2020.07.24 - Gibson/Blabbermouth - Slash Looks Back On AC/DC's 'Back In Black'

Slash Looks Back On AC/DC's 'Back In Black': 'It Was A Killer Record From Start To Finish'

On Friday, July 24, Gibson celebrated 40 years of AC/DC's landmark album "Back In Black" with the "Back In Black 40th Anniversary: A Virtual Celebration" livestream event. Hosted by Jared James Nichols, the "Back In Black 40th Anniversary: A Virtual Celebration" featured AC/DC testimonials from a number of musicians, including Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash.

Speaking about the impact "Back In Black" had on his own musical upbringing, Slash said: "First time I ever heard it was at my friend's house. So this was 1980. And this was a crucial point in rock and roll at that time, because all my favorite bands had either disbanded or members had died. And there was a lot of new music, but nothing really turned me on that much. And AC/DC, I was familiar with 'Highway To Hell' and I was familiar with 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap', and I was into those two records. But I didn't know Bon Scott had died, I didn't know they had a new singer or any of that. And then all of a sudden 'Back In Black' came out, and it was like a battle cry for rock and roll and heavy metal at that time. It was a killer record from start to finish — every song was good. The single 'Back In Black' was as good a single as a rock and roll single gets. I think one of my favorite songs on the record was 'Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution'. And then, even to this day, one of my favorite guitar solos of all time is in 'Hells Bells'. So that particular record, it was pivotal for me. I just started playing guitar, and it was the first really great rock and roll band to come along in a little while. And, obviously, it was a big record for AC/DC and garnered them a place in history books that would go on forever and ever after that."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/slash-looks-back-on-ac-dcs-back-in-black-it-was-a-killer-record-from-start-to-finish