Let There Be Bonn

I think you'd be hard pressed to find an AC/DC fan who truly prefers Brian Johnson to Bonn Scott, even when you consider that comparing AC/DC vocalists is a bit like apples and slightly different apples. Still, when put to the test, Bonn always comes off a shade more... well, coherent. Edgy. Clever. Add to the mix his vocal range, which can slide from a sly growl to a piercing shriek over the course of a single phrase, and you've got what i would call the original frontman from hell (or heaven, depending on where your interests lie).

That being said, it only makes sense that AC/DC would choose to commemorate Bonn's years with the band on their first box offering. What might not make as much sense is the content chosen to achieve this end, which consists largely of familiar material presented in a just-barely-unfamiliar way, an album that everybody already owns, and some trinkets emblazoned with the AC/DC logo.

Though the two live discs (one of which is 2-parter) are a worthwhile listen for the hardcore fan, the tracks are just barely distinguishable from their studio counterparts. With the exception of some extended guitar solos, AC/DC sticks steadfastly to their songs as written; a practice which -- though facilitating recognition and participation in the live arena -- often makes you wish you were just listening to the album, where there's less crowd noise and nobody's voice cracks.

Instead, the compilation of unreleased Bonn Scott studio material is where the real treasure lies. The Volts disc features some extraordinarily rough (even by AC/DC standards) cuts of songs that would later be polished off for inclusion on their albums, a Chuck Berry Cover, and absolutely PRICELESS interview tape from the man himself. The highlight? An early version of "Beating Around the Bush" called "Backseat Confidential" in which a presumably drunk-as-all-get-out Bonn miraculously slurs almost every phrase into an incomprehensible, polysyllabic grunt. Sample lyric: hassinana-flissanninna-plizela-ba *burp*.

And then, quizzically enough, rounding out the box (the recorded part, anyway) is a digitally remastered copy of Back in Black, featuring not only a replica of the original album artwork, but also... the OTHER VOCALIST? What? I understand that BiB was a sort of "farewell to Bonn" album, but the logic behind it's inclusion escapes me. If the idea was to include a remastered classic, they at least could've tried to preserve some thematic unity and picked, oh... Highway to Hell, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap... pretty much any of the albums AC/DC released before 1980.

And then there's the usual stash of 'extras': a guitar pick, a poster (featuring a crease right down the middle) and a glossy booklet about the band's history. Still, the only trinket that i can honestly envision Bonn standing behind wholeheartedly is the AC/DC bottle opener. Bad taste? That's what Bonn said.