AC/DC — If You Want Blood You've Got It (review)

AC/DC — If You Want Blood You've Got It album cover Live album · 1978 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
UMUR
"If You Want Blood You've Got It" is a live album by Australian hard rock act AC/DC. The album was released through Atlantic Records in October 1978 in the UK and December 1978 in the US. The 10 tracks were recorded on the 30th of April 1978 at the Apollo Theatre in Glasgow. More tracks were recorded but not used for the album.

AC/DC have always felt most comfortable in a live setting, which is why many of their studio albums are recorded as "live" as possible. AC/DC were never an act who spend months in the studio and that working method have always kept them sharp and their live performances tight and convincing. There is no better proof than "If You Want Blood You've Got It" that this is true. It´s sweaty, heavy and hard rocking bluesy rock´n´roll done the AC/DC way...and that´s a damn loud and entertaining way. Lead vocalist Bon Scott is in top form and I will argue that he sounds even better here than he does on the studio recordings. Full of energy and humour...what a powerhouse. The instrumental performances are also of high quality with an Angus Young "on fire" leading the show on top of an extremely tight rythm section and those loud distorted chords from brother Malcolm. The extented solo sections in "Bad Boy Boogie" and "Let There Be Rock" are blistering to say the least and thankfully they never overstay their welcome.

It´s a consistently great album but I can mention "Riff Raff", "Bad Boy Boogie", "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be", "The Jack" and especially "Whole Lotta Rosie" as some of the highlights. "If You Want Blood You've Got It" would actually make a great starting point to Bon Scott-era AC/DC. It certainly doesn´t make the early studio albums by the band redundant (they are all worth a purchase), but it provides a good insight to the brilliance of AC/DC in a live environment and a good representation of "classic" tracks from the early albums. A 4.5 star (90%) rating is fully deserved.
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dreadpirateroberts wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I agree, this one is probably my fav of theirs. I think it's stronger than much of their studio output too, something about that rawness
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Obviously I agree :-)
Sheavy wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Fantastic album, an essential live album.

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