Welcome to the second episode of my dive into album cover similarities, both intentional and coincidental, of which there might be more than you would expect - (Episode 1 can be found here.) Until I did some digging recently, I assumed that the most cover-parodied band by far was The Beatles, and that is probably correct, though as I went down the wormhole to compile this series I was surprised to learn just how many AC/DC album cover copies there are.
I dig AC/DC as much as the next hard rock fan, which is to say quite a bit, but I am not a hardcore devotee and never gave much thought to their album jacket art. That said, I’ve always loved the Highway To Hell cover and consider Back In Black’s graphics to be something of a masterpiece - a brilliantly understated tribute to Bon Scott’s passing. However, I didn’t realize how brilliant some of their other jackets were until I was putting this piece together and really took a look at what they say about the band and its music.
One important note: I’ve attempted to credit the various designers, artists and photographers who created these masterpieces, however since I don’t own all of these records in some cases I’ve gleaned the credits information from Discogs or web searches, so they may not all be 100% accurate. Corrections and additions are welcome! And a caveat: Some of these parodies are seven-inch single sleeves, and not twelve-inch LP covers, but it’s the art that matters either way.
AC/DC High Voltage (Altantic Records May 1976) - Lettering by Gerard Huerta, photography by Michael Putland
Valse Triste & Deep Turtle VT/DT (Zerga Records [Finland] 2003) – Design uncredited
This version of High Voltage was AC/DC’s first release outside of their native Australia, comprised of songs from their first two Aussie-only releases, the original High Voltage and T.N.T., thus it was the first taste most of us in the US and UK got of the band. It barely made a dent in the charts but established their brand and started winning them fans as they backed it up with relentless touring.
Finnish hard rockers Valse Triste (or is it Deep Turtle?) paid tribute forty-seven years later.
AC/DC Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Atlantic Records 1981) – Design & photography by Hipgnosis
Apocalypse Hoboken House of The Rising Son of A Bitch (Kung Fu Records 1998) – Art production Grace and [bassist] Kurdt Dinse
Pansy Division Skinjobs (Mint Records 7-inch single picture sleeve 2004) – Design uncredited
Parry Gripp For Those About To Shop, We Salute You (Oglio Records 2005) – Design uncredited
Dirty Deeds was released in 1976 as AC/DC’s third studio album and came out in Australia and Europe, but not the US, with a completely different cover. By 1981 the band was an international success and Atlantic took the opportunity to reissue it with a classic Hipgnosis-designed jacket, prime for the parody pickin’, and the six-year-old album shot up to #3 on the US chart.
It’s not clear to me what punk band Apocalypse Hoboken’s tribute is signifying, but it’s a great image! Pansy Division is a militantly gay ‘queercore’ band, and I love how they take the uber-macho aesthetic of AC/DC and steer it their way - there’s an even better example coming up with “For Those About To Rock.” Parry Gripp has melded the imagery of Deeds with the title of For Those and seems to be making a statement on consumerism.
AC/DC Let There Be Rock (Atco 1977) – Art direction Bob Defrin, AC/DC lettering by Gerard Huerta (and on all subsequent covers)
Hayseed Dixie Let There Be Rockgrass (Cooking Vinyl 2004) – Design uncredited
Released with different cover art in Australia, Let There Be Rock is their first album to feature Gerard Huerta’s ingenious AC/DC ‘lightning bolt’ logo in the form that would become iconic. This cover is a good example of the subtext discernible on many AC/DC album jackets. On the surface it’s just a doctored photo of the band onstage, but the ominously dark clouds parting to let the sun shine on Angus Young as he rocks perilously close to the outstretched arms of the punters pressed against the stage invites interpretation. And the somber, static postures of the other band members, Bon Scott in particular, provide a contrast. Though I can’t explain exactly why, I find it a very compelling image.
Hayseed Dixie are a Nashville bluegrass band of pickers whose stock in trade is covering familiar rock and pop in the bluegrass style. Their 2001 debut was all-AC/DC tunes and billed as “A Hillbilly Tribute” to the band; by the time of this release in 2004 they had expanded their repertoire to include Queen, Motorhead, Kiss and others. While their cover parody is not particularly well-executed, it gets the point across just fine.
AC/DC Powerage (Atco 1978) – Art direction Bob Defrin
Drillbit Shithead (Noise Machine [Australia] 2006) – Design uncredited
Here’s another one that says a lot about the band, with an image guaranteed to send parents running the other direction. I recall when the phrase ‘AC/DC’ was considered code-speak for bisexuality, at least in the US, however I doubt that’s what they had in mind when they picked it. The dictionary definition of the phrase has to do with power – as in alternating current and direct current – certainly a defining aspect of the band, and the lightning bolt in their logo drives the point home, as does the electricity presumably coursing through Angus’ body in this image.
Australian speedcore band Drillbit’s cover appears to be a visual tribute to their countrymen; as profane as some of their song titles are there is no discernible tribute in the music.
AC/DC If You Want Blood You’ve Got It (Atlantic Records 1978) – Art direction Bob Defrin, photography by Jim Houghton
American Dog If You Want Bud (Bad Reputation [France] 2006) – Design uncredited
Jet Bumpers If You Want Action You’ve Got It (Radio Blast Recordings 7-inch single picture sleeve [Germany] 1999) – Design uncredited
Talk about sending parents running in the other direction! This is possibly AC/DC’s most potent album cover image, convincingly executed and grotesque to the point where one might wish to ‘un-see’ it, because once you do it’s unforgettable. And again, a statement on the band’s unapologetic aesthetic, persona and reputation – they give their all, always, to the bloody end.
French band American Dog do a pretty good job of projecting their own ‘bad reputation’ with their parody. The title refers to ‘bud’ but the singer appears to be impaled with a wine bottle, how French! Punk/pop band Jet Bumpers have created a wonderful and totally unauthorized Simpsons-themed version of the original jacket, both front and back. Poor Milhouse.
AC/DC Highway To Hell (Atlantic 1979) – Art direction Bob Defrin, photography by Jim Houghton
Alison Krauss & Union Station So Long So Wrong (Rounder Records 1997) – Design by Nancy Given, photography by Peter Nash
Boozed My Friends Are Gonna Be There Too (Blitzcore Records [Germany] 7-inch EP picture sleeve 2007) – Design uncredited
Highway To Hell is arguably AC/DC’s best and best-known album, and for my money it’s also their greatest album cover by far. The lurid image says it all – Malcom’s menacing glare, Angus’ horns, tail and demonic leer, and Bon Scott’s shit-eatin’ grin heartily endorsing every bit of it. Now THAT’S a rock band!
OK, so Alison Krauss – really? To me the similarity is too obvious to ignore, but aside from having a good sense of humor I can’t think of any reason why the queen of modern bluegrass and her band of virtuoso players would tip their hat to AC/DC. On the other hand, Krauss seemingly has wide tastes in music and for all I know, maybe she grew up loving them. German hard rock band Boozed share a style and attitude with AC/DC, and their cover tribute is charmingly primitive.
AC/DC Back In Black (Atlantic 1980) – Art direction Bob Defrin
Gang Green Back & Gacked (Taang! Records 12-inch EP 1997) – Design uncredited
Buck Buck In Black (Lance Rock Records 1999) – Design uncredited
Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine [RC/LATM] Back In Black Tie (Coverage Records 2012) – Graphic design Jim Rasfeld, Mark Jonathan Davis
Various Artists Back In Blue A Blues Tribute To AC/DC (Out Of The Blues [Australia] 2016) – Design uncredited
As simple as it may be, Back In Black – AC/DC’s first album with Brian Johnson after losing Bon Scott – has become an iconic album cover, and rightly so. There was nothing for the band to say under the circumstances except “We’re back” and “Still in mourning” and their long-time art designer Bob Defrin captured that perfectly – the original issue is embossed to approximate a gravestone. Against all odds Back In Black is one of their best records and became their most successful, selling 50 million copies and vaulting the band into household name status.
The simplicity of the cover makes it an easy target for parody, but beyond the obvious visual quote the only one in this batch with a relationship to the original album is the blues tribute.
AC/DC For Those About To Rock (Atlantic Records 1981) – Design by Bob Defrin
Bracket For Those About To Mock (Fat Wreck Cords 7-inch single picture sleeve 1995) – Design concept Bracket, layout & illustration Tom “The Sieve” Bejgrowicz
Pansy Division For Those About To Suck Cock (Lookout! Records 7-inch picture sleeve 1996) – Design uncredited
To Separate The Flesh From The Bone For Those About To Rot (Spikefarm Records [Finland] 2004) - Artwork Ile
Another iconic image, and if you don’t immediately get the symbolism the Pansy Division parody should clarify it for you.
AC/DC The Razors Edge (Atco Records 1990) – Art director Bob Defrin, design Don Brautigam
Various Artists Fuse/Box The Alternative Tribute (Ariola Records [Australia] 1995) - Design & layout Sean Flanagan
Another striking AC/DC cover from their regular designer Bob Defrin, and another Australian tribute album, seemingly a cottage industry in the band’s native country. This one features a handful of ‘alternative’ artists that I don’t believe anyone outside of Australia has ever heard of, and a ‘tribute’ cover that’s just barely close enough to qualify for inclusion here, but the lettering does it.
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