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December 28, 2009
AC/DC A Threat To Austrian Wildlife?
Known as one of the hardest-rocking classic acts to ever grace the stage, AC/DC sure knows how to play it loud. That’s what their fans pay to see, and that’s what they get. I mean, what would be the point of playing a track like “Highway To Hell” or “Hell’s Bell’s” at any setting below eight?
Despite the fans and their obvious love for the Aussie rockers’ thunderous sound, it appears that there may be trouble ahead for fans who have plans to attend the show at the Wels airport in May. The Wels Airport is in Austria, and is said by conservationists to be too close to the nesting areas of a bird known as a curlew. In fact, the area is said to be the
second largest curlew nesting area in Upper Austria.
Not surprisingly, the Wels airport show is already sold out, and there are bound to be a significant number of ticket-holders who are not pleased about the possibility of a cancellation.
According to Hans Uhl who is affiliated with a group known as BirdLife, they will take their efforts to halt the concert to the courts if they feel it is necessary. The group believes that the concert will disturb the nesting curlews, as well as other ground-nesting birds species in the area.
“The second biggest colony of curlews in Upper Austria and various other ground-nesting birds must not become endangered,” Uhl is quoted as saying.
We are normally accustomed to warnings about loud music being detrimental to the hearing of human beings who like to crank it up, but this is the first time I can recall hearing that raucous rock and roll may be a danger to wildlife, and even cause them to become endangered.
It appears that the ball is now in AC/DC’s court. Will they decide to cancel the show, or flip BirdLife “the bird” and fight it out in the courts with the conservationists?
Originally seen in the Daily Telegraph.
September 30, 2009
AC/DC’s Backtracks Set For November Release
Press Release:
COLUMBIA RECORDS AND ALBERT PRODUCTIONS UNLEASH BACKTRACKS
THE ULTIMATE AC/DC EXPERIENCE, AVAILABLE IN TWO SPECIAL BOXED EDITIONS, ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10
Deluxe Collector’s Limited Edition Features 3 CDs of Live & Studio Rarities, 2 DVDS Including the Long-Awaited "Family Jewels Disc 3," A Vinyl LP of Studio Collectibles, A Coffee Table Book, Facsimiles of Authentic Memorabilia, Fine Art Lithographs & More Boxed In An AC/DC Working Guitar Amplifier – Available Exclusively Through Band’s Website
Columbia Records and Albert Productions proudly announces the release of Backtracks, the ultimate AC/DC collector’s experience, available Tuesday, November 10.
Arriving in two distinctly different fan-friendly editions, Backtracks spans the length and breadth of AC/DC’s career, bringing together rare songs, hard-to-find live performances and the long-awaited debut of "Family Jewels Disc 3," a DVD showcasing the group’s music videos, live performances, and promotional clips from 1992-2009. (The original double-disc "Family Jewels" was named 2005’s "DVD of the Year" by the UK’s Classic Rock magazine while the RIAA certified the collection 10x Platinum for sales in excess of 1 million copies in the US alone.)
Manufactured in an exclusive run limited to 50,000 pieces, the deluxe collector’s edition of Backtracks includes a CD of studio rarities, two CDs of live rarities, the "Family Jewels Disc 3" DVD, the "Live at the Circus Krone" DVD, a front-row immersion in the band’s scorching 2003 club show in Munich, Germany, and a 12" long-playing album, struck in 180 gram vinyl, of hard-to-find studio tracks. The limited edition Backtracks includes a five-disc media carrier to house and transport the set’s three CDs and two DVDs.
In addition the deluxe collector’s edition comes with a 164-page coffee table book and an Original Memorabilia Reproductions Envelope containing an astounding array of facsimiles including the "I DO IT FOR AC/DC" button (the band’s very first tour merchandise), the 1976 "Lock Up Your Daughters" tour flyer, the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap recording track sheet, a 2′ x 3′ 1977 Let There Be Rock European Tour poster, a Bon Scott parrot tattoo replica, an AC/DC logo guitar pick, an Australian Money Talks dollar, three black and white fine art lithographs of never-before-seen photos of the band in the Alberts Studio in 1977 and more.
The AC/DC deluxe collector’s edition of Backtracks comes housed in a fully operational AC/DC guitar amplifier. The limited and numbered deluxe collector’s edition of Backtracks will be available direct-to-consumers exclusively through the website www.acdcbacktracks.com with full details on pre-ordering information.
The three-disc standard version of Backtracks distills the electrifying essence of the deluxe set into one CD of studio rarities, one CD of hard-to-find live tracks, and the indispensable "Family Jewels Disc 3" DVD.
September 28, 2009
AC/DC Tour Delayed Due To Singer’s Medical Troubles
It’s a story that is beginning to sound all too familiar. An aging rocker’s medical issues have put a stop to a tour by a big-named rock act – although this time it is expected to be a relatively short break, although some unlucky AC/DC fans are probably wondering when the show they have tickets to will actually happen.
Vocalist Brian Johnson, who at age 61, is still doing an admirable job of belting out the group’s signature hard rock catalog is set to be recovering from an unspecified medical procedure that will take the band off the road until October 16th, when they plan to resume to tour in Washington, D.C.
The unexpected break will result in the cancellation of six tour dates which include Phoenix, Las Vegas, Louisville, Kansas City, Des Moines and Milwaukee. Those dates will be rescheduled, but it’s too early to know exactly what the new dates will be.
Johnson has been quoted recently regarding the possibility of his retirement from AC/DC. Referring to himself as the “the old dog in the regiment,” Johnson is not sure he will be able to keep rocking with AC/DC for much longer.
The current tour, which has had the band on the road for nearly a year has got to be a pretty draining experience even for rockers who are much younger than Johnson. Although fans see him on stage holding his own with the group, it’s likely that he devotes a lot of time to keeping himself fit and capable of delivering the kind of performance AC/DC fans expect.
Fans holding tickets for the Washington, D.C. show are likely keeping their fingers crossed while hoping that Johnson recovers in time to resume on schedule, but as we all know, the healing process does not always respect the schedule.
August 7, 2009
Better Late Than Never For Late Arrivals To AC/DC Show
Some speculated that the show could outsell the 2005 Rolling Stones show. AC/DC’s show at the same venue – Magnetic Hill in Moncton, New Brunswick – was the first outdoor concert of that magnitude since the Stones drew about 78,000 fans four years ago.
Among predictions of an “AC/DC Flu” epidemic, the Australian hard rockers rolled into Moncton to much fanfare for their show last night. Some fans, however, made last-minute plans to attend and found themselves locked out when they were unable to purchase tickets.
A short while later, security officials learned that controlling crowds at outdoor venues can be more difficult than the more typical indoor venues.
After waiting outside for some time after the show began, some fans decided to try their luck at getting in for free and began to scale the fence surrounding the venue. Although it may sound like a poor strategy, it actually worked.
Concerned that the fence-jumpers would be injured, police and security personnel decided to open the gates and allow the assembled crowd of fans to enter and enjoy the remainder of the concert for free. With reported ticket sales of 55,000 and a crowd of 60,000 expected to show up, there was certainly the potential for a lot of disappointment among fan who were excluded.
Things appear to have ended far better for the excluded fans than they likely expected. It’s not every day that you get in free to see one of the world’s hottest rock shows. There were no injuries reported among the fence-jumpers, so I guess it’s safe to say that the event ended well for all.
Check out the CBC for more on this story.
August 3, 2009
Solo Cups And Water Crackers: Backstage With AC/DC
It’s probably safe to say that most fans enjoy a little glimpses into the more personal sides of the lives of their favorite celebrities and performers. The tabloids have not been lining supermarket checkout aisles for decades because that can’t make a profit, that’s for sure! Lot’s of people love celebrity gossip.
Although today’s offering is nothing as salacious as you might expect to find in a supermarket tabloid (how much of that stuff is true remains a mystery for the most part), it does shed a little light on the backstage lives of hard-rocking Aussie rockers AC/DC.
It’s no secret that AC/DC presents themselves as a pretty rough bunch. With songs such as “Highway to Hell,” “Hell’s Bell’s,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” and “Love At First Feel,” these guys are not easily mistaken for a bunch of proper schoolboys – despite guitarist Angus Young’s wardrobe choice.
If, however, fans have any illusions about the boys hopping on stage after pounding down a few cold ones backstage, a recent peek at the group’s rider makes it quite clear that the consumption of alcohol is strictly limited until the show is over. The following information was gleaned from a rider used during last year’s tour, although it’s probably safe to assume that much of it remains the same today.
Most big-name groups have riders – documents that detail what the group requires while on the road – that often contain very specific and sometimes unusual items. In this case, we find that in addition to AC/DC’s determination to maintain sobriety until they are done entertaining their fans, we also find that the group has a particular affinity for plastic drinking cups made by Solo. Dark colored ones at that!
One of the most interesting and unusual requirements listed were three oxygen tanks with accompanying masks, which must be available at the venue. Putting on a rock show – especially for a group like AC/DC – has got to be a strenuous endeavor, and with some smokers among them, perhaps it make sense that these aging performers need a little boost from some pure O2 either before or after the show. Perhaps both!
Other items on the list include a 12-pack of Heineken (bottles only!), which must be delivered backstage only after the band has begun playing. In addition, the boys also enjoy a case of assorted pop, a large bowl of chips and another of pretzels, three gallons of spring water, five large "glass only" ashtrays in each room, boiling water so they can enjoy their Twinings tea, coffee for 10 and ceramic and silver place settings for a meal for 10 which will be prepared by the band’s own chef. Sounds nice.
In the group’s backstage “common” area they require Coke, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, 7-Up, Gatorade, spring water, nuts, fruit (including bananas), natural potato chips or organic corn chips, large-size candy bars, fresh popcorn, fresh bakery bread with a cutting board and knife, English cheeses, water crackers, and all the appropriate plates and cutlery.
One cannot help but wonder how important the presence of “natural potato chips” or “organic corn chips” are to those in the group that are said to be heavy smokers. Perhaps there’s no connection at all, but it would be kind of ironic for a guy with a cigarette dangling from his mouth demanding organic corn chips.
To each his own, I suppose. The fact that AC/DC has been rocking fans for 30-plus years indicates that they must be doing something right.
For more, visit The Times & Transcript.
