For those of us whom will forthwith Rock - AC/DC

Perhaps the most underrated of all hard rock bands, AC/DC delivers the necesary goods, albeit within a narrow spectrum, of all that is awesome about power rock and roll.  No ballads.  No horns or keyboards.  They appear in the classic 5-piece rock band configuration.  With Angus's brother Malcolm, aka the Human Metronome, on his worn out (busted?) yellowed, 1963 Gretsch double-cutaway Jet Firebird.  Cliff Williams uses the MusicMan Sting Ray bass.  Phil Rudd drums on a SONOR kit.  Above is the gatefold inside cover of AC/DC's album called For those About to Rock.  It has one of my favorite songs of theirs.  Another of their single entendre titles - Let's Get it Up.  The front cover of this album shows the bronzed Civil War era cannon.  Lucky to get to see this band when they come to Chicago almost each time the past 15 years.  But the years between their tours are getting longer.

For Those About to Rock We Salute You is their 8th (or 7th if you count international studio albums).  From 1981, it was their follow up to Back in Black, so they were behind the eight ball on that.  How do follow up an all-time great record?  But this one holds up and spawned a song that they always now close their shows with - the title track.  Rolling Stone magazine called it their best album.  Really?  Not in my book.  On this issue: my college pals mostly come down on the Bon Scott side of the Which Era was Better discussion, vs. the current Brian Johnson version.  Apparently - the album was inspired by a book Angus Young read, entitled For Those About to Die, We Salute You, about Roman gladiators.  The gladiators' final words to the emperor were "Ave Caesar morituri te salutant" – or, "Hail Caesar, we who are about to die, salute you".  The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC remasters series.  This record was the 3rd and last of their produced by Mutt Lange.