Retro Chicken

AC DC is the ultimate music of teenage rebellion (at least they were when I was a kid). True, they were industry darlings – mass-marketed on a major label and now Rock N Roll Hall of Fame inductees – but your average eighth grader lacked the sophistication to find out or feel duped. They were a voice for the suburban adolescent to innocently lash out at authority, parents and school (although the only thing radical about AC DC is how great they sound loud).

Below the surface lurks the subtle sophistication that is AC DC. Classic gimmicks include leaving the bass out until the first chorus (giving the music bottom and fatness when it enters), double time after the last chorus; plus bells, cannons and wild Australian-style backing vocals.

The guitar parts almost always use open chords (as opposed to power chords) – inviting in thirds and interesting chord motion not normally found in power rock. Angus (lead guitar), in spite of the school boy uniform and striptease, actually has a killer vibrato and simple but tasteful leads.

AC DC is great live, write great songs, and have consistently produced great music for years – and I always get goose-pimples when they fire the cannons (though when I saw them in Worcester, the city wouldn’t let them set them off indoors – I was so bummed).

This entry was posted on Monday, September 24th, 2007 at 11:49 pm and is filed under AC DC, Greasy Chicken.