singer Bon Scott died in Febuary of 1980, hard rock was dying along with him. Led Zepplin drummer John Bonham died and Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath leaving the hard rock genre on life support.

AC/DC hired Brian Johnson in April of 1980 and continued on. They released Back in Back that July. Fueld by Johnson's ear-splitting vocals and the Young brother's amazing guitar work, Back in Black went on to become one of the top selling albums of all time. It also helped revive the world of hard rock. The following year, AC/DC relased "For Those About To Rock....We Salute you" and it went to number one on the Billboard charts.

With these two albums, along with Bon's last(Highway To Hell) AC/DC cemented themselves as one of the biggest bands in the world. Their album sales would decline with each successing album but their popularity wouldn't. They still sold out arenas and stadiums world wide with their high-octane live show. Their straight ahead no frills style is infectious and hard to deny. Their grove makes you tap your foot and bop your head.

For over 35 years, AC/DC stuck to the formula that made them what they are today. They never changed who they were just to fit in to what was popular at that time. They are a band of the people. They are true rock pioneers who took the genre of hard rock to new heights.

Popular music is filled with superficial pop-tarts who's only ambition is to get their video played on MTV. AC/DC has never been about that. They've never been about making money or winning awards. They never cared about trends or fashion statements. All they care about is making their own type of hard rock music amd making sure their fans enjoy it.

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