Rock-tober 01, 2016

Music lost some giants in 2016.

The swath cut through the icons of my youth was horrible, and as a fan, the loss was hard. I can't imagine what it's like from the other side of the microphone. Being in a rock and roll band isn't a regular 9 to 5 office gig. You're in close proximity and close quarters 24/7. You eat, sleep, work, and play together. Your fellow band mates become your greatest antagonists and your staunchest defenders. They become your family. So how do you continue to move forward when you lose your source of momentum? Countless bands implode after losing a key member, particularly their lead singer. This was the challenge faced by AC/DC back in 1980.

In February of that year, after a night of heavy drinking while working on the genesis of a new album, Bon Scott climbed into the back of a friend's vehicle to sleep off the bender. He never regained consciousness. True to his hard charging mystique, his demise was recorded as "death by misadventure" and attributed to acute alcohol poisoning.

In the midst of this tragedy, the group seriously considered disbanding. However, Scott's parents convinced the surviving members that their son would have absolutely wanted them to continue. Invigorated by this mandate, the remaining members sought out someone who could vocalize Scott's vision. In Brian Johnson, they found an immediate chemistry with his personality and his love of the music. And, of course, that voice - that distinctive voice that could stand toe to toe with Angus's screaming riffs. Re-energized and reconstituted, the band was now on a mission to pay tribute to their former lead singer. The result was Back in Black. Everything from the title, to the black cover, to the lyrics of the title track was a tribute to Scott. Record execs balked at the presentation, perhaps thinking it too morbid, but the band would not be swayed.

Released less than 6 months after Scott's death, Back in Black became the band's magnum opus, going to #4 on the American Billboard 200 and eventually certified 22x platinum. It's currently the 2nd best selling album in the world.

AC/DC took a tragic death and forged from it one of the the seminal works in the annals of rock and roll. This is a magnificent achievement. It also delivers a forceful and resounding F.U. to the Grim Reaper.

Welcome to Rock-tober, y'all.

Rock on.