Flick of the Switch
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Flick of the Switch is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was the band's eighth internationally released studio album and the ninth to be released in Australia.
Recorded shortly after their European Tour at the beginning of 1983, the album was originally released in the US on 15 August 1983. The album was self-produced by AC/DC and reached #4 in UK and #15 in the US, and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.[1]
On the recorded commentary on the album for the Live at Donington DVD, the band members state that the album was an attempt to make the band raw again, and were happy with the result.[2]
After having problems with Malcolm as well as drugs and alcohol,[3] drummer Phil Rudd was fired midway through the album's recording sessions, although he had completed his drum parts. Former Procol Harum drummer B.J. Wilson was hired to help complete the recording if needed, but his contributions were not used. The drum position was eventually filled by future Dio drummer Simon Wright after more than 700 auditions were held in the U.S. and UK.[4] Simon Kirke of Free and Bad Company fame, and Paul Thompson of Roxy Music were two of the drummers auditioned.[5] Wright appeared in the videos for "Flick of the Switch", "Nervous Shakedown",[6] and "Guns For Hire". He also toured for the album, and is seen in the pro-shot video recordings from that period. Rudd returned to the band in 1994, but left a second time in 2015.
The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series. It was the shortest studio album in the band's discography until the release of their studio album Rock or Bust.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Blender | link[dead link] |
| Rolling Stone | link |
Track listing
All tracks are written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rising Power" | 3:43 |
| 2. | "This House Is on Fire" | 3:23 |
| 3. | "Flick of the Switch" | 3:13 |
| 4. | "Nervous Shakedown" | 4:27 |
| 5. | "Landslide" | 3:57 |
| 6. | "Guns for Hire" | 3:24 |
| 7. | "Deep in the Hole" | 3:19 |
| 8. | "Bedlam in Belgium" | 3:52 |
| 9. | "Badlands" | 3:38 |
| 10. | "Brain Shake" | 4:00 |
Personnel
- Brian Johnson – lead vocals
- Angus Young – lead guitar
- Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Phil Rudd – drums
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart | 3
|
| 1983 | US Billboard The 200 Albums Chart | 15
|
| 1983 | UK Albums Chart | 4
|
Certification
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[7] | 3× Platinum | 210,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[1] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ a b "American album certifications – AC/DC – Flick of the Switch". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ Malcolm and Angus, Live At Donnington DVD, Flick Of the Switch Review
- ^ Engleheart, Murray & Arnaud Durieux (2006). AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll. pp. 366–367. ISBN 0-7322-8383-3.
- ^ Engleheart, Murray & Arnaud Durieux (2006). AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll. p. 368. ISBN 0-7322-8383-3.
- ^ Engleheart, Murray & Arnaud Durieux (2006). AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll. p. 367. ISBN 0-7322-8383-3.
- ^ Flick of the Switch and Nervous Shakedown Videos, Family Jewels DVD, 2005
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
External links
- Lyrics on AC/DC's official website
