AC/DC. Four letters, one symbol, one monstrous legacy of pure, unrefined rock n roll. I’m not sure how to even begin on this topic, as my love for AC/DC spans as far back as my earliest memories.
Everyone has heard of AC/DC, everyone has heard AC/DC. Their riffs are unmissable, their vocals are unmistakable. They are the unchanging, ultimate example of rock n roll music. They are my favorite band, and so much more.
They were my first concert, at only 9 years old. It completely changed my life, and set the path for my life today. From then on, AC/DC was the ultimate band for me. Even through all the other bands I would fall in love with (The Beatles, MCR, Foxy Shazam, GNR), AC/DC was always my number one, and for one simple reason: they were rock n roll.
There is much debate and uncertainty around the “true” definition of rock n roll, and there’s the “official” definition music historians will try to push, but rock n roll can’t be defined. It can’t be pinned, it’s a feeling and a way of being. It’s an attitude, a state of mind. Rock n roll pushes the barriers, it smashes the boundaries and says “This is me, take it or leave it.” Rock n roll empowers, it uplifts and gives voice to those without.
Nothing screams rock n roll like schoolboy uniform clad Angus Young spinning and spasming wildly across the stage floor, or Bon Scott singing at the top of his lungs like he’d never sing again. AC/DC was who they were, they are who they are. So many bands feel the pressure to adjust to the changes of the music industry and its fads (think Spinal Tap and all their phases), but AC/DC didn’t play the games of appealing to the masses. AC/DC knew their sound, and they played it loud.
I’ve always felt a connection to Bon Scott. His looks intoxicated me, his voice mesmerized me, his stage presence wooed me. He was, and is still, the ultimate man for me. He was a man who knew what he wanted, and he chased it, tooth and nail, until he achieved it. He gave up everything for AC/DC. He fought the odds and he spearheaded the band into stardom. He was faced with so many obstacles and ‘failures’ on his way to AC/DC, and even when his hopes were low, he knew he was meant for rock. His story is truly inspiring, and it makes his success that much better. When you watch Bon Scott perform, you see a man living his dreams and loving every second.
It’s hard to describe my feelings for AC/DC, or Bon. They’ve always been there for me, as cliche as it is to say. I’ve never had many friends, but I’ve always had music, and I’ve always had AC/DC. With the years, my love only grew. When I think of AC/DC, I get this surge in my heart, this overflowing of just pure love. I can happily listen to one song on repeat for a whole day, or even week. Occasionally, I will find little tidbits of songs I hadn’t noticed before, and will become obsessed with that song and that newly found part.
I listen to AC/DC, and I feel invincible. I feel empowered. All my troubles wash away, everything disappears, and I am surrounded by the powerful steadiness of Malcolm Young. I am engulfed by the technical skill of Angus Young. I am immersed in the vocals, whether it be Bon or Brian. I am swallowed up by the rhythm section. I am transformed into the best version of myself.
The closest thing I’ve ever experienced to pure nirvana is hearing Angus Young, seemingly giving his all in his guitar part, to the point where he sounds like he’s just about to burst. It’s hard to put into words. The best way I would know how to describe it would be akin to the “These go to 11” scene in This is Spinal Tap. When Angus gives 11, I feel it in my soul. I feel it in every inch of my body, and it lights me on fire. [See: the last minute of “Live Wire”]
I consider myself well versed in the English language, with an expansive vocabulary, but AC/DC completely dumbfounds me, and all logic is thrown out the window. It’s that kind of passion, that feeling, that is rock n roll. All precautions are thrown to the wind, and you’re just in that moment, purely, 100%.
There is truly nothing that compares to listening to AC/DC for me. AC/DC has soothed my worst pains and comforted me through my worst times. They may seem like a cliche rock band to some, but to me, they’re the best friend that’s been with me since childhood. They are the greatest rock n roll band in the world.
And yes, I support Axl/DC.
The Perils of Rock N Roll 