Backtracks | ||||
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Box set by | ||||
Released | 10 November 2009 | |||
Recorded | November 1974 – 17 June 2003 | |||
Genre | ||||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | AC/DC | |||
AC/DC chronology | ||||
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Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | (71/100) [1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [2] |
The Austin Chronicle | [3] |
Billboard | (favorable) [4] |
BLARE Magazine | [5] |
The Guardian | [6] |
The Phoenix | [7] |
PopMatters | (Deluxe) (Standard) [8] |
Q | [1] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [9] |
Uncut | [1] |
Backtracks is a box set by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was announced on 29 September 2009 and was released on 10 November 2009 (the Deluxe Edition was shipped out early, before the scheduled release date, due to overwhelming fan reaction and anticipation). [10] This is a collection of the band's studio and live rarities together in one boxset. There are two editions; a Deluxe Edition and a Standard Edition. All tracks have been remastered to match the sound of the 2003 album remasters and many songs appear on CD for the first time. It is the band's second box set of rarities, following the Bonfire release in 1997.
The Deluxe Edition (available only through acdc.com) includes three CDs, two DVDs, one LP, a 164-page hard-back coffee table book and collectible merchandise reproductions all housed in an operating 1 watt guitar amplifier. One CD includes rare studio tracks including A-sides (such as the "Who Made Who" 12" A-side and "Big Gun"), B-sides, and UK and Australian-only releases, while the other two CDs document live tracks which have appeared on singles, EPs and promo or soundtrack albums over the years. Part three of the Family Jewels DVD series is included and also the entire 2003 Circus Krone, Munich, Germany, gig on DVD. [11]
The Standard Edition (released as a smaller "budget" version for those who could not afford the steep price of the Deluxe Edition) includes two CDs and one DVD. CD One contains highlights of Studio Rarities, while CD two contains highlights of Live Rarities. The DVD is Family Jewels Disc Three.
The 12"x12"x4" (30 cm*30 cm*10 cm) exterior box is designed to resemble a vintage AC/DC guitar amplifier and also has the original logo that was spray-painted onto the rear of Angus and Malcolm Young's speaker cabinets in 1975. The "head" of the amp has a handle that lifts the top off to reveal the contents housed within. The head is also a working guitar amplifier. It is a one watt amplifier and is considered to be a collector's item. [12]
164 pages of rare and unseen photos spanning 1974-2009 plus full-size re-prints of original press releases, tour itineraries, tour books, test pressing labels, advertisements and much more. A real history of the band from the inside out. Rare photography includes never-before-seen shots of the band recording at the Albert Music studio on King Street in Sydney with producers Harry Vanda and George Young in 1977. There are also unpublished live shots from all over the world. [13]
The memorabilia includes the very first piece of merchandise for AC/DC, a 2-inch button stating, "I Do it For AC/DC". It features an early shot of Angus Young on the front. [14] Also part of this is a sticker, again an early part of AC/DC merchandise, with Angus' school hat on the front with AC/DC logo on the cap. There is a "Lock Up Your Daughters" Tour Flyer, King Street Studio Track Sheet for "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" Multitracks, a Bon Scott Temporary Tattoo, "Moneytalks" 100 Dollar Bill, AC/DC Guitar Pick, set of three 20 cm by 25 cm art lithographs and a 60 cm by 90 cm, 1977 "Let There Be Rock" European Tour Poster.
Studio Rarities collects AC/DC's studio rarities, many of the songs on CD for the first time. These are all of the songs that the band recorded throughout their career that appeared on Australian-only LP releases, movie soundtracks, 7" and 12" single releases, and CD "tour editions", etc. 12 of the 18 tracks are completely unique songs that have all been remastered to match the sound quality of the rest of the Columbia Records AC/DC catalog reissues. The other 6 tracks are the original versions of songs previously only available on the original Australian albums. [13] Although "Rocker" and "High Voltage" are credited as being the original Australian versions, they fade out at the end; the versions on the original Australian LPs did not fade out but ended abruptly. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" and "Ain't No Fun (Waitin' 'Round To Be A Millionaire)" were already previously released in their full original Australian lengths on the 1994 international Atco reissue of Dirty Deeds, however, the 2003 Columbia remasters used the shorter versions again. When AC/DC's catalog (except the Australian releases) became available on iTunes in November 2012, the original un-cut versions of "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)", "Rocker" and "High Voltage" finally saw worldwide release on the digital version of Backtracks.
All tracks are written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
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1. | "High Voltage" (deluxe edition only) | T.N.T. (Australian-only release) (1975) | 4:18 | |
2. | "Stick Around" | High Voltage (Australian release) (1975) | 4:40 | |
3. | "Love Song" | High Voltage(Australian release) (1975) | 5:15 | |
4. | "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" (deluxe edition only) | T.N.T.(Australian-only release) (1975) | 5:16 | |
5. | "Rocker" (deluxe edition only) | T.N.T.(Australian-only release) (1975) | 2:55 | |
6. | "Fling Thing" | A. Young, M. Young | Jailbreak (7" single) (1976) | 2:00 |
7. | "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (deluxe edition only) | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Australian release) (1976) | 4:11 | |
8. | "Ain't No Fun (Waitin' Round to Be a Millionaire)" (deluxe edition only) | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap(Australian release) (1976) | 7:30 | |
9. | "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap(Australian release) (1976) | 3:35 | |
10. | "Carry Me Home" | Dog Eat Dog (7" single) (1977) | 3:58 | |
11. | "Crabsody in Blue" | Let There Be Rock (original UK and Australian release) (1977) | 4:43 | |
12. | "Cold Hearted Man" | Powerage (original UK and European LP pressings) (1978) | 3:35 | |
13. | "Who Made Who Special Collector's Mix" (deluxe edition only) | A. Young, M. Young, Brian Johnson | Who Made Who(12" single) (1986) | 4:50 |
14. | "Snake Eye" | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Heatseeker (12", CD single) (1988) | 3:16 |
15. | "Borrowed Time" | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll and Moneytalks (12" and CD single) (1988) | 3:45 |
16. | "Down on the Borderline" | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Moneytalks (Australian 7", 12" and CD single) (1990) | 4:15 |
17. | "Big Gun" | A. Young, M. Young | Big Gun, Last Action Hero (7", 12" and CD single; official movie soundtrack) (1993) | 4:20 |
18. | "Cyberspace" | A. Young, M. Young | Safe in New York City CD single , Stiff Upper Lip (Australian bonus CD) (2001) | 2:58 |
CD 2 and 3 has a collection of the band's live rarities from singles, CD promos, compilations and other oddities. All the songs have been remastered from the original source.
All tracks are written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (Live at the Festival of Sydney, Haymarket, Australia, 30 January 1977) | Long Live the Evolution(compilation LP) (1977) | 5:02 | |
2. | "Dog Eat Dog" (Live at the Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland, 30 April 1978) | Whole Lotta Rosie (7" single) (1978) | 4:30 | |
3. | "Live Wire" (Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 2 November 1979) | Touch Too Much (7" single) (1980) | 5:05 | |
4. | "Shot Down in Flames" (Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 2 November 1979) | Touch Too Much(12" single) (1980) | 3:39 | |
5. | "Back in Black" (Live at the Capital Centre, Landover, MD, 21 December 1981) | A. Young, M. Young, Brian Johnson | Let's Get It Up (12" single) (1982) | 4:21 |
6. | "T.N.T." (Live at the Capital Centre, Landover, MD, 20 December 1981) | Let's Get It Up(12" single) (1982) | 3:58 | |
7. | "Let There Be Rock" (Live at the Capital Centre, Landover, MD, 21 December 1981 – This is not the 12" version as stated in the booklet, there's a 3-minute edit) | For Those About to Rock (7" single) (1982) | 7:30 | |
8. | "Guns for Hire" (Live at the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI, 18 November 1983) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Who Made Who(7" and 12" single) (1986) | 5:21 |
9. | "Sin City" (Live at the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI, 18 November 1983 – deluxe edition only) | Nervous Shakedown (12" single) (1984) | 5:30 | |
10. | "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" (Live at the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI, 18 November 1983) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Nervous Shakedown(12" single) (1984) | 4:15 |
11. | "This House Is on Fire" (Live at the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI, 18 November 1983) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Nervous Shakedown(12" single) (1984) | 3:25 |
12. | "You Shook Me All Night Long" (Live at the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI, 18 November 1983) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | You Shook Me All Night Long(12" single) (1986) | 3:30 |
13. | "Jailbreak" (Live at the Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX, 12 October 1985) | Shake Your Foundations (12" single) (1986) | 13:22 | |
14. | "Shoot to Thrill" (Live at Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England, 17 August 1991 – deluxe edition only) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap(CD single) (1992), 5 Titres Inedits en Concert(French 5-track CD) (1992) | 5:30 |
15. | "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be" (Live at Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England, 17 August 1991 – deluxe edition only) | Highway to Hell (live) CD maxi single, Live (Japanese version), 5 Titres Inedits en Concert(French 5-track CD) (1992) | 4:37 |
All tracks on the deluxe edition only, except where noted
All tracks are written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
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1. | "High Voltage" (Live at Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England, 17 August 1991) | Highway to Hell (CD maxi single) (1992) | 9:25 | |
2. | "Hells Bells" (Live at Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England, 17 August 1991) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Highway to Hell(CD maxi single) (1992) | 5:57 |
3. | "Whole Lotta Rosie" (Live at Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England, 17 August 1991) | Hail Caesar (CD single) (1995) | 4:45 | |
4. | "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (Live at Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England, 17 August 1991) | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap(CD single) (1992) | 5:00 | |
5. | "Highway to Hell" (Live at the Tushino Airfield, Moscow, 28 September 1991 – standard edition also) | 5 Titres Inedits en Concert(French 5-track CD) (1992) | 4:00 | |
6. | "Back in Black" (Live at the Tushino Airfield, Moscow, 28 September 1991) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | 5 Titres Inedits en Concert(French 5-track CD) (1992), Big Gun(CD single) (1993) | 4:10 |
7. | "For Those About to Rock" (Live at the Tushino Airfield, Moscow, 28 September 1991 – standard edition also) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Big Gun(CD single) (1993) | 6:50 |
8. | "Ballbreaker" (Live at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Madrid, 10 July 1996) | A. Young, M. Young | Stiff Upper Lip(CD single, Australian bonus CD) (2001) | 4:40 |
9. | "Hard as a Rock" (Live at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Madrid, 10 July 1996) | A. Young, M. Young | 3 Live Tracks( No Bull promo CD single) (1996), Stiff Upper Lip(CD single, Australian bonus CD) (2001) | 4:50 |
10. | "Dog Eat Dog" (Live at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Madrid, 10 July 1996) | 3 Live Tracks(No Bull promo CD single) (1996) | 4:46 | |
11. | "Hail Caesar" (Live at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Madrid, 10 July 1996) | A. Young, M. Young | 3 Live Tracks(No Bull promo CD single) (1996) | 5:25 |
12. | "Whole Lotta Rosie" (Live at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Madrid, 10 July 1996) | Satellite Blues CD single, Stiff Upper Lip(Australian bonus CD) (2001) | 5:27 | |
13. | "You Shook Me All Night Long" (Live at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Madrid, 10 July 1996) | A. Young, M. Young, Johnson | Private Parts (official movie soundtrack) (1997) | 3:58 |
14. | "Safe in New York City" (Live at the America West Arena, Phoenix, AZ, 13 September 2000 – standard edition also) | A. Young, M. Young | Safe in New York City(American promo CD single) (2000) | 3:55 |
This DVD picks up where the original 2DVD Family Jewels set leaves off (1991), Family Jewels Disc Three begins with "Big Gun" the theme song to the motion picture Last Action Hero which is included on Studio Rarities and is the first time on any AC/DC album. Also on this disc it has three music videos from the Ballbreaker album, three from Stiff Upper Lip and the most recent clips for "Rock 'n' Roll Train" and "Anything Goes" from the AC/DC album Black Ice . There are also several songs from the original Family Jewels set that actually had more than one promotional clip. On this are the alternate versions of those songs and are on DVD for the first time. [15]
Bonus videos
2003 marked AC/DC's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [16] to European dates with The Rolling Stones, with the band making several high-profile public appearances (including the SARS concert in Toronto for 500,000 people). One run of shows found the band returning to their roots and playing clubs and theaters where fans were treated to sweaty, stripped-down shows and even playing some rarities they hadn't played in years. This DVD show from Munich is available only on the Deluxe Edition.
The 12 unique studio rarities from CD 1 presented on 180 gram audiophile vinyl, mastered specifically for LP. [13]
Weekly charts
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AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in 1973. They were founded by brothers Malcolm Young and Angus Young. Their current line-up comprises Angus, bassist Cliff Williams, drummer Phil Rudd, lead vocalist Brian Johnson and rhythm guitarist Stevie Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and heavy metal, but the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formative influence on the new wave of British heavy metal bands, such as Iron Maiden and Saxon. AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
Highway to Hell is the sixth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released on 27 July 1979. It is the first of three albums produced by Mutt Lange, and is the last album featuring lead singer Bon Scott, who died on 19 February 1980.
Blow Up Your Video is the eleventh studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.
Flick of the Switch is the ninth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. The album was deemed a commercial disappointment after it failed to match the sales figures of the band's two previous releases, 1980's Back in Black and 1981's For Those About to Rock, and its release represented the beginning of the band's commercial decline. The third AC/DC album to feature lead vocalist Brian Johnson, the album is also the last to feature drummer Phil Rudd before his return on Ballbreaker (1995). The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.
T.N.T. is the second studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released only in Australia on 1 December 1975. This was the band's first release with bassist Mark Evans and drummer Phil Rudd, although the last two tracks feature George Young and Tony Currenti, both of whom previously appeared on High Voltage.
Powerage is the fifth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in 1978. This was the band's first album to feature Cliff Williams on bass guitar, and it was also the first AC/DC album not to have a title track and the first worldwide not to be released with a different album cover. Powerage was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.
The Razors Edge is the twelfth studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. Released on 24 September 1990, through Albert Productions/CBS Records International in Australasia and Atlantic Records in Europe, it was recorded in 1990 in Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, Canada, and was mixed and engineered by Mike Fraser and produced by Bruce Fairbairn. It was a major comeback for the band, featuring the hits "Thunderstruck", "Are You Ready" and "Moneytalks". This is the only studio album to feature Chris Slade, who was the drummer for AC/DC from 1989 to his dismissal in 1994.
If You Want Blood You've Got It is the first live album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, and their only live album released during Bon Scott's lifetime. It was originally released in the UK and Europe on 13 October 1978, in the US on 21 November 1978, and in Australia on 27 November 1978. The album was re-released in 1994 on Atco Records and in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.
AC/DC Live is the second live album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in October 1992. Two versions were released, one containing a single CD, with the second version being a double album on LP and CD known as AC/DC Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition. A feature-length live video, AC/DC: Live at Donington, was released concurrently. The double album AC/DC Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition was released a month after the single-disc version, in a slipcased two-disc "book" and containing an AC/DC dollar note known as "Angus Bucks". Both editions of the album were re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.
Family Jewels is a compilation DVD by the hard rock band AC/DC, featuring the group's music videos, live clips and promotional videos from 1975 to 2008. It was released by Albert Productions and Epic Music Video on 28 March 2005. The first disc contains videos from the Bon Scott era (1975–1980), such as the band's first TV appearance and a performance on television ten days before Scott died. The second disc contains material from the Brian Johnson era up to 1991.
No Bull is a live video released by AC/DC in November 1996, filmed on Super 16mm at Madrid's Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas on 10 July 1996 during the Ballbreaker world tour. It was directed by David Mallet, produced by Rocky Oldham, mixed by Mike Fraser, and edited by David Gardener and Simon Hilton; production company was Serpent Films.
Australian rock band AC/DC have released 18 studio albums, two soundtrack albums, three live albums, one extended play, 57 singles, 11 video albums, 52 music videos and two box sets. Although many AC/DC singles have been released, the band refused to issue any greatest hits-type packages. Who Made Who, Iron Man 2 and the band's various live recordings are the closest they have issued to such a compilation.
"Hard as a Rock" is a song and a single by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It features as the first track on their album, Ballbreaker, released in 1995. It became their second No. 1 song on the Album Rock Tracks chart, following 1993's "Big Gun". Live performances are also included on three of AC/DC's live concert DVDs, No Bull, Stiff Upper Lip Live and Live at the Circus Krone, which is featured in the Deluxe Edition of the 2009 boxset Backtracks. A live version recorded during the band's Stiff Upper Lip World Tour in 2001 at the Stade de France in Paris appears on the 2007 Plug Me In three-disc DVD. It is also featured on the 2012 film Battleship, along with "Thunderstruck".
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is the third studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, originally released only in Europe and Australia in 1976. The album was not released in the United States until 1981, more than one year after lead singer Bon Scott's death. This was also AC/DC's first album in its entirety to be recorded with the same lineup, rather than including at least one track recorded with a different bassist or drummer.
Black Ice is the fifteenth studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. First released in Europe on 17 October 2008 and released internationally on 20 October 2008, it was produced by Brendan O'Brien. It marked the band's first original recordings since 2000's Stiff Upper Lip, with the eight-year gap being the longest between AC/DC's successive studio albums. Black Ice has the longest running time of any AC/DC studio album. The album was the band's final studio release to feature founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, who left the band in September 2014 after being diagnosed with dementia, and died three years later.
Ballbreaker is the thirteenth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was released in 1995 and was re-released in 2005 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.
High Voltage is the first internationally released album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It contains tracks completed from their first two previous Australia-only issued albums: High Voltage and T.N.T..
Who Made Who is a soundtrack album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Released on 26 May 1986, the album is the soundtrack to the Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive. The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.
Iron Man 2 is a soundtrack album for the 2010 film of the same name consisting of music by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was released on April 19, 2010.
Stiff Upper Lip is the 14th studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was released on 28 February 2000. The album was produced by George Young, older brother of Malcolm and Angus Young and this was the last AC/DC album that George produced before his death in 2017. The album was re-released in the US on 17 April 2007 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series. It was re-released in the UK in 2005.