AC/DC at 50 Hardcover – March 28, 2023

Bought for a Christmas gift and couldn't be happier!

Nice book, good photos.

Great addition to our rock and metal library.

My husband and I really enjoyed all of the photos and stories in this book on AC/DC, which was one of our favorite bands back in the day. We left it out on a table and so many people of all ages would pick it up and find something in the book that brought back memories. AC/DC spans our generation, our sons generation, and our grandsons generation. My ringtone for my oldest grandson is an AC/DC song! I think the book is a well written and well thought out piece of history on an important and iconic band that is loved by so many.

A band still playing after 50 years is 1) VERY rare and 2) has likely amassed a huge fan base covering multiple generations. Music journalist Martin Popoff has added yet another volume to his list of books celebrating rock and heavy metal music. With “AC/DC at 50”, Popoff gives die hard fans a nicely packaged volume that celebrates the 50+ year journey of rock and roll icon AC/DC.At slightly less than 200 pages, Popoff crams a lot of lore and photographic memorabilia into a tightly packaged coffee table book. The presentation is graphic-heavy and is offset with a solid dose of text that traces the band from its roots to current day in a positive/upbeat manner.Organized chronologically, the book is broken down into four Parts (Bonfire, Geordie, Legacy and Malcom) that are centered around important phases in the band’s history. Each Part consists of sub-chapters (16 for Part 1, 14 for Part 2, 13 for Part 3 and 7 for Part 4) that provide insight to events that fall under each of the four Parts. Overall, the book appears to tap into a multitude of events that in some way marked important waypoints over the decades (including playing at CBGB, headlining Monsters of Rock, performing on SNL and putting out the first album after losing Malcom Young). While AC/DC is not “my band” (Led Zeppelin gets the nod), I still found the material presented in this book to be quite interesting and enjoyable to read. I love the balance of photos and memorabilia (ticket stubs, tour posters, pins, etc.) along with the concise manner of Popoffs storytelling, which manages to find balance while addressing some of the more sensitive issues in the bands history (death of Bon Scott, Malcom’s rehab, firing Phil Rudd, as well as Rudd’s serious legal issue). Topping off the book is the band’s discography.Overall, a well-organized, nicely written adventure with tons of photographic support. It is important to know that this book is more of an open celebration, not a scatological tell-all. While the size and scope of the book should satisfy most fans, it may be too superficial for more serious fans. As a Zeppelin fan, I know how deep things can get in terms of “never enough information”, especially for those who want to deep dive into gear details, super-detailed touring data with complete set details, etc. Regardless, this book should prove to be a satisfying addition to any AC/DC fan’s bookshelf because surviving 50+ years as a headlining rock band is an accomplishment certainly worth celebrating.

AC/DC does one thing and one thing exceedingly well. They deliver High Voltage rock & roll. Their energy and intensity are consistent from the recordings to their live performances. They are not a band to produce ballads or break out the acoustics for a set and slow down the evening. In fact, the closest they come to a ballad is probably “Ride on” or “The Jack” with the late Bon Scott. They do, however, produce rock anthems, and one song seamlessly blends into the next and you can’t get them out of your head. Like the talented comedian Jim Breuer parodied in his stand up, AC/DC could put their trademark stamp on the Hokey Pokey and make it their own. This is their formula for success.They are also one of the greatest “comebacks,” if you will, of any rock band in history with the death and replacement of a lead singer Bon Scott. While bands like STP and AIC did replace their lead singer, they have been criticized, by some, that they have become tribute bands and fans are really just there to hear their old catalogue or legacy. It is irrefutable that those bands have turned out the level, excitement, and impact of their original lineup. But not with AC/DC… “Back in Black” with Brian Johnson took AC/DC to a whole new level. I had seen them live in concert in Detroit with Brian Johnson and you got every penny’s worth when they performed.Martin Popoff’s AC/DC at 50 is both edifying and entertaining, and much like the band, it is a non-stop riveting read. There is even a section on AC/DC Sound-Alikes (surprised the author did not mention the most egregious “sound-alike” Access “Balls to the Walls”).In the final analysis, AC/DC has aged well and sounds just as exciting as they did when they first lit the fuse to their high voltage rock and roll.For those about to read and purchase this book and to the author Martin Popoff… I salute you!