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This veteran Hard-Rock band was formed in 1973 in Sydney AUSTRALIA by
the Scottish brothers, guitarists Malcolm Young, nineteen years old at
the time and only fourteen Angus Young, he began performing live wearing
his school uniform on stage, after over three decades he continued performed
with it; the original band line-up included singer Dave Evans; they recorded
the first single, "Can I Sit Next To You Girl", which was produced
by Harry Vanda and George Young, Malcolm and Angus' older brother.
Their first album, "High Voltage", appeared one year later,
when the band acquired new lead singer Bon Scott; eventually the group
relocated in Melbourne where drummer Phil Rudd and bassist Mark Evans
was added to the line-up. Between 1975, 1976 AC/DC released two albums
and began touring in America and Europe, in the meantime their first album
became triple-gold in their homeland.
In late 1977, with Cliff Williams on bass, the band issued "Let There
Be Rock", the first album that cracked the U.S. Pop chart, it was
followed a year later by "Powerage" which included the U.K.
hit single "Rock 'N' Roll Damnation". In 1978 producers Harry
Vanda and George Young split from AC/DC after releasing the sixth album,
the live-set "If You Want Blood, You've Got It", recorded in
Glasgow.
The follow-up, "Highway To Hell", became gold-disc in America
and in Europe scored the #8 spot on the Official U.K. Albums chart thanks
to the transatlantic title-track smash single.
Tragically, on February 20, of 1980 Bon Scott died in London at the age
of 33 after a night of heavy drinking. When the band decided to continue,
Brian Johnson joined as new singer, AC/DC subsequently released their
all time best seller: 1980's "Back In Black", the album quickly
hit #1 spot in British and Australian charts, peaked at #4 on the Official
U.S. Pop Albums chart selling 5 million copies; by the time it went on
to sell nearly 20 million copies in America and gained platinum or gold
status in over 30 countries worlwide; the album contained a series of
memorable singles like "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Back
In Black", "Hells Bells", "Shoot To Thrill" and
more.
During 1981 the group re-issued in the States "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt
Cheap", it peaked at #3 on Pop Albums chart, subsequently they recorded
"For Those About To Rock" which climbed to the top of the Albums
chart in America and the title-track reached the #4 on Mainstream Rock
chart.
Their next album was released in 1983, but "Flick Of The Switch"
showed AC/DC declining with record sales, it peaked at #20 on The Billboard
200 chart, consequently Rudd left the band to become a helicopter pilot
in New Zealand, he was replaced by drummer Simon Wright.
In the rest of the '80s they recorded three albums, 1985's "Fly On
The Wall", one year later "Who Made Who" which didn't rise
higher than #32 in the U.S. chart; 1988's "Blow Up Your Video"
peaked at #12 on The Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and its single "Heatseeker"
climbed into the top 20 of the Active Rock list.
After the departure of Wright, which was replaced by drummer Chris Slade,
the band released their 13th studio-album, "The Razor's Edge"
which hit #4 in U.K. and #2 in American Albums charts thanks to the Mainstream
Rock top 5 hits "Thunderstruck" and "Moneytalks".
AC/DC in 1993 released a single for "Last Action Hero" movie
soundtrack entitled "Big Gun" and after twenty years from their
foundation, the band reached for the first time the #1 spot on Mainstream
Rock Tracks chart.
Two years later the group returned in action with Phil Rudd settled, after
eleven years, behind the drum kit and released "Ballbreaker",
the record peaked at #4 on The Billboard 200 chart reachig in few weeks
the platinum status, its single "Hard As A Rock" topped the
Mainstream Rock chart.
In fall 1997, the band issued "Bonfire", a five-CD box set as
a tribute to Bon Scott. The follow-up, 2000's "Stiff Upper Lip",
proved their popularity once again, in fact the album hit #7 on The Billboard
Top 200 chart, spawning two Active Rock top 10 hit singles: the title-track
peaked at #1 and "Satellite Blues" reached the #7.
AC/DC biography is an exclusive of 100xr.com
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