LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-JULY 27, 2019…40 YEARS AGO AC/DC RELEASED THE ALBUM AND THE SINGLE ‘HIGHWAY TO HELL.’
THE ALBUM WAS THE FIRST ALBUM FROM THE GROUP TO SELL OVER 1 MILLION COPIES.
MORE SIGNIFICANTLY IT WAS AS ANGUS YOUNG PUT IT “WAS THE ALBUM THAT BROKE US IN AMERICA.”
‘HIGHWAY TO HELL’ WAS ALSO THE LAST ALBUM TO FEATURE LEAD SINGER BON SCOTT, WHO DIED NINE MONTHS LATER AFTER AN EVENING OVER DRINKING IN LONDON.
THE TITLE FOR THE ALBUM STARTED OUT AS A JOKE. ANGUS YOUNG DESCRIBED THE GROUPS 1978 TOUR SCHEDULE AS “A F***ING HIGHWAY TO HELL.”
THEIR FIRST MILLION SELLING ALBUM DID NOT COME EASY. THE GROUP WAS UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE TO PRODUCE A HIT ALBUM BY THEIR RECORD COMPANY. MALCOLM AND ANGUS YOUNG WERE FORCED TO MAKE A TOUGH DECISION. THEY HAD TO FIRE THEIR BROTHER GEORGE WHO HAD PRODUCED ALL OF THE GROUPS PREVIOUS ALBUMS. MUTT LANGE WAS EVENTUALLY BROUGHT IN TO PRODUCE THE ALBUM. WHAT RESULTED WAS A NO BULLSHIT STRAIGHT AHEAD ROCK AND ROLL ALBUM THAT WAS RADIO FRIENDLY AND PRODUCED HITS. FORTY YEARS LATER ‘HIGHWAY TO HELL’ HAS RACKED UP TOTAL DOWNLOADS AND ACTUAL ALBUM SALES WHICH NOW TOTALS THE EQUIVALENT OF 22 MILLION COPIES.
HERE’S THE OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR THE TITLE TRACK
THE SECOND SINGLE FROM THE ALBUM ‘TOUCH TOO MUCH’ (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
AND FINALLY ‘GIRLS GOT RHYTHM’
