AC/DC Announces '50' Limited-Edition Gold-Colored Vinyl; First Wave To Include Nine LPs

AC/DC, the legendary multi-million-selling band, played their very first show on December 31, 1973 at Chequers Nightclub in Sydney, Australia. Now, 50 years later, AC/DC has thrilled their millions of fans by announcing the "Power Up" European tour for summer 2024.

To honor AC/DC's 50-year reign as the world's greatest rock and roll band, Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings are proud to announce that the band's catalog will be available as gold-colored vinyl LPs. Each of these limited-edition LPs comes with an album-specific 12"x12" print featuring new AC/DC 50 artwork, suitable for framing. Available for pre-order now at this location.

The first wave of releases includes the following nine classic albums. Further drops will follow later in the year.

* "Back In Black" - Featuring "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Shoot To Thrill" and the title track, it is the best-selling studio album of all time by a band.

* "Highway To Hell" - Released in 1980, it was AC/DC's first hit album in the U.S.

* "The Razors Edge" - Features the classic single "Thunderstruck", the video for which has been viewed over a billion times on YouTube.

* "Powerage" – The classic 1976 album contains the single "Rock And Roll Damnation", the band's first European hit.

* "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)" - The iconic cover features a Twelve-Pound Cannon from the 19th Century. The band still incorporate cannons into their live set to deafening effect.

* "High Voltage" - The band's international debut included tracks from their first two Australian albums.

* "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" - Initially unavailable in the U.S. for five years, the album eventually rose to No. 3 on the Billboard chart, selling over 6,000,000 copies.

* "Who Made Who" – AC/DC provided the songs for the soundtrack for Stephen King's movie "Maximum Overdrive", which included three brand new tracks including the hit title track.

* "Live" - 1991's double live album was recorded at Donington Park and Birmingham in the UK, Edmonton in Canada and Moscow.

AC/DC's lineup for the "Power Up" European tour, which will kick off in May and run through August, will consist of singer Brian Johnson, guitarists Angus and Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and the latest addition to the group's touring lineup, bassist Chris Chaney.

AC/DC's first show in seven years took place on October 7, 2023 at the Power Trip festival in Indio, California.

AC/DC recruited Laug to perform with the band at the three-day event.

The 55-year-old Laug is an American drummer who has played with many bands/artists such as Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and Vasco Rossi. Matt moved to Los Angeles after graduating from South Florence High School in 1986 and after attending college in L.A., Matt became a sought-after studio drummer.

In 2001, Laug supported AC/DC as part of SLASH'S SNAKEPIT on the North American and European legs of the "Stiff Upper Lip" tour.

In its announcement about Laug's addition to the band's Power Trip lineup, AC/DC offered no explanation for the absence of the band's longtime drummer Phil Rudd, who rejoined AC/DC for the recording of the group's comeback album, "Power Up", which came out in November 2020.

AC/DC postponed the last 10 dates of its spring 2016 North American trek after Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist." At the time, Johnson had been AC/DC's singer for 36 years, ever since replacing the late Bon Scott in 1980 and making his debut on the classic "Back In Black" album.

To enable him to perform live with AC/DC again, the now-76-year-old Johnson worked with audio expert Stephen Ambrose, who said he could help resolve the singer's hearing problems.

Ambrose, who invented the wireless in-ear monitors that are widely used by touring artists today, claimed to have invented a new type of ear-bud that would allow Johnson to perform without causing further damage to his eardrums. After three years of experimenting and "miniaturizing" the equipment, Johnson previously said the technology could allow him to tour again.

Chaney is best known as the bassist of JANE'S ADDICTION and as a member of Alanis Morissette's touring and recording band. Chaney was also a member of TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS and CAMP FREDDY, as well as being a prolific and versatile session musician, having played with artists including Joe Cocker, Shakira, Slash and Avril Lavigne to Sara Bareilles, Gavin Degraw, Cher, SHINEDOWN and Celine Dion. Chaney is also a founding member and partner in the all-star supergroup ROYAL MACHINES along with Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION),Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY),Josh Freese (FOO FIGHTERS) and Billy Morrison (BILLY IDOL).

The follow-up to 2014's "Rock Or Bust", "Power Up" was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien, who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and "Rock Or Bust".