Vinyl Rewrite: AC/DC- Flick of the Switch(1983)

 

So cool that my first used vinyl purchase of this decade(2020) is one of my all-time favs and that is Flick of the Switch!

I’m thinking that this album is like my third review of it so that tells you right there my deal with it. Except for this time, it’s vinyl. So for a whole total breakdown track by track of Flick of the Switch, you can find it elsewhere on this site.

But for now..

1983 and we are all fun-loving fanboys of those fellas AC/DC. But for some funny reason, things went a little sideways for Angus Young and crew on this album.

Did I tell that I like sideways in regards to some albums this being one? For starters, AC/DC canned Mutt Lange who dialed in the sonics on the previous three AC/DC records (Highway To Hell-Back In Black- For Those About To Rock). AC/DC fired two managers and decided to do everything in house on Flick of the Switch including producing it themselves. As well, long time drummer, Phil Rudd got the boot as well after the recording was done(replaced by Simon Wright)

Hey, as a 16-year-old in 1983 I had no idea the inner turmoil these guys were dealing with then. To me, it was like ‘Cool, a new AC/DC album”.

Course myself and many others new about this album but for some reason the masses didn’t take to this album and maybe that’s the charm I still find with this album. A snooze you loose kinda deal meaning there are some gems on here that many people missed the boat on.

Sure AC/DC was still a huge draw in concert but the album stalled quickly as there was no real apparent single which you and I both know irked the Atlantic Records Suits. Imagine telling Malcolm Young back in 1983 “umm where’s the hit single?”

Exactly,

This album for me at the time of its release (August 1983) just hit at the right time. While Mutt Lange had Def Leppard with Pyromania all over the airwaves AC/DC forges ahead with a sound that is the exact opposite as in raw.

The guitars on opening track Rising Power set the pace as the other 10 songs sound like two buzz saws going off while Brian Johnson screeches and knarls his way vocally through the albums 10 tracks.

Tons of personal highlights on this record as AC/DC does not give a shit about anything or anyone as they just do what they do. Love that  Nugent like boogie rock guitar at the beginning of Landslide while the title track has the evil signature lock-up with Malcolm and Angus. Don’t those riffs sound pure demonic?

The band of course in 1983 played about 4 tracks (Guns For Hire opened the shows) off of Flick to promote it but every tour that has followed this album the band decided to go elsewhere when putting together the setlist.^^

Fair enough. There band, there rules!

The 80’s from 1983 to 1988 was an interesting period for AC/DC. Sure their sales kinda lagged (until 1990s The Razors Edge) yet you have to hand it to them as they still kept putting out product.

VINYL RECORD REWRITE VERDICT:

Sometimes latching onto an album that isn’t the big zillion seller in one’s catalog is the way to go and Flick of the Switch is that to me as its a no-frills straight-ahead album that will boot you hard up the ass

^^-Check out the Plug Me In DVD set that features the Flick Tour in all its glory! Fantastic.