Written by: Kerrang Files, Introduction by Dave Mustaine
Published by: Virgin Books Limited 2002
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In what I felt was a natural progression from my last book review,
Hammer of the Gods- The Led Zeppelin Saga, I moved on to the latest and greatest biography of one of the other major Fathers of Heavy Metal, AC/DC. No one can deny the major influence that this mighty band from Australia has had on not just the cherished art of Heavy Metal, but on Rock, and the entire music industry as we know it. In continuing my education of the mighty Metal and paying my respects to the original greats, I bring you AC/DC- A Definitive History.
From the very start of the book, I found myself sucked right in. To be honest, I actually wasn't expecting anything too spectacular, as I was a little deterred by the fact that it was written by "The Kerrang Files". Not much of a Kerrang Magazine enthusiast myself, I proceeded to read away regardless. Luckily for me the text actually had the effect that one would hope for, and I found myself thirsting for more factual food for my metallic brain. I found more than just a healthy abundance of this, and really felt that the book lived up to its title as "definitive".
In order to truly define the existence and history of a band, one must not spare a single detail. This being said, it does no good to simply deliver these facts in a boring and blindly systematic manor, but to do so in a riveting and engaging line of attack that leaves the reader wanting more. What gives AC/DC- A Definitive History that edge is the way it tells the story. I found myself almost living the experiences and feeling like part of the band, and believe me when I say that these chaps have been through more than their fair share of loss and hard times. It forced me to contemplate and respect some of AC/DC's lyrical messages much more so than before. Their fist pumping anthem "It's a Long Way to the Top If You Want to Rock and Roll" seems like the most adequate of theme songs for their legacy, if there was to be one.
The death of Bon Scott has been brought into a new light for me upon the reading of this book. I now have a full understanding of the tremendous loss to the Rock/Metal world that took place upon his demise, perhaps even one of the greatest of all time. Even though I prefer the vocals of Brian Johnson, it must be known that Bon was and is the original heart and soul of the mighty AC/DC. AC/DC- A Definitive History is a must have for your collection of Metal history books if you have one, and more than a good reason to start one if you don't.
Rating: 8/10
