Powerage
| Powerage | ||||
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Studio album by 
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Publication |
May 25, 1978 |
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| Label (s) | Atlantic Records | |||
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Format (s) |
CD, LP, MC |
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Title (number) |
9 |
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running time |
38:04 |
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| occupation | ||||
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Studio (s) |
February to March 1978 at Albert Studios, Sydney (Australia) |
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Powerage is the fourth world released album of the Australian hard rock - band AC / DC , which was published 1978th The recordings took place in February and March 1978 at Albert Studios in Sydney.
background
Bassist Mark Evans dropped out shortly before the recordings and was replaced by Cliff Williams , who was active in the band until 2016. Like all previous albums, the album was produced by Harry Vanda and George Young . The recordings took place in February and March 1978 at the Albert Studios in Sydney.
The roots of the blues are clearly recognizable in the sound . Another innovation was that Angus Young recorded all of the guitar parts on his rhythm track on six of the ten pieces and did not, as usual, add his solos afterwards.
Besides Blow Up Your Video, Powerage is the only AC / DC album without a title track. However, the song That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll from the second album mentioned contains at least the line gonna blow up my video .
On the tour for the album, the live album If You Want Blood You've Got It was created , which was also released in 1978.
Differences in different pressings
In the published versions, a distinction must first be made between the LP pressing and the later CD version. The pieces differ:
- Rock 'n' Roll Damnation where the ending is different. The LP version is faded out, while the song has its own ending on the CD mix. The song was not included in the first edition of the German LP Pressung.
- Down Payment Blues is identical except for the “classic blues part”, which is played at the end of the song when the CD is mixed. This explains the ten seconds difference in song length.
- Up to My Neck in You differs mainly in the end, but also in the drums and bass.
- What's Next to the Moon , where the guitar solos are different in the middle section and at the end.
- Cold Hearted Man , which is not included on the CD.
- Kicked in the Teeth , which has a different intro on the LP.
The songs Gimme a Bullet and Gone Shootin are apparently the same in both versions, but the wrong running time is indicated on the LP cover: For example, Gimme a Bullet 21 and Gone Shootin 'omit twice the number of seconds.
Furthermore, a distinction can be made between Australian, English and worldwide publications. The Australian and European (except for the English) pressing also contains the song Cold Hearted Man , which has been deleted without replacement from the worldwide release. Meanwhile, Cold Hearted Man is no longer included on the German LP.
Track list
LP version
page 1
- Rock 'n' Roll Damnation - 3:05
- Gimme a Bullet - 3:21
- Down Payment Blues - 5:50
- Gone Shootin ' - 5:01
- Riff Raff - 5:14
Page 2
- Sin City - 4:40
- Up to My Neck in You - 4:58
- What's Next to the Moon - 3:15
- Cold Hearted Man - 3:15
- Kicked in the Teeth - 3:45
CD version
- Rock 'n' Roll Damnation - 3:35
- Down Payment Blues - 6:00
- Gimme a Bullet - 3:21
- Riff Raff - 5:14
- Sin City - 4:40
- What's Next to the Moon - 3:28
- Gone Shootin ' - 5:04
- Up to My Neck in You - 4:10
- Kicked in the Teeth - 3:52
All compositions are by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott.
Chart position
- 26th place UK (May 20, 1978)
- 133rd USA (September 23, 1978)
reception
According to unanimous statements, the album is the band members' favorite album. On September 23, 1978, it reached number 133 on the American Billboard charts and was awarded a platinum record for over one million copies sold. In Great Britain it reached number 26 after its release and was awarded silver. In Australia, the album placed 22nd, the weakest chart position the group has ever achieved with an album in their home country. It was 10th in France and 19th in Sweden.
The magazine Rock Hard listed Powerage as the penultimate AC / DC album at number 325 in its list of the best, consisting of 500 rock and metal albums. Götz Kühnemund awarded all ten possible points in his review and said: “The band's secret favorite album was even a step up to Let There Be Rock and presented the guys in a slightly pimped-up sound. Apart from Sin City , which has stayed in the AC / DC live set to this day, all Powerage songs have been lost in the band's gigantic repertoire, but their quality is beyond any doubt. An album that you enjoy from the first to the last note and that becomes more and more irresistible over the years! "