Going into 1980, it most definitely appeared like it will be clean crusing throughout the end line for AC/DC. After a number of years of slowly climbing up the ladder of success within the US and in Europe (they have been already gigantic of their homeland of Australia), 1979 had completely set the stage for a bona fide worldwide breakthrough within the new decade.
Their final album, Freeway to Hell, had peaked at No. 17 within the US and went gold (whereas the album’s anthemic title monitor reached No. 47 on the singles chart), and the band — then comprised of singer Bon Scott, guitarists Angus and Malcolm Younger, bassist Cliff Williams, and drummer Phil Rudd — have been about to make the transition from opener to enviornment headliner. After which …tragedy struck.
Properly-known for his fondness for partying and particularly, for alcohol, Scott was discovered lifeless on February 19, 1980, on the age of 33 within the backseat of a automobile in London (his loss of life certificates lists the trigger as “loss of life by misadventure” — for a few years it was assumed brought on by alcohol, however in current instances, the potential for a heroin overdose has come to gentle).
A choice was ultimately made by the surviving members to hold on, with Geordie singer Brian Johnson formally being named Scott’s successor on April 1st. Quickly after, Johnson and his new bandmates (and the producer behind Freeway to Hell, Mutt Lange), congregated at Compass Level Studios within the Bahamas to get to work on AC/DC’s subsequent studio LP. By Might, the classes had wrapped up, and on July twenty fifth, the world was given certainly one of rock’s all-time basic (and largest-selling) recordings, Again in Black.
“They’re evening and day,” Testomony singer Chuck Billy defined in regards to the variations between crooner Bon and shouter Brian within the guide A Rockin’ Rollin’ Man: Bon Scott Remembered. “And I believe particularly lyric-wise for certain, I completely see the distinction. However, one thing about Brian’s approach and his model of vocals — as a result of he’s distinctive — actually made him slot in there with a novel band. I believe if they’d somebody unusual, I don’t know if it will be the identical AC/DC — they needed to have that distinctive factor because the lead particular person on the market. And I believe Brian Johnson was that man.”