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Powerage

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Untitled

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.


Overview

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 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" 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 wasn't yet completed) was omitted, "Cold Hearted Man" was added, and the rushed mixes are different than the 'finished' mixes that were thereafter used.

"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, Ugly Kid Joe and Bruce Dickinson. "Down Payment Blues" served as the theme song for comedian Marc Maron's 'WTF' podcast in 2009.

"Kicked In The Teeth" was covered by "Nashville Pussy", on their album "Eat More Pussy" but was also available on the bonus CD of "Let Them Eat Pussy".

"Gone Shootin'" was featured in the movie Beavis and Butt-head Do America. 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.

Powerage marked the studio debut of bassist Cliff Williams. It was the band's last Bon Scott-era studio release to feature production work by Harry Vanda and George Young.

Don Jamieson from That Metal Show named the album his favorite of all time, and commented on how Sin City epitomized what Bon Scott loved to do.

"Sin City" is Joe Perry's (guitarist - Aerosmith) favorite AC/DC song.[3]

Track listing

Australian / US & all CD releases

  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
  • Some cassette copies, such as the original Canadian issue, had an alternate track listing. For example, "Sin City" was the first song on side 1, while "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" was the first song on side 2. All other tracks appear in the order of the original Australian/US release.

European LP release

  1. "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" – 3:05
  2. "Gimme a Bullet" – 3:00
  3. "Down Payment Blues" – 5:50
  4. "Gone Shootin'" – 4:19
  5. "Riff Raff" – 5:13
  6. "Sin City" – 4:47
  7. "Up to My Neck in You" – 4:58
  8. "What's Next to the Moon" – 3:15
  9. "Cold Hearted Man" – 3:34
  10. "Kicked in the Teeth" – 3:45
  • All songs composed by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott.
  • Initial editions of the European (UK) LP release featured a different mix of the album. It had a 'harder' sound than the later version, with small variations in vocals and/or guitar tracks, and occasionally extra sections and longer or shorter fades. This version omitted "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" from the track-list, replaced by "Cold Hearted Man," albeit in a different sequence than on subsequent pressings. One of the most marked differences is the exclusion of the bluesy coda on "Down Payment Blues." The first cassette issue of the album also features this mix.
  • The album was later remixed for the American market, with the new mix replacing the original European mix, and becoming the global standard. This mix is still used on all AC/DC Powerage CD releases today.

Certification

Country Sales Certification
United States 1,000,000 Platinum

Personnel

Production

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Powerage - Allmusic". Retrieved 29 November, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ Twist, Carlo. "Powerage - Blender". Retrieved 29 November, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ^ My favorite AC/DC song is probably "Sin City" -- Joe Perry, "30 on 30", Guitar World, March 2010, Vol. 31/No. 3


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