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AC/DC: Plug Me In is well worth the price for the music, the interviews, and just to watch Angus Young rock the stage.

Music DVD Review – AC/DC: Plug Me In

AC/DC: Plug Me In is a virtual musical history of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It contains over 5 hours of music, rare and unreleased live video's, interviews, tour promo films, and alternate live versions. It is contained on two DVD's. The first documents the Bon Scott era of 1975- 1979, the second covers the Brian Johnson era of 1980- 2003.

AC/DC are a hard rock band that formed in Sydney Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. Their brother George Young who went on to produce AC/DC and was known as the co-writer of the international hits "Friday on My Mind" and "Love is In The Air" during his time with The Easybeats.

Although there have been many rumors about their name; some said it was a euphemism for bisexuality, others that AC/DC stood for Anti-Christ/Devils Children, it is more realistic that AC/DC got their name from the label off the back of a sewing machine owned by their sister Margaret. They felt that it symbolized the raw power that their music was all about.

Formed during the time of glam bands, many of the band members dressed in some sort of glam, or satin outfits. Angus tried many different costumes such as Spider-man, Zorro, and others. By 1975 he adopted his characteristic school boy uniform. It was reportedly based from his secondary school, Ashfield Boys High School in Sydney and suggested by his sister Margaret.

Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott joined AC/DC in September 1974 replacing Dave Evens. By January 1975 their Australian album High Voltage was recorded and the Bon Scott era was off. For the next four years they toured with bands like Kiss, Aerosmith, Styx, and Blue Oyster Cult. In 1977 they released Let There Be Rock, 1978 released Powerage, and 1979's Highway To Hell which was the first to break into the U.S. top 100 rising to #17.

On February 19, 1980, Bon Scott passed out in a car after a night of heavy drinking in London. The following morning, after being rush to the hospital, he was pronounced dead. Acute alcohol poisoning was listed as the cause of death.

After briefly considering folding, the band concluded that Scott would have wanted them to continue. After a time, they found replacement Brian Johnson; an ex-Geordie singer. It just so happened, that Scott was familiar with Johnson's singing and thought he was great.

The band finished the song writing that had begun with Bon Scott and began recoding just a few months after his death. Back in Black would prove to be their biggest selling album and a hard-rock landmark. It was the first U.S. top ten album for AC/DC. The title referring that they were indeed back, even if in mourning.

The band continued on eventually falling into commercial decline by 1987. During the 90's they continued to release albums and started charting better with 1990's The Razors Edge hitting #2 in the U.S. They currently have an untitled album scheduled for release in January 2008.

Some of the highlights of AC/DC: Plug Me In include Disk 1's black and white St. Albans High School footage in 1976, the first public performance of "Highway to Hell" from Netherlands TV, and a Bon Scott interview from 1977. Disk 2 has an extremely rare 1981 Japanese appearance, Moscow's Ballbreaker tour, and AC/DC Donnington Interview in 1984.

AC/DC: Plug Me In is a great DVD. Yes it has some absolutely crappy video sequences, it has many good quality, and has many great quality ones as well. But that is history. Rolling Stone magazine lists Angus Young as #96 of the top 100 guitarists of all time. After watching this DVD; many times I might add, I think that he needs to be in the top 50, if not higher. The guy is amazing the way that he runs around the stage; or even the theater and he never, ever misses a beat. It is said that his spastic move; where he falls to the stage and starts spinning around while playing lead, happened because he tripped over some wires and he did it to cover his clumsiness. He alone is worth the cost of the DVD; especially for any guitar playing want-a-bees.

AC/DC Plug Me In Disk Listing

DVD 1(1975-1979)
High Voltage [King Of Pop Awards, Australia, October 1975]It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock `N' Roll) [Bandstand, Australia, February 1976]School Days [St. Albans High School, Australia, March 1976]T.N.T. [St. Albans High School, Australia, March 1976]Live Wire [Super Pop/Rollin' Bolan, London, July 1976]Can I Sit Next To You Girl [Super Pop/Rollin' Bolan, London, July 1976]Baby Please Don't Go [Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, December 1976]Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be [Sight & Sound In Concert, London, October 1977]Rocker [Sight & Sound In Concert, London, October 1977]Rock 'N' Roll Damnation [Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, April 1978]Dog Eat Dog [Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, April 1978]Let There Be Rock [Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, April 1978]Problem Child [Rock Goes To College, Colchester, October 1978]Sin City [Rock Goes To College, Colchester, October 1978]Bad Boy Boogie [Rock Goes To College, Colchester, October 1978]Highway To Hell [Countdown, Arnhem, August 1979]The Jack [Countdown, Arnhem, August 1979]Whole Lotta Rosie [Countdown, Arnhem, August 1979]Bonus Features
Interview at Sydney airport, April 1976
Interview in Covent Garden, London, July 1976
Baby Please Don't Go [Szene 77, Munich, September 1976]Problem Child [Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, December 1976]Interview/Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap [Promo film for Melbourne Radio, December 1976]Bon Scott Interview [Countdown, Australia, November 1977]Rock 'N' Roll Damnation [Top Of The Pops, London, June 1978]Live and Interview [Australian Music To The World, Atlanta GA, August 1978]Live Super 8 Bootleg Film [Théatre De Verdure, Nice, December 1979]

DVD 2 (1981-2003)
Shot Down In Flames [Nihon Seinenkan, Tokyo, February 1981]What Do You Do For Money Honey [Nihon Seinenkan, Tokyo, February 1981]You Shook Me All Night Long [Nihon Seinenkan, Tokyo, February 1981]T.N.T./Let There Be Rock [Nihon Seinenkan, Tokyo, February 1981]Back In Black [Capital Center, Landover MD, December 1981]T.N.T. [Capital Center, Landover MD, December 1981]Shoot To Thrill [The Summit, Houston TX, October 1983]Guns For Hire [Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, November 1983]Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap [Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, November 1983]Flick Of The Switch [Capital Center, Landover MD, December 1983]Bedlam In Belgium [Capital Center, Landover MD, December 1983]Back In Black [Tushino Airfield, Moscow, September 1991]Highway To Hell [Tushino Airfield, Moscow, September 1991]Whole Lotta Rosie [Tushino Airfield, Moscow, September 1991]For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) [Tushino Airfield, Moscow, September 1991]Gone Shootin' [VH1 Studios, London, July 1996]Hail Caesar [Entertainment Center, Sydney, November 1996]Ballbreaker [Entertainment Center, Sydney, November 1996]Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution [Entertainment Center, Sydney, November 1996]Hard As A Rock [Stade De France, Paris, June 2001]Hells Bells [Stade De France, Paris, June 2001]Ride On [Stade De France, Paris, June 2001]Stiff Upper Lip [Circus Krone, Munich, June 2003]Thunderstruck [Circus Krone, Munich, June 2003]If You Want Blood (You've Got It) [Downsview Park Toronto Rocks, July 2003]The Jack [Downsview Park Toronto Rocks, July 2003]You Shook Me All Night Long [Downsview Park Toronto Rocks, July 2003]Bonus Features
Beavis and Butt-Head "Ballbreaker Tour" intro film, 1996
Hells Bells – Interview and Live [Countdown, Brussels, January 1981]Interview [Monsters Of Rock, Castle Donington Park, August 1984]Gone Shootin' [Rehearsal, VH1 Studios, London, July 1996]Rock Me Baby (The Rolling Stones with Angus and Malcolm Young) [Festwiese, Leipzig, June 2003]

About T. Michael Testi

Photographer, writer, software engineer, educator, and maker of fine images.

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