Watch AC/DC discuss Hells Bells and the “riff heard 'round the world”

AC/DC
(Image credit: Bob King/Redferns - Getty)

AC/DC (opens in new tab) have shared their second video from the archives as they continue to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their landmark Back In Black (opens in new tab) album.

Last week, the band released a video showing them discussing how they made You Shook Me All Night Long (opens in new tab) and followed that with a raucous performance from Tokyo of What Do You Do For Money Honey in 1981 (opens in new tab).

The latest clip from the vault sees Brian Johnson, Angus Young and Malcolm Young talking about legendary album opener Hells Bells and how it all came together at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas in the spring of 1980 with producer Mutt Lange.

AC/DC's Facebook page describe the video as being about "the bell and the riff heard 'round the world," with Johnson talking about the opening lyrics, while Angus and Malcolm play the famous intro. 

Malcolm adds: “It was a really good intro – it was really ominous. Angus had the title Hells Bells – and I was just taking a piss and I just thought: ‘Hang on, why don’t we get a big fucking bell!’"

As part of the Back In Black anniversary celebrations, AC/DC also launched a fanwall, and are asking fans to post photos and videos on Instagram using the hashtag #backinblack40 which will then appear on the website.

In June, drummer Chris Slade reported he would be “ready to go” if he got the call to rejoin AC/DC, although it’s rumoured that Phil Rudd is back in the lineup alongside Brian Johnson.

Former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider previously told Sirius XM’s Trunk Nation show that AC/DC were in the studio working on an album featuring  “some surprises”.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers and magazines as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. After initially joining our news desk in the summer of 2014, he moved to the e-commerce team full-time in 2020. He maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott grew up listening to rock and prog, cutting his teeth on bands such as Marillion and Magnum before his focus shifted to alternative and post-punk in the late 80s. His favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Drab Majesty, but he also still has a deep love of Rush.