Fear on the part of the member of Kiss arose before the release of the album Back in Black, the first of the band without the singer Bon Scott
The title of one of the most famous songs in the AC DC already delivers: it’s a long way to the top (“It’s a Long Way to the Top”). Although it is recognized today as one of the giants of rock, the group founded by the guitarist brothers Angus and Malcolm Young faced several challenges along its path.
The biggest one, without a doubt, was the loss of Bon Scott. The vocalist died in February 1980, aged 33. The remnants considered ending the band, but felt there was more to offer. Recruited the singer Brian Johnson, then known for work with the group geordie, and just five months later they released their first album with the new member: Back in Black.
Certainly, not even they expected the success achieved. It is estimated that the seventh studio album by AC DC has more than 50 million copies sold worldwide, being one of the most commercially successful musical works in history.
Although he was a big supporter of the group, Paul Stanley I was afraid. The vocalist and guitarist of kiss, with whom the AC DC toured in the 1970s, told the magazine classic rock(via website Igor Miranda) have considered that Johnson could ruin the chemistry of the band.
“When Brian Johnson joined the AC DC, I was curious – like everyone else – about how it would impact the band and the chemistry they had with Bon Scott.”
With a disc the size of Back in Black serving as a business card, it was not possible to remain suspicious. Stanley recognized right away in the first song, “Hells Bells”, that the brothers Young could move forward.
“What did they create with Back in Black it was simply monumental. The way the album starts with hells bells hit me like the first time I heard the Black Sabbath.”
The merits of AC/DC in Back in Black
Still in his statement, Paul Stanley commented on the main merits of the AC DC in Back in Black. For the vocalist and guitarist, the band formed in Australia started to sound more “polished”, but no less impactful.
“The sound has become polished to a certain extent. They were building on what they had done before, moving forward. That kind of basic grit they had in the early days has been replaced by sonic overload. But it was brilliant. What was gained nullified what was lost.”
Paul Stanley’s Memories
O Kiss by Paul Stanley was one of the first big bands to give a chance to the AC DC perform on large stages. The musician, finally, remembered when he met the group.
“I knew about the power of AC DC since the first time I saw them, Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles, mid-seventies. They were brave and the adrenaline level was crazy. The amount of energy Angus was expending onstage was mind-boggling.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
