Back In Black & 5150

[jimmy812]

I like them both. But Flick is damn fine to my ears. It's like Powerage, but with Brian Johnson. And the band produced both records.

You can hear Phil Rudd (on FOTS) hitting those Paiste Rude like there was no tomorrow for him, which was true.

Agreed. But, IMO, Flick is a better rock album and has a much better production--didn't like the echo-y vocals on Fly.

FOTS is definitely stripped down and raw--the way they wanted it. Badlands has a killer riff! But after the 3 previous albums with Mutt, I would have liked to hear what a good producer would have done with those songs. I still like the songs, I just think they needed a little something. I suppose by that time I had gotten used to the slick production value they had going.

[Brett]

I think the biggest issue for AC/DC is that their sound just kind of got dated there in the early to mid 80s. Hard rock just went in a different direction.

[Little Dreamer]

I think the biggest issue for AC/DC is that their sound just kind of got dated there in the early to mid 80s. Hard rock just went in a different direction.

Their peers, Aerosmith, KISS & VH all started using keyboards - AC/DC refused. They just continued with the same sound they had in the 70s.

[joezlo]

Their peers, Aerosmith, KISS & VH all started using keyboards - AC/DC refused. They just continued with the same sound they had in the 70s.

And therefore, some would argue because ACDC didn't go keyboards their sound remained timeless.

Which ever album had Sink the Pink on it is a standout for me from that era.

[Brett]

I’m not talking about keyboards. AC/DC just has a very simple formula. Hard rock was expanding on a lot of different ideas with guitars back then. AC/DC just kind of sounded like a dinosaur by 1985. When grunge came and stripped rock back down, it really fit AC/DC better, and it’s not really a surprise they had a revival in the early 90s.

I didn’t really like anything AC/DC was doing in the mid 80s. I thought they sounded tired. I just moved on to other stuff by then. I still don’t like any of those albums from the mid 80s. FOTS has some decent ideas but it’s just lacking something.

[Simon Ribeiro]

And therefore, some would argue because ACDC didn't go keyboards their sound remained timeless.

Which ever album had Sink the Pink on it is a standout for me from that era.

Fly on the Wall.

[bklynboy68]

Fly on the Wall.

[fudd]

I think the story of Mick Jones having "no input" is a charade invented by Eddie (one more). Mick Jones himself has disputed this, asserting he had as much input as a normal producer.
What has transpired many years later is that VH wanted Ted to produce, which made sense. But Ted said no. Ed was hurt. He then wanted the band to produce themselves. Warner said no. They had to get Mick Jones. Which was their 3rd choice at best. So he was double hurt.
In order to not make public what he felt was a series of humiliating setbacks, he invented the story of "yes Mick Jones' name is on the record, but he did nothing, so it's JUST LIKE we produced it ourselves, like we wanted."

History showed later that producing their own record was never one of Van Halen's skills. So it was certainly better to have Mick Jones than to have no one. Mick might even have learned a few things from Mutt Lange from working with him on Foreigner 4.

Sammy has said that it was his choice to use mick as they were chummy from his spooky tooth days.


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[Ashe]

My problem with AC/DC's mid 80s output isn't the music--the riffs are as catchy as ever. Its the vocals. Seriously, if they are going to go through the trouble of writing lyrics, and recording vocals on the albums, then at the very least, simply make them...you know, audible.

Couldn't they tell that the lead vocals were completely unintelligible? Did they even listen to the songs before they sent them off to be mass produced? Ha ha

[Brett]

Brian Johnson’s voice was just a mess during that era and the bad production didn’t help. I also think the band lost a lot of their swing and feel after Phil Rudd. left. That’s another thing I don’t like about those albums without him, they’re just very sterile.

[Raldo]

Fly on the Wall.

Another cool tune!!

[Darrin Stephens]

Brian Johnson’s voice was just a mess during that era and the bad production didn’t help. I also think the band lost a lot of their swing and feel after Phil Rudd. left. That’s another thing I don’t like about those albums without him, they’re just very sterile.

Rudd really makes a difference in how they sound. Even to this day the band just sounds so different when he is not there, it is almost immediately recognizable.

[Cole_5150]

[EJC]

I know Im probably drawing a blank, but what was KISS and Aerosmith using keyboards on? I know they were both doing different shit but I'm not recalling any keyboard heavy tunes per se...

~E

[Bee1971]

Those band rehearsals for Flick Of The Switch

Was just watching those the other day

Man , just love that album