(Credit: A ways Out / Dena Flows)
Mon 20 Might 2024 14:00, UK
There aren’t many rock bands that stand by means of the ethos of what the style stands for somewhat like AC/DC. From day one, the Younger brothers had been a rock and roll band at the beginning, and for each file that they’ve ever launched, they do just what it says at the tin and infrequently have to go away their little bubble. It’s normally now not an issue when the songs paintings this smartly, however the easiest definition of rock and roll for Angus Younger got here a couple of years previous with the tune ‘Johnny B Goode’.
In relation to any rock and roll, regardless that, Chuck Berry was once the primary and absolute best at the entirety. Ahead of The Beatles had been even a twinkle in John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s eyes, Berry was once taking the sounds of blues, jazz, and a ton of power and paving the best way for rock and roll with each tune he wrote.
And so far as rock songs move, there aren’t many higher at promoting the speculation of rock and roll than ‘Johnny B Goode’. For everybody who has ever picked up a guitar, the attract of taking part in guitar has at all times been the facility to strike a chord and take Berry-style leads each time a guitar damage occurs is sort of unimaginable to withstand.
In spite of being at the different facet of the sector in Australia, Younger was once hooked by means of what he heard, ultimately telling Guitarist, “I really like rock and at all times discover a problem in it. There’s one great point that stands proud on guitar to me, and that’s ‘Johnny B Goode’. For me, that’s the object; that’s what it’s all about. If you’ll get a hold of one thing like that, that’s nice.”
Whilst the remainder of the sector took rock and roll into daring new territories, Younger was once beautiful effective with the principles the style had set in position. There have been nonetheless techniques to curl the ones 3 chords round to lead them to sound other, and AC/DC had been about to spend the remainder of their lives taking part in the ones blaring energy chords till their arms bled.
It’s now not arduous to look the place Younger were given his strikes from. Part of his lick library comes from Berry, and he even co-opts his signature duck stroll, which he would use each time he took to the level. When you get started taking a look on the lyrics of each AC/DC tune, there are in truth a couple of extra obvious similarities than you realise.
Particularly right through the Bon Scott technology, no different band gave the impression to practice in Berry’s footsteps of writing about rock and roll. Since Led Zeppelin was once writing about mythology and the prog rock increase was once speaking about changing into masters of all identified planets, Scott’s lyric sheet was once all about being in a rock and roll band, whether or not that was once ‘Freeway to Hell’ or ‘Let There Be Rock’.
When it really works this smartly, why hassle converting up the method? In spite of dropping Scott and getting a 2d wind with Brian Johnson at the back of the mic, the most efficient moments in AC/DC’s catalogue had been when Malcolm and Angus in truth in finding that Chuck Berry magic, like the outlet lick of ‘Thunderstruck’ or the signature groove of ‘You Shook Me All Night time Lengthy’. ‘Johnny B Goode’ is flooring 0 for rock and roll, however the place AC/DC has taken it was once about making the style sound thrilling once more.
