This day in HISTOROCK !! Back In Black !!

      This day in HISTOROCK !!

                    In 1980, AC/DC released their 7th Australian and 6th internationally released studio album ''Back In Black'', the first AC/DC album recorded without former lead singer Bon Scott, who died on 19 February 1980 at the age of 33. Another great rocker lost to alcohol poisoning !! The album has sold an estimated 50 million copies worldwide to date, making it the second highest-selling album of all time, and the best-selling hard rock/heavy metal album !! The album was produced by acclaimed producer Robert "Mutt" Lange, who had also produced "Highway To Hell" !!  If ever there was an album that created a triumph out of a tragedy, it was "Back In Black" !! The band considered disbanding following Bon's death, but they decided to continue, with encouragement from Scott's parents, and hired Brian Johnson as their new lead singer !! "Back In Black" was released less than a year after Bon Scott died and the band was pretty nervous about how fans would react to new lead singer Brian Johnson, but it became an instant success, and is their best-selling album and went to no. 1 on the UK Albums Chart !! Johnson's raspy voice appealed to AC/DC fans !! According to Angus Young, the album's all-black cover was "a sign of mourning" for Scott" !!  Atlantic Records disagreed with the cover, but accepted it if the band put a grey outline around the AC/DC logo. The music  for some songs on "Back In Black"had already been written, but with no lyrics !! They decided to keep writing music with Johnson writing the lyrics and some of the biggest songs in HISTOROCK became anthems !! Songs like "You Shook Me All Night Long" , "Shoot To Thrill", "Hells Bells" and the title track "Back In Black", which was written as a tribute to Scott !! AC/DC wrote an incredible legacy with Bon Scott and such classics as "Dirty Deeds", Highway To Hell", "Ride On" and many more !! With the release of "Back In Black", a new AC/DC legacy with Brian johnson had started !! As big as "Back In Black" was, it never went no 1 in the US, but the follow up "For Those About To Rock" did !! Their incredible success has continued to this day although the band suffered a major blow when Angus's younger brother Malcolm had to leave the band due to health reasons earlier this year. The band has said it will carry on and are reportedly recording new material !! As a tribute to Bon Scott here is video of "Back In Black" !! There are rumored recordings of this song with Scott singing on YouTube, but since Brian Johnson wrote the words, I don't buy it !! AC/DC may have lost a great singer, but also discovered another great singer in Johnson, who by the way, Bon Scott had told the Young brothers about after seeing Johnson perform live !! The seed may have been planted before Scott's passing !! AC/DC is still one of the biggest concert acts in the world !! In 2009 they played here in Moncton,NB,Canada at the Magnetic Hill concert site during their Black Ice tour and drew 70,000 people !! "Back In Black'' indeed !! 

Keep on ROCKIN !!
Trike :-)