The wait is over with AC/DC releasing its 17th studio set, Power Up, today (November 13th) — marking the band's first studio set since 2014's Rock Or Bust album. The collection, which is the band's first since the 2017 death of co-founding guitarist Malcolm Young, caps a tumultuous time for the band that saw Axl Rose temporarily replacing Brian Johnson, who was suffering from hearing issues, and the return of drummer Phil Rudd, who battled both drug and legal issues.
The album includes musical ideas co-written by Angus Young and his late-brother over the recent years, which were reshaped and re-recorded for Power Up. For Angus, the new album is a loving tribute to Malcolm: “Back In Black was a tribute to Bon Scott and it was our way of paying our respects to him. Even the color of it, we did it in black, because that was the mourning color, y'know, for people in mourning. Y'know, with this album, with Mal, I thought Malcolm always just liked things very simple and straight, so I just thought — we'll put a little candle in and let him know the album was for him.”
Frontman Brian Johnson had a blast recording Power Up — but maintains, he's merely a vehicle for Angus Young's creative vision: “Well, it's just great rock lyricism but the thing is, mainly it's upbeat — and that's what we need right now. And all the songs are just upbeat and they just get your toes a-tappin' — y'know? (Laughs) And I had a ball doin' them. There was some nice, tricky ones to get through and that just makes it exciting when you're doin' them, y'see? Y'get challenged. But at the end of the day, you have to sing, or do the lyrics, and sing the song the way that Angus imagines it in his mind when he sits and puts it down, y'see?”
