One of the most recognizable bands in the hard rock genre over time is AC/DC. Despite being led by original lead singer Bon Scott and formed in Australia, the band has close ties to the British scene that shaped it. Glasgow, Scotland-born brothers Malcolm and Angus Young took over as lead vocalist after the tragic death of Scott in 1980.
With hits like “Back in Black” and “Highway to Hell,” AC/DC eventually took the world by storm. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the band introduced the hard rock sound, which had been pioneered by groups like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, to Australia. Leading AC/DC into its fifth decade, Johnson and Angus Young still dazzle fans with a scorching catalog of beloved songs.
Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd, the rhythm section’s veteran members, accompany the two on stage. Stevie Young, the nephew of Malcolm Young, has been playing rhythm guitar with the group since 2014, taking over for his uncle. Every member appears to have a personal favorite song to perform live. Which they all seem to do during their sold-out arena tours.
From Johnson’s perspective, the content from the early 1980s is unmatched. The band faced instability after Scott passed away in 1980 and Highway to Hell became popular. However, Johnson’s contribution to Back in Black helped to steady the ship a great deal. Johnson chose “You Shook Me All Night Long” as his personal favorite and said, “The one I remember more than anything was one of the first songs we did,” BraveWords. “I recall that I’m seated in the tiny cubicle. “Okay, Brian, this is a rough backing track of this song,” Malcolm said as he descended. “You Shook Me All Night Long” is what we want to call it.
When Johnson recorded his first song with AC/DC, he recalled feeling anxious. Gripping for glory, he threw everything into the song, crafting one of the most recognizable rock hits of the decade. “I recall Malcolm approaching me and saying, ‘I’m at a loss for words,’ as he glanced at Angus and Mutt. That might be among the greatest rock ‘n’ roll records you’ve heard in a long time! I was really happy about that, Johnson continued.
Angus approaches the question of which AC/DC song is his favorite from the standpoint of a lead guitarist. In an interview with Vulture in 2020, Angus named his two personal favorites from the discography of AC/DC, beginning with “Riff Raff.” He said, “The guitar work was challenging, but I liked how the song came together.”
Angus Young went on to say that the Powerage cut was merely his “guitar answer.” He has one response for the overall package of lyrics, production, instrumentation, and delivery. “‘Thunderstruck‘ is a big one, if it’s for the entire song,” he stated.
Later on in the discussion, Angus mentioned the AC/DC song that he didn’t particularly like. He delved into the band’s early years to offer criticism on “Love Song (Oh Jene),” the lead track from their self-titled debut album, High Voltage. He recited, disgustedly recalling some of the song’s lyrics, “When you smile I see stars in the sky / When you smile I see sunrise.”
The primary problem, according to Angus, was a sound that was radio-friendly but drastically at odds with AC/DC’s artistic inclination. The man who worked for our record label informed us that the song was playing on the local radio at the time. So, that’s why I remember it, he said. It was very soft music. He reasoned that since the song would probably get some airplay, we should release it. Who in their right mind would want this to go out, I recall thinking.
“Love Song (Oh Jene)” was, in fact, a mediocre single. Thankfully, radio stations chose to play the better B-side instead of the single. This was a cover of the classic blues song “Baby, Please Don’t Go.”
