AC/DC - Black Ice

Amazon UK
Walmart USA

The first three gigs of the UK tour were postponed, ostensibly due to Angus having a foot infection. But the real reason is that the band were invited to perform on a pop programme on German TV, obviously realising that they could reach more people in one go and market their European tour. Rock'N'Roll Damnation was released in the UK to coincidence with the start of the tour. The UK tour was followed by a US tour. Some of the dates in support or being supported by such bands as Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, Kiss, Alice Cooper, Savoy Brown, Journey, Aerosmith and UFO, with the band hopping over the border to play gigs in Toronto and even hopping back to Australia for one date. They had been hoping that the authorities would allow them back in for a full tour, but no such luck, and album sales in Australia suffered as a result.

They did also appeared at the Day On The Green festival at Oakland Stadium, which also featured Aerosmith, Pat Travers, Foreigner and Van Halen. There was controversy though, promoters pulled the plug half way through one of the Detroit gigs, which came as an annoyance as they had enough problems maintaining what equipment they could afford.

An enthusiastic crowd had gathered in the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton. The curtain was ready to rise. Bon was joking with one of the road crew as he took up his position to run onto the stage. "One of the runners tried to swipe my beer, so I gave him a swipe" he made a slapping gesture with his hand. The rest of the band took up their instruments as the crowd chanted "AC...DC...AC...DC". The curtain rose and the band started to play, but no sound came from the speakers. Instead there came the sound of slow handclapping from the audience, as roadies ran here and there trying to sort out the problem.

By October, AC/DC were back in the UK, with another album to sell, recorded the previous month's gigging (and no doubt there are those of you out there who know exactly which gig each song was recorded at). If You Want Blood was the band's first official live album.

- Nikki Goff