Classical Composer Reaction & Analysis of Back in Black by AC/DC | The Daily Doug (Episode 497) 

There's a great video of Scott Ian from Anthrax talking about how great a rhythm player Malcolm was. Their music is super simple and yet it's incredibly hard to play with their feel and power and attitude. Such a legendary band.

Doug: I'm not a metal or rock aficionado Everyone here: you are now, Doug.

The mighty genius of Malcolm Young. Mastering the rythm guitar like no other. Giving space to silence notes and filling gaps perfectly between power notes. Malcolm and Phil Rudd rythm section shaped an era of how a rock band should sound.

Phil Rudd's drumming seems quite simple here, but as a drummer I promise you it's not as simple as you'd think to be juuuust a smidge *behind* the beat like he is on this - it's a large part of why this song feels so groovy and in the pocket.

Not sure if you noticed but bassist Cliff Williams deserves recognition for his inventive bass lines. Mostly he’d just vamp on the root notes but in this particular song when the A chord comes in the main riff he plays a C# instead, suggesting a major tonality.

Still one of the best rock albums ever made. It was awesome when it came out, and I think it still sells today.

ACDC is one of those bands that when they release a new song, you can instantly tell it is them just from the guitar tone and the drums

AC/DC best band I've seen live, 6 tours and every gig an absolute blinder. 🤘🤘

I was 11 years old in 1980 and my older sister got this for me on my 12th birthday. My 1st 5 albums : Back In Black, Queen - News of the World, Grand Funk Railroad - Live Album , David Bowie - Diamond Dogs and Zeppelin 4 . Yep. The die was cast.

When you talk about the greatest rock bands in history, Zeppelin, The Beatles, Stones, etc, you absolutely have to include the kings of three chord rock, AC⚡DC. God bless 'em

Musical analysis consists of Doug flailing his arms about.... Simple, yet emotional and powerful song. Love it!!!!

I read that Bon's mother encouraged them to continue the band in his honor. Well done lads! Mission accomplished!

This is the song which turned me on to heavy rock. I was 9 years old when I first heard it in 1980 and it changed my life. Wonderful.

Vocals like that can also be herd in the 70's Scottish band Nazareth, tracks like This Flight Tonight or the classic love song Love Hurts.

Spaciousness. Great word, Doug. Exactly what's great about AC/DC. It's the tight, multi-instrumental silences that make the riffs killers.

Phil Rudd is a machine. Tight and perfect. Big part of what establishes the groove in this song. 3 cord hook that grabs you instantly. Perfection!

'Brian Johnson's voice has all the colour of sandpaper. " Brilliant and funny. 😂 Thank you sir.

3:52 it's important that on the A chord, the bass plays C#, filling out the major 3rd missing from the power chord.

Really just shows that Malcom and Angus are geniuses when it comes to writing music and cant forget the absolutely phenomenal line up

I'd never really taken much notice of them and only had a couple of albums for years until I was asked to fill in rehearsing with a newly formed AC/DC tribute as their bassist had had a bad accident 11 years ago before the band had ever gigged (Peterborough UK)......Needless to say ended up staying and, some 400+ gigs later we're still going.....Play some big crowds at times.... It's good fun though playing Cliff's bits (talented bassist, especially on the live albums where he does a lot of improv) and the age range of people coming to see the band is from teens to 70+.....A very popular band and it's kept me out of trouble and given me an excellent weekend social life for over a decade.... We've learned over 70 songs of their back catalogue over the years and this band did some excellent hidden gems from the Bon era up to Brian.....

Man I love your reaction and how you break down the the song, in it's cords and vocal performance, and the over all performance of the track...you are obviously very knowlagable about music....

I graduated high school in June 1980. It was a wonderful summer of discovering new music.

Malcolm Young was a rhythm guitar, song writing Monster! Pure Legend. RIP. RIDE ON is an AC/DC Bon Scott Must Hear!!!

Thanks Doug, really enjoyed this. Back in the '70's AC/DC was considered heavy metal (back then, pretty much anything with distorted guitars and raw vocals was...unless it was punk, hahaha), but these days it's probably more correctly considered, classic hard rock...and as you said, just a whole lotta fun. Cheers!

I love this track also - hell, the whole album. Shook Me All Night Long is also on the album. I also think many people underestimate Rudd's drumming - in that song he moves from straight-ahead to that syncopated matching of the riff and back again. That takes stamina. As others have said, the implied major key comes from Williams' C# on the bass ... but I'd also add that Angus Young's guitar solo plays on country riffs mixed in with that pentatonic blues scale he loves so much. Also, Angus is a MASSIVE bender of the strings, and can play that sweet ambiguity between minor and major just by relaxing a bend slightly. Lastly - just on the "Hard Rock" vs. "Heavy Metal" thing - AC/DC have only ever described themselves as a rock n' roll band. They are huge Little Richard fans - Brian Johnson tells a story of first meeting Bon Scott at a Little Richard Concert, IIRC.

Thank you for not pretending that you "have never heard of AC/DC or their songs" as I have seen on other channels.

Such a statement song, announcing their return after Bon Scott's passing. One of the strongest songs ever.

amazing album, should be heard as one long thing really

Hey Doug, glad you're starting on AC/DC now! Check out Hell's Bells. I saw one of the last gigs with Bon (at Hammersmith Odeon, early November 79) and was gutted when he died. We all thought AC/DC would finish there and then how could they carry on without Bon? Just imagine - the first track we heard from the new line up was Hell's Bells, opening the Back in Black album. When those tolling bells opened the album it was an emotional moment - then that riff comes in and the song builds up, and we were all wondering what does this new bloke sound like on vocals ?! - iconic stuff. I also saw them on the Back in Black tour - both line ups were great, different sounding, but great!

"I can't think of any other sound that I've heard like that." - Everyone on Earth

was fortunate enough to attend the original back in black concert many years ago. it was LOUD !

I'm a 54 year old metalhead and this album started My journey when I was 12 .

Love your channel Doug,long time fan👍🏼 The beauty of inspired musicians is all the technical brilliance we discover from close inspection is just feel for them🤯 Music is in the soul and ACDC had it in spades🤟

This whole album is a phenomenal example of drumming by Phil Rudd. Nothing fancy, no major fills. Definitely worth a listen.

More AC/DC reactions please! I'd suggest 'Touch Too Much' to get a little into Bon Scott's legacy

At the time of my making the AC/DC Backline cages for the Back in Black tour we were in constant touch with the band's crew who were already friends. I was advised that the title & lyrics of the title song was written about the band no longer being in debt. After the success of the Highway to Hell LP & accompanying tour, the band were out of the 'Red' financially speaking and were now 'Back in (the) Black. Songs take on new meanings over time.

When this album came out it was exactly what you said it was…FUN. Powerful and oh so simple. Great review.

I love AC/DC's music - but I wasn't a hard rock fan growing up. ALL my friends listened to this music because in the midwest music like this was part of the air you breathed. It was everywhere. Even back then you knew this music would just always "be." But as an adult listening to this - and someone who sang jazz for 20 years, even though I don't have the technical music knowledge - I hear blues in this music. I hear the foundations of early rock n roll pushed to new places. In their songs I hear Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, even Cab Calloway. That swagger. The call and response in songs like Rosie. If Calloway had been born later when there was such a thing as rock you wonder... Anyway, I believe that foundation is what makes their music have a broad and timeless appeal. Look at those concerts from 2009 in Argentina. 200 thousand fans ages 18-40 going nuts even though the band's average age is 60 - 64, which is a beautiful and inspiring thing to see.

'And listen to that vocal color, all the color of sandpaper'! Brilliant, you might moonlight as a rock journalist, Doug... 80 grit at 80 decibels!

An absolutely gem. Energetic, positive, in-your-face.

Their music is simple and back to the basic. That's probably why they're so good and beloved as everyone gets on to their songs whether they're hard rockers or not. The perfect party music...

Magical groove of Phil Rudd and Cliff Williams! Thanks for your reaction and air drumming :)

I think Pink Floyd's "The Wall" was also released in 1980. It was truly a banner year. "Back in Black" was another classic album produced by Mutt Lange, who also produced AC/DC's previous album, "Highway to Hell", as well as their follow up album, "For Those About to Rock, We Salute You". He also was the mastermind behind huge-selling albums of that seminal rock era from Def Leppard and Foreigner, to name but a few.

They couldn't have considered quitting for very long. They went from a dead Iconic lead singer on Feb19, 1980, to releasing a 10 track album on July 25 , 1980 . 5 months. Consider that most bands that don't have any line up changes let alone a death to their front man can release a record every 5 years. The productivity of this band was incredible . Under Bon Scott they released 6 studio and 1 live album between Feb17, 1975 and july 29,1979 less than 4 1/2 years. That is a 20 + year career for most bands today. Incredibly everyone of those records is fantastic with nearly no throw away tracks.

My favourite band, thanks Doug. Good to hear some informed opinion.

I wish AC/DC and ZZTop had done some shows together at some time. I think of those two bands when I think of rock music. Angus, Malcolm and Billy are rock guitar and songwriting geniuses.

100% right about the spaces they leave in the music. That’s a detail a lot of people miss about AC/DC, and it’s essential to the sound of the band. Those spaces make the rhythm drive harder. AC/DC is deceptively simple. But it’s important to recognize the details that are so important in making them sound unmistakable. One of the details that is often overlooked is Malcom’s rhythm guitar playing. To imitate his playing correctly is exhausting for most players. Even though the riffs aren’t anything technically groundbreaking, Malcom’s right hand was so powerful, the force with which he struck those strings, (but always maintaining rhythmic control, which tends to get sloppy as a player gets tired,) that a lot of guitarists can’t do it. There’s been a lot of boost and overdrive pedals sold trying to get that sound that mostly came from Malcom just being able to bang those strings all damn night long. Regarding the album, it is indeed a real rock classic. “Shake a Leg” is my favorite track on this particular record, and is probably my dark horse pick for the best song of this era of the band.

Awesome show Doug.I really enjoy you're take on things.Thanks buddy

You must have hid under a rock 40 years to not hear this haha. Nice background summary Doug

With AC/DC, it's ALL about the GROOVE!!!

The 1981 folloe up, "For Those About To Rock, We Salute You" I would highly recommend sampling from as well.

More like a thrasher Thursday!! Glad this got unblocked. I’ve got a 12 yr old son who is big in his school band and who’s gotten big into music. It’s fun to hear him analyze music as he hears it. Consequently he really enjoys your videos. Thanks for the content!!

We need a good live version of "For those about to rock"

Slightly different genera challenge: Black Stone Cherry, Rain Wizard is a masterclass in southern rock jams, great vocals, great licks.

@Doug Helvering - I think you hit the nail on the head - Back In Black, & like many of AC~DC's songs, is both metal & rock.

My 'go-to' albums in my youth were Back in Black, Appetite for Destruction and Somewhere in Time - I've been to all three concerts once only. AC/DC and Iron Maiden's concerts in Auckland were absolutely fire. I just saw Guns n' Roses last Thursday in Wellington. The trifecta of my youth complete. Great vid BTW

well as someone who knows not much theory. For rock and roll when you have a backing in Major we play in minor often mixing major with it. Check out more AC/DC for this confirmation. Lemmy said that Angus is a monster when it comes to playing the guitar.

When people talk about Rapture by Blonde being the first rock rap, I always point to this, which came out a year earlier. Never heard anyone call it a rap, but to me, it mostly is.

For Those About To Rock (We Salute You), Soul Stripper, Hell's Bells, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheep, Who Made Who, Let There Be Rock, Down Payment Blues, and the very unique Ride On. Those would be great for you to check out, some of their best.

You say you can't think of another singer like this, but Brian has always reminded me of Dan McCafferty of Nazareth with Hair of the Dog.

Only thing i would add to your reaction is that AC DC are far from being a metal band, they are a blues based rock band, and they swing a lot, because they grew up listening to Chuck Berry, Little Richard, BB king etc. Thank you for one more great reaction!

In this upside down world of rock, I saw AC/DC in 1978 and paid little attention to them after then, as hard rock became mainstream. I still think of this as a new song 🤣🤣. When I saw them, Whole lotta Rosie was their definitive song.

Saw them twice in 1979 with Bon Scott: supporting The Who at Wembley Stadium in August, and a few weeks later on their own headline tour. I knew of Brian Johnson from his band Geordie so I knew he could do the job with AC/DC, and I saw them a couple more times in the 80s. I don't listen to them anymore, I've just moved on to other musics, but if I catch them by accident it still makes me smile and get a bit nostalgic, like now.

Hey Doug, you should check out Rhapsody (of Fire). They're one of the best and most well known Symphonic metal bands and were important in the developement of European power metal. I'd recommend 'The Wizard's Last Rhymes' or 'Sacred Power of Raging Winds'

Hi Doug, As a philosopher and music lover I tend to think of 'genre', like all taxonomies, as artificial; just normative sets of similarities that are a communications shorthand. Your analysis of this track got me thinking about genre and the proposition that the best music is either archetypal to genres or non conformist; 'Back in Black' being a superb archetype of what is the common root of so many genres in the Rock evolutionary tree. Would be interested to hear other readers responses to that thought. Thank you Doug for the many fascinating analysis in 2022 and I look forward to many more. May I wish there and thine a joyous Yuletide and all the best for 2023.

Hey Doug, I'm relatively new to the channel. I've been rummaging around your RU-vid videos for about a month or so and I've been excited to hear what you have to say about the likes of Rush and Sabbath and Metallica. I was saddened that there was no Acdc on your channel yet (since they've been my favorite band for almost a decade and a half now) so it felt almost prophetic that almost as soon as I got here you debuted Acdc. With that said I have some recommendations depending on what you'd like to explore next. Riff Raff is arguably the most musically interesting song. Lots of movement and tons of personality. It's a Bon Scott song as well so you can compare the two eras of the band. Another song with lots of movement would be the follow-up to back in black. For those about to Rock (we salute you). Rock and Roll dream is a slower song released in the later 2000's and it's a great example of how the band has aged like whiskey. Ride on is another soulful slower song from the Bon Scott era. It debuted 2nd album I believe so it's also a snapshot into the infancy of the band. If you were interested in analysing some of their work that's more obscure or maybe a little out of their wheelhouse I'd recommend Night Crawler. It's a darker song with menacing music to back it up. It's also the last track on the final album to feature Bon Scott and there's a little send off at the very very end. And finally if you want to witness Acdc in their prime on stage. Look no further than any performance of Let There Be Rock. (The studio version is equally amazing) but if you wanted to see with your own eyes they end most shows with this tribute to the rock and roll culture they helped pioneer. I'm super excited to see where you go next with them 🤟🤟 Until next time...

"Shot Down in Flames" or "Its a Long way to the top if you want to rock and roll" are both quintessential A/C D/C songs IMO.

There's a reason this is the #2 best selling album of ALL TIME!!! Doug just explained it to all that didn't know before....lol Thanks Doug!

perfection in simplicity

Not blocked! Amazing!

Wry good this band ! Love them 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

Little Malcolm was such a god damn genius

Besides what you mentioned in the video, other metal albums from 79-81 worth mentioning include: Judas Priest - Unleashed in the East, Diamond Head - Lightning to the Nations, Angel Witch - Angel Witch, Holocaust - The Nightcomers. You really should explore the NWOBHM scene if you wish to gain a better understanding of metal.

Interesting fact Malcolm wrote main riff Angus always says the he doesnt play it correctly (tongue in cheek) like the way Malcolm done it. Surprised you didnt notice the bass playing major 3rd over the A chord.

1980 was when I finished high school and started college. AC/DC to me was a band for "the kids" still in middle school and high school. I had Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin; AC/DC were a bunch of hacks. As I got older I came to appreciate their straight ahead power rock style. I like them quite a bit now.

Now you should check out Bon Scott. Night Prowler and Jailbreak are 2 deep cuts that are great Bon Scott tunes. Great video, keep them coming.

Just read Brian Johnson's biography. (The Lives of Brian). Great read for fans of AC/DC.

My first song was “Baby Don’t Go” I believe high voltage album. Hard driving, Heavy blues. If you find a good recording.

Good foot tapping AC/DC, love it

The A chord in the main riff is played over a C# in the bass so it's definitely a major tonality.

Hey You put Rock in my Heavy Metal Hey you put Heavy Metal in my Rock AC/DC bridging the Gap Enjoy The Show Keep Up Great Work

Most people forget what an absolute monster this album was at the time

"It has all the color of sandpaper!" 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

I've never been a big metal fan, but this song was such a monster hit when it came out, it was unavoidable on the radio and jukeboxes, so this song grew on me. I think what really makes that riff work is that it's so clean, with plenty of space in between the chords, and not just a continuous thunder of distorted guitar sounds. You've never heard singers sing so high like that? I can think of Geddy Lee from Rush, but he didn't do it all the time. Artists like Christopher Cross and Leo Sayer sang high, but not harshly like this.

That little run after the E D A chords is just the E pentatonic scale played in a descending order

Status quo are the kings of 3 chord rock their early stuff like mystery song or hold you back are amazing songs

Hi Doug, make sure you look into their live performances. Massive audiences moving in unison at their command, the grip they have on their fans through a no-nonsense super exciting show is something to be experienced. I know you were impressed by the Iron Maiden type of audience involvement, AC/DC are among the select few that fall in the same - superior - category.

Eighth grade, video game parlor/record store. Dude. Still makes me nod my head in time. If I remember they released two albums that week. And what you're discussing regarding the progression... Isn't it similar to bagpiping?

"From dads to dudes, to little old ladies beating noisy kids over their heads with their sticks" LOL!!! That little old lady thing cracked me up cos MY mother's screeching (at me when I was a kid) was a lot like Brian Johnson's vocal style - never thought of it that way til just now! If only my mother came at me with JUST a mere stick to beat me over the head - she was a tyrant, but, hey - it kept me out of jail, for sure... score one for "capitol punishment" parental discipline.

MAGNIFICENT.

Do you remember how when Bon Scott died and we thought: How can he be replaced? No small task. And out of nowhere comes Brian Johnson! One of a kind!

The inimitable voice of Brian! 😊

Amazing band. The first songs I heard were from The Razor Edge album. I learnt more going back in time from that. Many things to recommend, but the last album is definitely must. Many things are said about simplicity of their music, but oh my... guys always deliver! Special mention goes to their one particular video of Let There Be Rock (Live at Donington, 8/17/91). It is 17 min, with guitars failure and a drummer taking charge for several minutes while guitars being sorted.

In the years after its release, studios in Nashville would use it to check the acoustics of a room, while Motörhead would use it to tune their sound system.

Loved your analysis and reaction to this classic. Well done.

One of AC/DC's signature sounds is leaving the major 3rds out of their chords. They mute it because it sounds muddy with distortion. Interestingly, the bass plays the major 3rd in for the A the first set of chords.

You know your shit bro. Well done.

Yah the thing about 'simple' is that it's very open and if you are not spot on and tight as a drum, you lose all the power. These guys are solid AF

mean tune, you can do anything with this easy beat, models can walk to it.

6:50 Finally I've heared what I wanted to hear! That's all about it.