AC/DC: '74 Jailbreak [EPIC]

Why you'll love it

George Marino remastered these tracks from the original tapes at Sterling Sound, and this 180g pressing comes in a printed inner sleeve. All five songs had previously been heard in Australia alone.

This edition

• Remastered
• 180g vinyl
• Printed inner sleeve
• Lyrics included

About the album

Despite the title, the headline song here was cut in 1976. The other four come from 1974, when AC/DC were a young Sydney band making their first album with Harry Vanda and George Young at Albert Studios, and for a decade the rest of the world never got to hear them. In 1984 the band finally gathered them up for international fans, with Bon Scott's voice front and centre on every track.

"Jailbreak" is pure Bon Scott storytelling, a prison-break tale over a lean, rolling riff from Angus and Malcolm Young. "You Ain't Got A Hold On Me" and "Show Business" swagger with early boogie, "Soul Stripper" stretches out into a groove, and the band charge through Big Joe Williams' "Baby, Please Don't Go." Rob Bailey, Peter Clack and session drummer Tony Currenti hold down the rhythm on the 1974 tracks.

It's a snapshot of the band before the world tours, all hunger and volume. The music video for "Jailbreak" arrived alongside it, and Angus has been wearing the same uniform ever since, which is admirable commitment to a look.

Also at Kops: more AC/DC on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Columbia / Albert Productions (cat# E 80200), a reissue of the 1984 EP.