Slash salutes the return of an ‘inspired’ AC/DC

AC/DC look set to score the fourth UK number one album of their career today (November 20), as rave reviews for Power Up have been matched by strong sales, with the band’s follow-up to 2014’s Rock Or Bust becoming the fastest-selling album of the year. Angus Young’s band have also secured a ringing endorsement from fellow rock icon Slash, with Guns N’ Roses’ guitarist hailing the group’s seventeenth studio album as “really inspired” and “a great fucking record.”

In a new interview with Consequence Of Sound, Slash was asked for his opinion on AC/DC’s comeback, and the guitarist could hardly have been more enthusiastic in paying tribute to both the band’s spirit and the strength of their latest release.

“I obviously have a long history with AC/DC,” Slash says, “and then Axl was singing with them for a minute when Brian [Johnson] was out, so we got reacquainted during that period. So, the first bit of great news, I talked to Brian and he was telling me about this hearing [device] that he got, and that he's back in AC/DC. And that was just fucking awesome news.”

“And the tragedy of losing Malcolm [Young, AC/DC's founding rhythm guitarist]… the fact that Angus [Young] and company would survive that and keep it going, in the spirit of probably what Malcolm would have done, was great. I just love those guys because as far as rock 'n' roll is concerned, they just are driven.”

“They’re a great influence on people who think that rock ’n’ roll is sort of just fun and games, and then as soon as any kind of mishap happens, [bands] break up or they fall apart or they quit,’ the guitarist continued. “AC/DC is a great example of longevity. They’re a great example of tenacity and perseverance, a great example of talent, and a great example of what rock ’n’ roll is all about. So, I'm so stoked that they just continue to do it.”

Referencing Power Up specifically, Slash said, “Then, on top of it, they make such a great fucking record at this point in the game. It’s a really inspired album. I’ve had it in the car for the last couple of days and it’s probably gonna sit there for a while. It’s exciting for me. I’m happy for them, and I can’t wait for this virus situation to end so we can go check them out on tour somewhere.”

The new UK charts will be unveiled by the Official Charts Company at 6pm today (November). As AC/DC were outselling the rest of the Top 5 combined during the week, it’s expected that Power Up will become their fourth number one album, following on from Back In Black (1980), Black Ice (2008) and the Iron Man 2 – OST album (2010).

You can read all about AC/DC’s triumphant comeback in Angus Young and Brian Johnson’s own words, in the new issue of Classic Rock magazine, which is out now.

Angus Young on the cover of Classic Rock 282 — (Image credit: Future)

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.