Its all in the FINGERS

THE DARKNESS FRONTMAN JUSTIN HAWKINS EXPLAINS THE GENIUS OF AC/DC’S FRATERNAL GUITAR DUO ANGUS AND MALCOLM YOUNG – AND HAILS “THE ULTIMATE ROCK RIFF” IN BACK IN BLACK

- Amit Sharma

“I still think Back In Black is the benchmark sonically for how you want a rock record to sound. You have to hold it up comparatively to Back In Black, because no other album has the same power and illusion of simplicity. It’s a truly timeless record. There’s a lot more going on in the production than first meets the ear. You can’t just have guitars playing riffs, there’s more clever stuff that (producer) Mutt Lange brought to the record and as a result it really stands up. Now, as a 40-year-old record, you almost can’t believe it. My brother Dan (guitarist in The Darkness) still references it for mixes. If our mixes are not comparable to that album then it isn’t acceptable.

The first track on Back In Black, Hells Bells, is one of AC/DC’s biggest songs, and with good reason. It starts off with a bell, and it actually feels like you’re inside the bell if you listen loud enough. You Shook Me All Night Long is another of my favourites because it’s essentially just a pop song.