Joel O’Keeffe: Why I Love AC/DC

With AC/DC rocking this month’s cover of Metal Hammer, we got Airbourne frontman Joel O’Keeffe aka THE BIGGEST AC/DC FAN IN THE WORLD to explain why they are the best of the best.

They Are The best band. Ever.

“It’s fuckin’ AC/DC, man! Every time you see ‘em live or get a record, you can guarantee it’s gonna be straight-up, no-bullshit, non-stop rock ’n’ roll. They’re not trying to remind you about things like the environment or political things, it’s just about good times.”

You Can’t Beat That Stage Show

“I’ve seen them on the last three tours and every time they always do something crazy. You’re in a room full of maybe 60,000 people and AC/DC brings everyone together. As soon as big Rosie comes out, everyone’s grinning from ear to ear and rocking! You gotta love it.”

They Make You Forget All The Bullshit

“It doesn’t matter what kind of day or week you’ve had, the second you put AC/DC on in the car or at home, immediately you have the best time of your life. It’s fuckin’ good Aussie rock ’n’ roll. It’s a high! AC/DC is a drug. It should be up there with booze, cocaine and weed.”

Angus Is A Guitar God

“It’s like Angus is fucking a chick or something, in the way he does all these bends. It’s like his guitar is a girl, the way he makes it yelp and scream! Every time I hear him soloing, I think ‘he’s slamming this one!’”

Thunderstruck Is The Greatest Song Ever Recorded

“Every time I hear it in the pub, I’ll jump on the bar and start skulling [Aussie slang for guzzling] other people’s beers. I just fuckin’ get into it cos I love it, you know? And I love all AC/DC but right now I’d say Thunderstruck tops it.”

Find out loads more on AC/DC in the new issue of Metal Hammer here.

Amit has been writing for titles like Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Guitar World for over a decade and counts Richie Kotzen, Guthrie Govan and Jeff Beck among his primary influences. He's interviewed everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. As a session guitarist, he's played alongside members of Judas Priest and Uriah Heep in London ensemble Metalworks, as well as handling lead guitars for legends like Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, The Faces) and Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, G3).