In Defense of...Flick of the Switch by AC/DC

[@conailrutherford6688]

Flick and Fly.... true AC/DC fans love them both.... I absolutely love them... raw and in your face to all of the hairspray bands of the time.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I like Fly but it was a step down for me, Flick is a 10/10

[@philnorman5912]

Flick and Fly were GREAT

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

@@philnorman5912 I like Fly but Flick is much better for me.

[@porkypile]

@@LairoftheAlchemist Fly is a fun album, definitely not poor, but the muddy mix is definitely a downside of the album. AC/DC's worst album by all metrics must be Blow Up Your Video. It too has a few real bangers and plenty of fun, but again the production is off and the songwriting also lackluster.

[@DavinTilley]

Amazing album

[@MrFrissson]

Agree 100%..My favourite along with Jailbreak EP. Definitely it's one of their heaviest albums (also Ballbreaker!). The raw sound and Brian's vocals are super good on this

[@robertspoljarevic3129]

Most underrated album in the line up. AC/DC at their acdciest

[@traviszboril6638]

Hell Yeah I agree 💯 man Flick Of The Switch is a fantastic album they're last great album of the 80's a masterpiece

[@gilesfamily2653]

This album is their best with Brian. Not a bad song on it. Anyone thinking so play it loud a few times on headphones and then try saying it’s bad. Great album that never fully gets it’s respect. 29 August 2022

[@chrisbalding3128]

Man, you nailed it on all counts! I wore that cassette tape out! High school guy, driving to my burger-flipping job, cranking Bedlam in Belgium through my Pioneer 6x9s in the ol’ Pinto. Life was good then.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

That's awesome!! thanks for the comment!

[@Sk8Vader]

I agree with you totally. You nailed it. Sounds like some of their raw 70's stuff. I love this album for all of the reasons you specified.

[@anthonyw5261]

Real fans know this album rock!!🤘🤘

[@markmclaughlin2690]

This was their best work, bare bones hard hitting Brian Johnson’s at his height vocally.

[@LoungeAct1978]

I agree with 100% of what you say in this video especially what you say about Flick Of The Switch, Those About To Rock and Fly On The Wall. Three of my most played AC/DC albums for sure!

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks! Those are my favorite Brian Johnson era albums..along with Back in Black of course.

[@jonathanbarnes3061]

Absolutely feel the same way top three over played back in black and it has a redundancy problem. Rising power is a great motivational anthem and never fails to inspire and simultaneously provoke Thrashing effect. Cudos and spot on now where's my neck brace ha,ha.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

@@jonathanbarnes3061 Thanks!!

[@jerrythomas828]

"Flick of the Switch" song is one of my favorite!!

[@johnashlock2302]

You nailed it on all talking points you laid out. This is the last great AC/DC album. This album tops FTATR in my opinion. It’s a banger from start to finish-very under rated. Great review, you have a good knack on reviewing , keep truckin!

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks!

[@jaydee6837]

To clarify... Back in black (BIB) is the world's 2nd BEST SELLING album in the world...ever. 50 mill+ copies. BIggest ROCK Album EVER sold! BIB plays like a greatest hits album. Every song.

[@skummisrocker]

I own AC/DCs Flick of the switch on vinyl & CD and I love it. I also own the other records with them, even bootlegs, and I love them too. Seen them live as well. A signed book from Susan Masino to me. 🤘🏻

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Very cool!

[@devonmiles292]

The last great AC/DC album. From Let there be rock to this one they were on fire. I like all the albums afterwards, but they are missing that something special.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I agree with you.

[@larsgsanger3105]

❤️🇸🇪

[@Mar-wt3di]

I think flick of the switch was one of their best albums. One I couldn't take to was fly on the wall.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Fly wasn't one of my favorites either.

[@Assimilator702]

Give it a few listens. I gave it another spin last night and it's actually more complex and not stripped down like Flick Of The Switch which is the polar opposite.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

@@Assimilator702 It is an album that has some deeper cuts, hidden gems if you will...Angus has some great playing on Fly, probably my biggest issue with the album is Brian's vocals which seem to take a turn for the worse on this record, like he has damaged his vocal chords or something. All that said, even though it's not one of my favs. I do still enjoy Fly on The Wall every now and then..

[@Assimilator702]

Lair of the Alchemist I have the high resolution digital versions of the album released a few months ago and they’re all remastered. Flick Of The Switch sounds amazing. The vocals are still buried on Fly On The Wall. So it must be the way it was mixed and at least the remasters preserve that balance.

[@homebrewznz3482]

Great album.

[@jwebstersmithii7459]

i first heard it when i was about 13. my brother had just gotten his driver's license, and he had stolen a bunch of cassettes from the local small town drugstore. flick of the switch was one of those lifted items. and he used to drive he and i to school in a chevy van, with a decent cassette stereo in it. cranking this album. it was dope. doing 360s in the parking lot. this was in canada. iced-over saskatchewan. 1986. so, i was a few years late on this album, but i loved it. still do. Guns For Hire was on the jukebox in our local arcade, and I would play it every time i was hanging there with my friends. Flick Of The Switch is a greasy riff. later would end up working at Power Station in NYC and I met them. and i hung out with them for Malcolm's birthday. Brian invited me to hang with them while they had strippers do a lap dance for Malcolm. my mind was blown. you shoulda seen all the candy they had imported in for their sessions. and they had mad videotapes of all these rare performances. so sick.

[@afmartin2734]

haha. Classic.

[@scottseppers8]

Completely agree, the was the hardest rock album AC/DC ever made. In my top 5 for AC/DC albums.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

For sure!

[@jaydee6837]

They have many dark songs after FOTS...Dogs of War...Witches Spell...so many!

[@floydcherade1542]

You hit this right in the target man...every point is exactly spot on!

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks!

[@math]

Great explanation. I LOVE Flick of the Switch! and you are right about Angus and Malcolm's lyrics. They are KISS quality at best.

[@johng.7560]

Definitely the last really good AC/DC album. Favorite song Landslide, a true hidden gem. Saw the 'Flick of the switch' tour, ears are still happily ringing. Fly on the wall sucked, quit listening to them after that. Just recently picked up the Flick CD again and it still kicks butt today. Yes I still buy CD's, just use KZbin to make sure it's good before I buy.

[@Assimilator702]

Walking into the record store or browsing the record bin at Bradley’s on our weekly grocery shopping trip this was one of the first album covers that caught my eye once I was finished with the KISS section. I had no bias either way which is why I always loved Flick Of The Switch. It might be the first one I bought. Shit now that I think about it going to the store and flipping through the record bin was like being on the internet back then. Besides magazines the record bins showed you what was happening in the music world.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks Joe and I agree with you...back then before the internet and social media I had no bias really towards any records, I just bought them and made my own decisions...and I agree, flipping through records at the store was like our internet!

[@embryon1111]

Man - you friggin nailed it!!!! Spot on with your commentary! I'm a HUGE Ac Dc fan. It didn't occur to me, but yeah - the lyrics lost their edge fer sure. And the sound turned more from industrial (for lack of better words) to a commercial 'happy' sound. But damn - Flick Of The Switch is soooo raw! I love it as well. :o)

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks, this is a really great album in for me the last classic album from them.

[@damiangardiner147]

Agree totally. Even here in Australia it was tragically overlooked. I always said from powerage to Flick of the switch are all 10 out of 10. Fly on the wall is close as well for me. But you’re spot on that from late 80’s the band were on auto pilot and I think that’s cause Angus & Malcolm (RIP) took over all creative control. They’re legends but they’re also very controlling. Btw Dirty Deeds was released here in 1976

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

It is an overlooked album for sure for some of the reasons I stated. It's interesting how Dirty Deeds was released so much later here..and it was a big hit! part of that I think was the success of Back in Black..it's also a really good album.

[@iancocks9408]

Hi Damian, also from aust. I would say from tnt to back in black are all great. For those about and flick of the switch not quite as good to me, fly on the wall onwards not many good albums I think.

[@paulfinn8928]

One of my all time favourite albums, black sabbath technical ecstasy is another one I love but no one seems to like

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I was also thinking of doing a video about Technical Ecstasy as I really like taht album also..

[@Crowhil13]

Probably my favorite album as well.

[@kadenzook3826]

Technical Ecstasy is an incredible record.

[@thomashubner697]

You are right, it is a 10. The weird thing is I absolutely can not listen to the band, they are not for me but fell in love with this one album as it came out. Concert on the tour was great. Still love all the songs and learned to play the title track on guitar back then. What a year, Another perfect day was another hated album I love. Martin Poppoff and Pete on Sea of tranquility podcast are fans of Flick of the switch. Good video!

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks and thanks for the comment..cool that you saw them on that tour.

[@anthonyw5261]

Flick of the Switch is a volume to 11 nutzbuster🤘

[@kevinputry5655]

I hear ya man! This album does not get enough love! It's one of my favorites of theirs and I think it is their heaviest album. And yeah, their lyrics are very cringe worthy now! How I long for the good old days of AC/DC.

[@doctorrock6743]

You are right,a slap in your face album,eclipsed by the previous ones.

[@davej.meister5421]

I don't think it's a bad album at all. Badlands and Bedlam In Belgium are heavy bangers.

[@germanenglishengineer2054]

Yes, I agree. Flick of the Switch is a great album. It's harsh with the bass. I don't care much for Badlands only because it doesn't come across well with Brian Johnson's voice.

[@karensingh2020]

have it bought either 80s or 90s cant recall it sounds amazing!

[@artramirez5158]

I agree!!! FOTS is an underrated album! People need to re listen to it again.

[@anthonyw5261]

I freaking love this album! Thank you for verbalizing my thoughts!!! This one I felt like you were in my head bravo sir 🤘🤘🤘

[@vikingbrace]

This video is pretty much perfect.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks! Your channel is really cool, been checking it out.

[@tereque311]

great album....

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I agree!

[@tylerjsmithers8385]

Brian Johnson's last album writing lyrics was Blow Up Your Video... He was going through a divorce during production for The Razors Edge, so The Young's took over writing lyrics. I hope at some point Angus will have Brian write lyrics again...

[@jayleno5652]

there is nothing not to like about flick of the switch, if you dont like that album your not an ac dc fan

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I agree

[@mattdelany6799]

Phil Rudd was on drums. A classic album. Great songs.

[@joehobbs3277]

I personaly love flick of the switch for those about to rock and fly on the wall yes the vocals were hard to understand unless you have the lyrics but those three albums have really good drum sounds and great drumming and awsome guitaring as usual

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I just listened to Fly on the Wall last night and I really enjoyed it, strange mix aside. Some cool riffs and great playing from Angus.

[@joehobbs3277]

@@LairoftheAlchemist even on the AC/DC albums that aren’t all that good Angus always delivers kick ass rifts and solos I mean look at for those about to rock out the golden AC/DC albums as I call them that album is probably the best out of back in black and flick of the switch such a cool intro. But yeah fly on the wall really only suffers due to Brian’s vocals being inaudible and to low in the mix big shame they won’t remaster it

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

@@joehobbs3277 I agree...Angus always delivers!

[@dathorndike4908]

Deep In The Hole is awesome. You never mentioned that track

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I love every song on the album.

[@andrewmcarthur3843]

Just learned it on guitar. Fun song

[@JCStorm76]

Definitely their most underrated album. It’s my favourite AC/DC album after Back In Black just shading Razors Edge. It blows For Those About To Rock away in my opinion. I’m actually glad it’s not that popular.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

It is kinda' cool that it's a bit of a hidden gem in their catalog.

[@tombelanovic7686]

Their most underrated hands down! Luv For Those About to Rock as well!! Also underrated. Excellent review, agree for the most part.

[@mickan]

I agree with most of your points. But the lyrics on "blow up your video" were really great, too. Even better than on "FOTS".

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

They were ok on that album but it was kinda' the beginning of a downward slide for me.

[@wezlo8733]

I like to work through each album, for example I’ll make sure to listen to for those about to rock then listen FOTS after.

[@psykodj67]

Hello Im Paul and just tripped on your channel and subbed...I agree about this album...I always liked Flick and never understood why it didnt get much love back in 83..and I have to say imo that the one album that tripped them up some was Fly on the Wall...for some reason could never get too much behind that one.Great stuff great review and take care

[@usetname9248]

Il est tres bien. Bon album 👍✌️

[@larsgsanger3105]

AcDc’s ”flick” needs no excuse, question is why did they put the same bombastic heavy metal-production on party album Fly on the Wall, mutt Lange would have made that so much groovier! Thanks for this channel, interviews are always great❤️

[@wezlo8733]

Great analogy and review! Everything you say is on point

[@porkypile]

About darker stuff I think the last stuff in that vain they made was on Ballbreaker. The Furor, Burnin' Alive, Caught With Your Pants Down, title track. Possibly Stormy May Day from Black Ice cause of the slide thingys Angus plays is quite mean, while also mixing up with a catchy chorus. Then again, if you hate Brian after 1990 then you wont like that of course. I personally like the changes of Brian's voice and how it still fits the music, despite losing the soaring highs. He's still singing very high even if the texture of his voice is totally different.

[@thrashaddiction]

always thought the same ...so good that when I burned a copy for a friend in the 90's I wrote RISING POWER [way better LP title]....& not Flick...& this was the same batch when I purposely wrote "Holy F$*!n S#*t " & not "Holy Diver"...your vids are very cool & def keep doing In Defense ...

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks!

[@Assimilator702]

MICHAEL LENTINI Yeah can you imagine if your friend is talking music with someone and he realizes there’s a Holy Diver release from Dio and Flick Of The Switch from AC/DC?

[@thrashaddiction]

@@Assimilator702 oh he def knew about both real names of each, it was instantaneous when I wrote both titles then laughed...I always wrote weird-cool stuff on the old school Cdrs & tapes copies for people...

[@Jimbrand6756]

I've always loved flick of the switch alubm

[@marcdewey1242]

Every song on this album is great,unfortunately it didn't go over as well as Back In Black,it's like they recorded,released it then it was forgotten.but it's still a very good album.

[@larsgsanger3105]

Ditty deeds released 1975! -74 in Australia..

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

it wasn't released in the States till the early 80s

[@larsgsanger3105]

@@LairoftheAlchemist oops! Didn’t know, thanks👍

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

@@larsgsanger3105 no problem, the US label didn't want to release it when it was originally put out but after the success of Black in Black they wanted to capitalize on that so they finally released Dirty Deeds which went on to be a massive seller for them.

[@larsgsanger3105]

@@LairoftheAlchemist Funny business🌺

[@mebeasensei]

Thanks..I came here because of rocking version of Nervous Shakedown by a tribute band on YT. I lost interest in AC/DC in about ‘77, then revived it for Back in Black in ‘80. AcDC were a sad joke band for me for the next 20 years, then I again appreciated it. but I had never known this one. And yes, I agree. I love the production. I’m gonna check out this album now. Very cool review. Great observations. I think your point about the lyrics is on poin5. Whenever I accidentally ran into ACEc songs in the late 80s I just scoffed at the unfunny ridiculous lyrics. But Bons era, it was definitely mote wicked and pungent. There was a real nasty smell to the words..which was fun…not to mention the voice which I heard some one say, you felt like you were catching a disease just listening to it.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

"Nervous Shakedown"...that's a cool song to cover.

[@geecee4746]

Absolutely agree, this is my favourite acdc album, agree about lyrics as well, unfortunately, i think acdc went a more commercial after this, powerage my second favourite

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks...Powerage is also one of my top favorite AC/DC albums.

[@michaelbrown3128]

I totally agree! Good album! I like the Bon Scott AC/DC better, by far, but the first few Brian Johnson albums were great! In fact, I read that Flick Of The Switch is Angus's favorite album! I would hope he means albums with Brian Johnson?

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks and that's cool to hear that Angus likes the album, I wish they would play something from it live, maybe "Guns for Hire"

[@arturoalmazan5262]

The album AC/DC doesnt get the respect. its Heavy and the songs are great. malcolm young did an amazing job playing along with big bro Angus 🤘

[@RaceWithDevil1]

Mi ricordo quando lo comperai, capoertina non era un granchè ma nasconde forse l'ultimo album di livello degli ACDC. Buone tracce , migliori di for those about to rock. La voce di Brian ancora offre ottime prestazioni e le canzoni sono potenti come: Landslide, Flick, Guns for Hire, Rising power o this house is on fire ! 7\10. Uno dei migliori con Brian!!!

[@rayjones4616]

For almost 40 years, I thought I was the only one who was hearing the degradation of Brian Johnsons' voice, starting with the Fly On The Wall album. Thanks for the confirmation!

[@themightydecibel-heavymeta7130]

The best Brian Johnson era AC/DC album IMO. Hail!!!

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

It's a great album

[@andyb797]

I love this album. the only small gripe I have with it is to my ears It sounds a little muddy and bass heavy. mind you I bought this Con cd in 1983, and am basing my opinion on that. I know its been remastered so maybe it might sound better. This ones like wine to me though, as I age I like more lol.

[@michaeldamulis9942]

Like I said, I feel these lists are all personal preference ! I am not a professional musician. I am not a music critic. I am a music fan. I’m in my 50s my father or I should say my parents could’ve been The poster couple for the 60s and 70s there was always something on the stereo growing up as a little dude from early early Black Sabbath to Robin Trower to the Bee Gees to KC & the sunshine band ! You kinda lost me when you started talking about the production of flick of the switch I feel that’s what brought out the rawness of the band. It was kind of like a retro to their earlier years, but that’s just me.

[@michaeldamulis9942]

I don’t understand how Flick of the switch could be at the bottom of anybody’s list of least favorite albums. Personally, these lists are not FACT This album is actually my favorite AC/DC album with Brian Johnson hands-down no argument just my personal preference

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Like I mention in the video, this album suffers a bit from following Back in Black and although I'm ok with the production some people don't care for it.

[@kevinturchin]

This album is easily a 4.5/5 for me. I’ve been listening to it a lot lately which is how I came upon this video ha ha. Funny you mentioned the lyrics. I believe it is almost guaranteed that the band use some of Bon‘s lyrics on Back in Black. I think they may have been using bits and pieces up through this album too. After that the well went dry and the music suffered.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I think the same thing...especially on Back in Black...titles like "Have a Drink on Me" just sound soooo Bon.

[@kevinturchin]

@@LairoftheAlchemist If you read Jesse Fink’s book “Bon: The Last Highway” he goes into great detail on this and makes a compelling case.

[@sevanewromantic7712]

My favorite AC/DC album, but not last great album. Last great album is Razor Edge.

[@esteeb67]

I am a fan of Flick, though it doesn't hold a candle to anything that came before it. Well maybe For Those About To Rock. It was definitely the last album where Brian sang like a monster. Great songs: Flick, Badland, Landslide, Bedlam In Belgium, House Is On Fire. Mid-tier: Deep In The Hole, Nervous Shakedown, Brainshake. Never liked Guns For Hire. It's raw and raucous and the band is firing, but there is a definite slide here and I think the struggles after Bon died were really rearing the head and obviously the troubles with Phil. Still, I have it in semi-regular rotation though.

[@mark_beastpriest5539]

There's nothing to defend. It was their best album of the 80's. The band didn't want "Dirty Deeds" out at this point. They were working hard to promote the new lineup, and had no interrest in living in the past. If it wasn't good enough in '76, then why was it in '81? Record Company greed.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Most people would say “back in black“. Is there a best in the 80s or best all time.

[@nealhanna5609]

That's my favorite album from the Brian Johnson. I think it's better than back in black because of the overplayed hits.

[@porkypile]

This album is Brian's Powerage just shorter and harder, but the intensity makes it feel longer than the just over 30 minutes playtime. It's dynamite from beginning to end.

[@KlondikeG]

I haven't been able to listen to Back In Black for decades. Radio destroyed it for me. Only tracks I put on is Given A Dog & Shake A Leg. After Flick the band starts losing their creativity & moxy, minus a bunch of gems here and there. Especially after Razor's... downhill trajectory. As a young teen & young adult, I lived and breathed anything AC/DC. Never missed a tour since Fly and still today.... they put on a killer show. I was glad I was able to catch Brian on the beginning of Rock Or Bust tour.

[@eijiroinouye4115]

Did you do an AC/DC album ranking?

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

I’ve done the Bon albums and the Brian albums but not all of them

[@martythemusicmonster6772]

Like it

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Cool

[@drewjeers815]

Uh-oh. I thought we were gonna be friends until you thought the great albums ended even before Ballbreaker & Stiff Upper Lip. I'll listen to the rest of this one anyway. No can't. I'm disagreeing too much. Gotta go.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Yup...I think the later albums are good but not great. Back in Black, Let There be Rock for me are great...Stiff Upper Lip or Blow Up Your Video for me are just pretty good.

[@afmartin2734]

I don't get the negativity around it. It's really one of those "fungus" albums, where it's not great, but you can't quite figure out why you keep playing it a lot, other than it's simply just a good album. Fly on the Wall is the album that people need to get uptight about back in the day. It sounds like it was recorded inside of a coffee can. It's arguably the worst sounding album I've ever heard. Flick of the Switch has plenty of classic AC/DC hooks with the riffs, a couple of filler tunes as per usual with them, except for Back in Black. I think it's just the idea it followed Back in Black and For Those About To Rock, and it just doesn't have an anthem on it. It has no Hells Bells or For Those About To Rock. I always considered it Brian Johnson's Powerage, even if Powerage is their best record. It's not a 10/10, but a 7/10 feels like a good score. Top 5 for me personally: Powerage, Back in Black, Highway to Hell, High Voltage, For Those About to Rock. Flick of the Switch has better songs on it than Let There Be Rock. Whoops! Did I just say that. Yeah, I did. It's true. Half of Let There Be Rock is filler.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Great points, I agree with everything except about “let there be rock“ :-)

[@juniorkong9587]

Flick of the Switch needs defense about like ribeyes, pizza, beer or sex need defense.

[@mickblack3291]

Flick of the Switch was the LAST great AC/DC album, after that they lost their hard edge & got to commercial , it's my cut off album, any album after FOTS is like being hit with a wet lettuce leaf.

[@corvettemustang1]

Flick is the second best brian johnson album imo

[@michaelstewart9352]

The worst album the did but I still love it just not as much as the other albums is blow up your video. It has a handful of some great songs but it's a little off track but what makes it difficult is the original sound quality. Before remastered it always sounded kinda compressed and like it was recorded in a tin can. Would really love to hear that album remixed and stripped down like flick of the switch.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Blow Up Your Video has some cool moments but it's also not one of my favorites...

[@porkypile]

If you dont like FoTS you simply dont like heavy rock r roll and your opinion is void 😂

[@bobwitt5224]

Just lacked the production Mutt gave the band but they wanted to get from him with last 3 albums. Material lacked . Maybe Mutt could have brought out more to clean it up. AC / DC always says it wanted dressed down album after Mutt. They got it with lack of success taboot. Not a fan. 3 good songs on this. Fly blows and Blow blows.

[@afmartin2734]

I think that's the point. AC/DC was never meant to sound slick. You could argue Mutt Lange made them sound too slick. Mutt Lange is overrated. He doesn't write songs like he thinks he does. This is a hardcore meat and potatoes AC/DC record and while not a classic, is clearly way better than it's reputation through the years when you listen back to it. Also, it's the last Phil Rudd studio effort (before his return), which has to count for something.