Music Video of the Day: Thunderstruck by AC/DC (1990, dir. David Mallet)

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Valerie Troutman

I’ve mentioned this song several times as an odd exclusion from Clear Channel’s post 9/11 no-no playlist, so I figured I’d actually get around to talking about the music video. I was going to do a ZZ Top video, but their stuff really needs a retrospective to do it properly. They not only have an interesting history with MTV that got them a whole chapter in the book I Want My MTV, but the videos hang together. That said, AC/DC also has an interesting history with music videos as well. While this is one of their best, you can go all the way back to 1974 and see them performing Can I Sit Next To You Girl? with original lead-singer Dave Evans. That’s quite the trip. It gets even weirder if you go back to Bon Scott’s 60s band The Valentines singing Build Me Up Buttercup.

Of course the weirdest has to be watching Rick Astley do Highway To Hell.

Thunderstruck is a great song. It’s classic blood-pumping play-to-the-back-row AC/DC.

Prolific music video director David Mallet made it. Among his many other credits, he directed 12 music videos for AC/DC.

David Gardner edited it. He worked on a few music videos. They were mostly with director Nigel Dick.

Bill Laslett was the art director. He seems to have been the go-to person to be the production designer on award shows and concerts after 1995 or so. That’s hilarious considering this music video. Before that, he worked on television shows.

Jacqui Byford was the producer on this music video. She doesn’t appear to have done a bunch of music videos, but they are memorable ones. She did White Wedding by Billy Idol, Photograph by Def Leppard, Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler, True by Spandau Ballet, and Distant Early Warning by Rush, among others.

Peter Sinclair is the star of the show. The reason I go back to this particular AC/DC music video over and over again is for the cinematography. He has done a bunch of TV and music work. Just like Laslett, some of them have been concert films. It’s a little difficult to pin down his credits, but he seems to have shot Material Girl by Madonna.

He also did some directing, such as for Karma Chameleon by Culture Club.

I love his work here in particular. It seems like everyone came together well here to produce an excellent music video.

Enjoy!

Song of the Day: Back In Black (by AC/DC)

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Arleigh

Last year, I did a mini-series of “Song of the Day” that featured some of my favorite rock and metal guitar solos. This time around I plan to showcase some of my favorite guitar riffs from the world of rock and metal. I’ll be limiting my choice on the metal side to the basic metal. I’m not as well-versed on the more unique and esoteric offshoots of metal. For that one must go to our resident metal intellectual necromoonyeti.

To start things off is a classic hard rock tune the began the post-Bon Scott Era (the band’s previous frontman who had tragically passed away before recording this follow-up album). The band would tap ex-Geordie frontman Brian Johnson to front the band. The rest as they say is rock history.

The Back In Black album would become one of the biggest-selling rock albums in history and it’s title track would become just one of many platinum-certified hits from that album. The song would become not just one of rock’s greatest songs, but become a pop icon as films, tv shows and event sporting events would use it’s iconic opening riff and follow-up melody to celebrate one’s rebellious nature.

Back In Black

Back in black
I hit the sack
It’s been too long I’m glad to be back
Yes, I’m let loose
From the noose
That’s kept me hanging around
I’ve been looking at the sky
and it’s gettin’ me high
Forget the hearse ’cause I never die
I got nine lives
Cats eyes
Cruisin’ every woman, never wonderin’ why

CHORUS:
‘Cause I’m back
Yes, I’m back
Well, I’m back
Yes, I’m back
Well, I’m back, back
Well I’m back in black
Yes, I’m back in black

Back in the back
Of a Cadillac
Number one with a bullet, I’m a power pack
Yes, I’m in a bang
With a gang
They’ve got to catch me if they want me to hang
Cause I’m back on the track
And I’m beatin’ the flack
Nobody’s gonna get me on another rap
So look at me now
I’m just makin’ my play
Don’t try to push your luck, just get out of my way

CHORUS

Well, I’m back, Yes I’m back
Well, I’m back, Yes I’m back
Well, I’m back, back
Well I’m back in black
Yes I’m back in black

hooo yeah
Ohh yeah
Yes I am
Oooh yeah, yeah Oh yeah
Back in now
Well I’m back, I’m back
Back, I’m back
Back, I’m back
Back, I’m back
Back, I’m back
Back
Back in black
Yes I’m back in black

27 Days of Old School: #15 “You Shook Me All Night Long” (by AC/DC)

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Arleigh

“Taking More Than Her Share
Had Me Fighting For Air
She Told Me To Come But I Was Already There”

You shook me all night long! Yes, on the KTSL charts at No. 15 is just one of the greatest rock songs ever. Hyperbole and all that, but this song is just awesome times awesome equals awesome.

AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” first appeared in their mega-blockbuster album in 1980, Back In Black. It wasn’t until 1986 when it was re-released as part of their Who Made Who album. It was during it’s re-release that I first heard and first saw the new video that accompanied the song. I think every teenage boy ended up glued to their TV’s whenever this video came on. They probably ended up taping the video for further repeat viewing.

As is their style, the song was just full of double entendres and the video itself just played up on the song’s lyrics. This video and song was just hard rock at it’s most 1980’s excess and debauchery and it was great.

Trailer: Modern Warfare 3 “The Vet and The n00b”

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Arleigh

Well, the time that seems to arrive once every year around November has finally arrived. The latest iteration of the Call of Duty first-person shooter franchise from Activision will see a midnight release starting 12:01 am on November 8, 2011. Already there are lines numbering in the hundreds in major cities. Parties being held at stores such as Best Buy and Gamestop as hundreds of thousands, if not, millions of gamers flock to get the game in their hands. This game is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and it’s one of those rare video games which actually lowers work productivity the week of it’s release. It will be safe to assume that the morning of November 8, 2011 will see a high amount of sick calls and last minute PTO requests.

I won’t be one of them but I will still get this game in a week or two. Until then I’ll just continue to watch this funny and creative trailer for the game starring Jonah Hill, Sam Worthington and Dwight Howard.