Disco de AC/DC: “Family Jewels”

I remember being 8 years old in 1983, when I saw a video on Mtv that strangely frightened me. A dark stage, a screaming singer with a cap pulled down over his eyes, loud music whose structure I couldn't place, with a loud electric guitar coming from a guy in knickers who moved with as much energy as any human could move. The credits revealed that it was it AC/DC with "For Those About To Rock".

Two years later at the age of 10, "Sink the Pink" and "Danger" were in good rotation, and that's what prompted me to make one of my earliest music purchases, the "Fly on the Wall" album (I remember having to give up my allowance that week and the money in my pocket that night so that my parents would buy it for me).

So fast forward 20 years. I've long since bought every AC/DC album on either cassette or CD, in some instances both. I saw them twice in concert (1988, 1991). I had loved them, but at some point just lost interest in the band all together. Maybe I just got sick of them. Then after renting the movie "Thunderstruck", my interest was renewed, and I ran out and bought this DVD set, "Family Jewels". Well, they re-sold me! This DVD reminded me of how many damn great songs they had, and the reasons why I liked AC/DC in the first place.

Each disc is packed with 20 videos, one from the Bon Scott years and one from the Brian Johnson years. For the record, I've always lived both singers. But geez, I didn't realize just how great of a showman Bon Scott was. Sporting a wig and giant mallet in "Baby Please Don't Go", a straw hat and cane in "Show Business", bag pipes in "It's A Long Way To The Top", or even without any props, this guy was a full-fledged icon. This ain't a case of a dead rock star being remembered just because he's dead. Scott had this commanding presence and demented sneer that just screamed with carnal rock power.

The second disc brings us to the Brian Johnson years. These videos include the ones that really introduced me to AC/DC, so they have a special value to me. The live video clips from the "Back In Black" album and the "For Those About To Rock" video are here, as is "Flick Of The Switch" with the similar-looking "Nervous Shakedown". Also included are contents of the "Fly On The Wall" and "Who Made Who" home videos (which I had owned on VHS), and the videos from "Blow Up Your Video" and "Razor's Edge". People can criticze the "Fly on the Wall" concept video collection all they want, but I absolutely love it. Watching AC/DC play in a dive of a bar, with the 1-dimensional characters playing their parts (papparazzi photographer in Columbo trench coat, hack MC comic, rich couple who get the wrong drink order, etc.), just fits the music so well and is downright fun to watch.

A couple of things are notably absent from this collection. The videos for "I Put The Finger On You", "Big Gun", and "Hard as a Rock" aren't here. They proabably had more that I'm not aware of. I also remember the Mtv version of "Sink The Pink" being different than the home video version, where Angus uses his guitar to knock in the ball at the end, but that version doesn't seem to exist anywhere. (Yet to think that this video convinced me as a kid that the song was really about billards!) There are also no bonuses like audio commentaries or interview clips. And of course the "Let There Be Rock" documentary is not here, but that really deserves its own DVD release.

Still, this collection offers a generous 40 videos, many of which I've never seen. And to those fan too young to have been around in the days when Mtv actually played AC/DC videos (or any significant number of videos, for that matter), this might be their first time seeing these too. I couldn't stop my head from nodding along, in fact I just wanted to headbang in some parts! Most rock videos made after this era seemed to just be blurry scenes of guys whining in public bathrooms. AC/DC's music is just no-B.S., no pretentiousness, high energy rock n' roll, and these videos show that the band likewise knows how to have a loud, fun time.

I buy a lot of dvd's from a lot of rock bands,and I do admit that I have every VHS and dvd of AC/DC that is out there. I even have a copy of Dave Evans singing "Can I Sit Next To You Girl" on VHS with the band. He was the infamous first singer before Bon Scott. No it does not have every song from the band, but what it does have is the best overview of any band I have ever seen on dvd. DVD One has everything you could want to hear from Bon Scott. It's full of energy. It also shows you how this band matured from their early days in 1975 all the way to Bon's death only 10 days before. DVD Two shows how this band remained popular even after Bon's tragedy with a sound which can only be AC/DC. Brian Johnson was awesome when he started with this band and my mouth just dropped open during the songs from "The Flick of the Switch" album. It also shows unfortunetly how this band did succumb to the video age by the mid-80's with their concept video "Fly on the Wall." But what would this dvd be without showing all the clips which AC/DC made? Even that video has an entertaining value. Also the video's from "Who Made Who"and "Clipped are in this package. From beginning to end is how I watched it. And I found it to be a blast to watch. I did wish "The Jack" was on it, but this dvd did more than what any fan could ask for by presenting forty songs at a cheap price.

Don't worry fans about whether or not the movie "Let There Be Rock" will be out on dvd. It's just a hunch, but you just need to be patient. Not one clip showed a scene from that movie. Which gives me an inclination that it can only be coming around the corner. The song "Walk All Over You" from the movie would of made sense to put in this package, but I have a hunch we will see that song along with the whole perfomance they did in Paris on dvd.

Overall this dvd is a must buy not only for die-hard fans, but for any one with an interest in AC/DC. Unlike the box set "Bonfire," a fan with an interest will not be scared by the pricetag. They'll end up buying this dvd and might possibly end up becoming a bigger fan. Especially when they see Bon Scott singing. Sayanora for now and "FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK WE SALUTE YOU!"

Firstly dvd 2 is not bad with some great tunes on it, but I must say I bought this for the early stuff and have not been disappointed. The quality of the videos is excellent, from Jailbreak to Let There be Rock and the live bits are jaw dropping. One thing I always loved about ACDC was there ability to put a smile on my face - the Let There Be Rock video is hilarious!! They seem to be brimming with confidence. Riff Raff, If you want blood, Long way to the Top ....... its such fantastic rock and roll. DVD 2 doesnt touch it for quality - but what does?

If I were to review disc 1, I would give it 5 stars! The stuff unveiled for us on this 20 video disc is just fantastic. The audio and video for items 20 to 30 some years old is just terrific. I had forgotten just how good this band was with Bon as the front man. Songs like "Riff Raff", "Whole Lot of Rosie", well the list goes on and on. Buy this for disc 1 alone, it is worth the price. I give this only 4 stars because of the Brian Johnson years. Let's face it, "Back in Black" is their most successful release but the videos from there were obviously shot on a soundstage over the length of a day. I hope not much longer. The sameness of each video from it's respectable release just has the sameness to it that the performances aren't memorable unlike the separate video shoots from the early days. And the songs just aren't as good on disc 2. This collection reminds us how much we miss Bon Scott and just how great would this band be if they were still fronted by him. Still an Essential purchase for the AC/DC fan. A load of videos for a cheap price!

Props to Brian, but it was Bon voyage after 1980.

Bon Scott sang his heart out. He didn't try. He just did it. No effort. Never straining. Always on. He was the ultimate rocker.

Disk 1 of this DVD captures the awesomeness of a rock band that is unduplicated. The Bon Scott years was the definition of what "real" hard rock was in the late 70s to the tragic death of Bon in 1980. And that definition lives on , and is immortalized, through this DVD and the music that AC/DC created during Bon's time.

This DVD is a keeper. A collector's item. Songs like Dog Eat Dog, Sin City, Riff Raff, a total of 20 live performances on disk 1 alone with the ultimate final song on disk 1 being the cruel irony of Highway to Hell...the highway that Bon took in 1980.

Okay, enough of the dramatics.

Buy this for disk one alone. If you grew up listening to AC/DC during the Bon Scott years you will be in awe when you watch this and clearly realize what an inspiration this band was to Metal. Watch Bon as he sings; there is no effort in his performances...he is simply having fun and doing what comes naturally to him.

Almost all of the songs on disk 1 are actual live performances. And you know that you are watching one of the best frontmen ever because even most of the promos are not lip synced.

Watching disk 2 will really make you appreciate what AC/DC had prior to the stupidity of rockers like Bon and (John) Bonham. They had a band chemistry that you can't duplicate...NO MATTER WHAT.

Brian Johnson "tries to sing." Okay there are some cool AC/DC tunes (awesome even) with Brian. But the guy is straining to get the vocals out...especially live. That was not an issue for Bon Scott.

Disk 2 is all Brian, and I'd have paid the price of this DVD collection for just the Brian stuff. So don't think that this review is a Brian dis. It's not. This review is a tribute to the awesomeness that was the original AC/DC, and the awesomeness of the complete AC/DC story that this DVD captures. I just happened to grow up in the 70s, and my bias is with an amazing singer (Bon Scott) that I have never, ever seen anything like since.

If you buy this collection you perhaps will appreciate what I am saying.

Angus...well...he is Angus...the guy never runs out of energy. He jumps around like a hungry monkey in every clip...both disks. Phil Rudd is one of the most simple drummers ever, but make no mistake, I'd trade drumming talent for Phil Rudd's instinct to make an awesome song any day of the week.

I feel like I'm rambling here, so let's leave it at this: If you liked the Bon Scott years, there's no question that you should buy this DVD. If you like the Brian years, you get a bonus DVD of the inspiration for it all.

So just hit the buy button. There is no way you won't be satisfied.