Hey folks,There's so much AC/DC news lately that I almost wish the band would retire again. Just kidding! Anyway, here's everything I could find on the boys since last time so, I hope you enjoy the latest edition of AC/DC News.
AC/DC might not make it to New Zealand until 2010 according this report from Stuff.
Carny Barker says AC/DC has spread themselves too thin with 15 songs on Black Ice.
The Rocky Mountain news gives the new AC/DC record a grade of B+, comparing the band to McDonalds in the process. No doubt millions will be served by Black Ice, though!
Kansas City's newspaper gave Black Ice the thumbs up in their review saying the band has "put together a new slew of power-hooked songs built to rattle the arenas." They also credit Brendan O'Brien for keeping the sound crystal clear which is true according to my ears.
The Washington Post says AC/DC has landed a "double axel on Black Ice" but I was thinking it was more like a triple lutz. Call me crazy... Anyway, if for some reason the article link doesn't work, you can view their review here instead.
Cultural Offering's "In Praise of AC/DC" is a pretty fun read even if you've already crawled through the literal swamp of Black Ice reviews available on the web right now.
Paul Cashmere has posted his exclusive interview with Angus Young at Undercover News. This is, of course, a do-not-miss item!
The Detroit News says Black Ice delivers what's expected and gives it a B. (We'll presume the "B" stands for "badass" or "bitchin'" and isn't meant to be an actual school grade.)
Has AC/DC slipped on Black Ice? The Globe and Mail seems to think so. So does the Badger Herald if anybody gives a damn about their opinion.
AC/DC hates change according to the Dallas Morning News, but they also say that that characteristic is part of what makes the band timeless.
Entertainment Weekly likes Black Ice and you'll probably enjoy their allusion to the movie Alien in their piece as well.
The Fort Worth Star Telegram has advised their readers that it's Time to pull the plug on AC/DC. Oh please, like AC/DC's ever going to stop making noise?!
Heath McCoy of the Calgary Herald has written an outstanding review of Black Ice which every fan should read in my humble opinion. This guy, at least, understands what makes AC/DC tick as compared to most rock critics who mostly come across as know-nothing, self-serving fools.
Entertainment.ie's review is slim on details but has a couple of good jokes in it (at the expense of the band) that you might find, shall we say, entertaining.
MSNBC has, apparently, just noticed that AC/DC has made a deal with Wal-Mart. But I'll give them a pass on this little slip up because I know they've been too busy kissing Barack Obama's ass the last 10 months to know what else is going on in the world lately.
Guitar World's upcoming January issue (on sale in November) includes an interview with Angus Young. In the meantime, they've posted tabs to some of AC/DC's greatest hits as well as a couple of the new tracks from Black Ice. Unfortunately, it seems like you have to click through 20 pages of advertisements to get to the actual tabs but, if you start here, you'll, at least, be a little closer to your goal.
TeleMadrid has posted their recent interview with Angus and Brian on YouTube which you can check out below. Does the guy really call the boys 'bandidos?'
The Village Voice says AC/DC's new album passes the "Send For The Man" test for ordinariness but I don't know what they're talking about because the riff on that song kicks extraordinary ass.
The Daily Iowan has got it right that "there will never be another Back In Black" but they like Black Ice well enough. By the way, kudos to Rebecca Koons for understanding the uniqueness of Back In Black as compared to most professional reviewers who have slobbered all over themselves in their race to compare the new album to AC/DC's 1980 monster ode to the late, great Bon Scott.
The Courier Mail has just commented favorably on the steadiness of AC/DC despite the many lineup and producer changes over the last thirty plus years.
The NME says AC/DC is selling well in the UK this week; even battling the Kaiser Chief's new record for the top spot in the weekly album rankings. (It's more like a thrashing...)
About.com has posted their review of Black Ice which is, frankly, kind of a yawn-fest but, at least, they gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5.
Billboard has noted that "AC/DC's 'Ice' (is) Red Hot At Retail." Can't anybody come up with any good lines about ice without referring to the words "slipped" or "hot?"
Interestingly enough, according to Exclaim, HMR, the Canadian based music retailer, recently bought a full page ad in Billboard magazine to thank AC/DC and GNR for not selling their albums exclusively in Canada,
If you're interested in what Ohio State's campus newspaper has to say about Black Ice, you'll find it here. Some of it you might even agree with what they have to say.
The University of Tennessee's Daily Beacon has posted their thoughts on Black Ice if you care to read yet another review. I swear it's mostly positive, except when it's negative...
I much prefer the Auburn Plainsmen's comments on the new album, however. For God's sake, even the student newspaper of Rhode Island University has something to say about Black Ice!
The New Zealand Herald argues that AC/DC's Black Ice would have been much better if the band has just concentrated on making 10 killer tunes rather than overburdening us all with fifteen. They have a point or do they? You be the judge....
Incidentally, New Zealand TV's "CloseUp" had an interview with Brian Johnson recently that you can watch below. (I'm digging the old dude's beard in this clip, by the way. Beards aren't something you see too often on American TV commentators.)
Cinema Blend has posted their review of Black Ice which you can read here. I guess they couldn't find any actual pictures of Brian and Angus to accompany their article so they've posted photos of dolls (er um, AC/DC figurines) instead.
The Blog Critics have a review out for Black Ice that I enjoyed. Maybe you will, too. Even the gameboy site, IGN, has gotten in on the album review act.
ITN, out of the UK, has put their thoughts on Black Ice in video form which is, of course, available to view below.
Other reviews you might like are from the Ohio Post, the BC Heights, and the Tampa Bay blog, Stuck In the 80's.
Lastly, for today, someone has asked the question "Are AC/DC Too Sexy?" No matter what your opinion of the answer is, I think you'll have a good laugh checking out the video below.
Keep rockin, Jon
