| Powerage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by AC/DC | ||||
| Released | 25 May 1978 | |||
| Recorded | February–March 1978 at Albert Studios in Sydney, Australia | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, blues rock, rock and roll | |||
| Length | 39:43 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Harry Vanda, George Young | |||
| AC/DC chronology | ||||
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Powerage is the fifth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in May 1978. It is also AC/DC's fourth international studio album. All songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott.
It was originally released on Atlantic Records, and reached #133 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart in the US, eventually going platinum there. Powerage was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC remasters series.
Contents |
Powerage is the first AC/DC album to be released nearly simultaneously in both Australian and international markets, and the first to use just one cover image for both. It was also the first to feature the same track listing on all versions, with the exception of the European vinyl edition (specifically, the first UK pressing of the LP). This version included "Cold Hearted Man", a song that was not previously released, and would not be released on any other AC/DC album until 2009's AC/DC Backtracks box set, but which became more widely available through the box set of Bon Scott-era vinyl LP albums in 1987, the first reissue of a set first released in 1981. The first UK pressing also includes different mixes than all later versions, most markedly on "Down Payment Blues" (which excludes the bluesy coda heard on later pressings) and "What's Next to the Moon," which omits solos and backing vocals heard on later pressings. Within the 1987 box set, the song was packaged on a single sided 12-inch single. In some territories, Powerage omitted "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation". This was due to a rushed job in getting the LP to pressing plants in time for the release date, hence "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" (which was not yet completed) was omitted, "Cold Hearted Man" was added, and the rushed mixes are different than the 'finished' mixes that were thereafter used.
It was the band's last Bon Scott-era studio release to feature production work by Harry Vanda and George Young.
Powerage marked the studio debut of bassist Cliff Williams. Former bassist Mark Evans says that the album also has bass by him, as the Powerage songs started being done during the recording of his last album Let There Be Rock, and producer George Young, while Williams was having trouble on getting his work visa.[1]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [2] |
| Stylus Magazine | (favorable)[3] |
Allmusic gave Powerage a rating of three and a half out of five stars, and said that while "it is the most uneven of" AC/DC's 1970s material, the album still contained a "few genuine classics", specifically mentioning "Down Payment Blues" and "Up to My Neck in You".[2] Edwin Faust of Stylus Magazine considers Powerage "AC/DC’s best album, (...) because it isn’t simply about sex, drinking and tongue-in-cheek Satanism", but shows a band "growing up".[3]
Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No. 26 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".[4]
Don Jamieson from That Metal Show named the album his favourite of all time, and commented on how "'Sin City' epitomized what Bon Scott loved to do." Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has also stated that Powerage is his favourite AC/DC record. "Up to My Neck in You", "Riff Raff" and "What's Next to the Moon" was covered by Mark Kozelek on his solo album What's Next to the Moon.
"Riff Raff" is frequently played on Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash's iheartradio channel, "Slash FM", citing it as one of his favourite AC/DC songs. "Riff Raff" is covered by Guns N' Roses on their current Chinese Democracy World Tour. This song was also covered by the Canadian heavy metal band Annihilator on their 1996 album Refresh the Demon. The main riff for "Riff Raff" is often used as a soundcheck for Melvins guitar player Buzz Osbourne before live Melvins performances, as heard on the DVD Salad of a Thousand Delights.
"Sin City" was covered by the '80s heavy metal band Twisted Sister, on their album Twisted Forever, in which Dee Snider changes a lyric: "Ain't got a hope in hell, that's Bon Scott's belief". The song has also been covered by the punk rock band The Offspring, Great White, Ugly Kid Joe and heavy metal stalwart, Bruce Dickinson. "Down Payment Blues" served as the theme song for comedian Marc Maron's 'WTF' podcast in 2009. "Sin City" is Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry's favourite AC/DC song.[5]
"Gone Shootin'" was featured in the movie Beavis and Butt-head Do America. In the audio commentary featured on the Beavis and Butt-head Do America Special Collector's Edition DVD, series creator Mike Judge stated that the main guitar riff from "Gone Shootin'" was the basis for the series' theme song. In 2007, a studio version of the song, with Brian Johnson on vocals, was included on the second disc of Plug Me In. The footage was taken from a recording session in 1996 at London's VH1 Studios.
"Kicked in the Teeth" was covered by Nashville Pussy on their album Eat More Pussy and also available on the bonus CD of Let Them Eat Pussy.
All songs written and composed by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" | 3:37 |
| 2. | "Down Payment Blues" | 6:03 |
| 3. | "Gimme a Bullet" | 3:21 |
| 4. | "Riff Raff" | 5:11 |
| 5. | "Sin City" | 4:45 |
| 6. | "What's Next to the Moon" | 3:31 |
| 7. | "Gone Shootin'" | 5:05 |
| 8. | "Up to My Neck in You" | 4:13 |
| 9. | "Kicked in the Teeth" | 3:53 |
All songs written and composed by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" | 3:06 |
| 2. | "Gimme a Bullet" | 3:20 |
| 3. | "Down Payment Blues" | 5:40 |
| 4. | "Gone Shootin'" | 5:22 |
| 5. | "Riff Raff" | 5:14 |
| 6. | "Sin City" | 4:45 |
| 7. | "Up to My Neck in You" | 4:12 |
| 8. | "What's Next to the Moon" | 3:42 |
| 9. | "Cold Hearted Man" | 3:32 |
| 10. | "Kicked in the Teeth" | 3:58 |
Album
| Year | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart |
22
|
| 1978 | US Billboard The 200 Albums Chart[6] |
133
|
| Country | Sales | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| United States[7] | 1,000,000 | Platinum |
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