AC/DC Flick Of The Switch

By 1983 AC/DC were one of the biggest bands in the world, with 1980’s Back In Black and 1981’s For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) having transformed them into bona fide arena headliners. Privately, though, there was a belief within the group that their sound had become a little too polished, something that would need addressing. Though they’d benefited commercially from the studio sheen producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange had brought to their previous three LPs, starting with 1979’s Highway to Hell, the quintet decided the only way forward was to go backwards, sonically at least. They parted ways with Lange to produce Flick of the Switch themselves, with assistance from Harry Vanda and George Young, the duo responsible for producing their pre-Lange albums. The back-to-basics approach is reflected in the album’s cover art, a simple illustration of guitarist Angus Young preparing to flick a giant electrical switch against a stark white background. Returning to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas where they'd laid down Back In Black, the band recorded Flick of the Switch in less than a month. It may not have reached the same heights of commercial success or packed the melodic hooks of the Lange-era albums, but songs like “Deep In the Hole” and “Nervous Shakedown” nail the band’s unmistakable groove, while “Landslide” and “Guns for Hire” achieve exactly what they’re designed to do: rock. While the album sounds like the work of a cohesive unit, behind the scenes the seams were starting to fray, with Phil Rudd fired after completing his drum tracks; future Dio drummer Simon Wright would be handed the keys to the AC/DC engine room for the ensuing tour.