AC/DC - "New Album Out...Fine And Fit" Page 3"Well we were always a band that started as a rock 'n roll band and you know, blues runs right through good rock and roll. Even in the early days on our first album we had songs like 'The Jack' and that was all blues-based, and on Dirty Deeds we had 'Ride On' and it was also blues and then even on Ballbreaker we did 'The Boogie Man'. But I think it's part of us. I mean myself as a guitarist when I pick up a guitar, the first thing I'm playing is a lick. But we've always been a harder-edged rock 'n roll band. We do come on with the tough, rough sound, but I think that's part of our style and our nature."
The backbone being this tight-knit family connection, spearheaded by the two brothers, nearly thirty years (Angus turns 41 on March 31, Malcolm turned 47 on January 6) of writing, jamming and carousing together with guitars in hand.
"When Malcolm asked me to join when I was young, it was always the case that the music is what we were there for," says Angus, explaining the relationship. "We have the brothers thing but between the two of us it's always the music that you look at and that's your end game. As kids we would scrap a lot I suppose, but as we joined together in playing and making music it was more professional."
"When we were working out all our ideas," offers Angus, dissecting Stiff Upper Lip, "the thing that we wanted the most was to make a good rock and roll record and something that was toe-tapping all the way through and that's what we aimed for. We weren't thinking of anything like top 40 hits or anything; we were just aiming to make a good rock and roll record. That's why we also brought in our other brother George because he made a lot of the early rock and roll with AC/DC, and it just seems so natural - the three of us. And if Malcolm's sitting between the two of us he makes a good referee too," he laughs!
"We all get along together," he reassures. "We are a family that grew up very bonded, very tight and we're all in agreement - we all love what's good in rock and roll, especially George. He's a big fan of rock and roll, especially the past; he knows a lot of the history of it. When he's got his two brothers there really belting it out, he loves it."