Watch AC/DC Perform ‘The Jack’ in 1979: Exclusive Premiere
AC/DC are uploading some vintage videos, which were previously available only on their 2007 Plug Me In DVD box set, for the 40th anniversary of their landmark Highway to Hell LP.
We have an exclusive premiere of a live version of "The Jack" from 1979 that you can watch below.
The video was recorded on July 13 at the Rijnhal in Arnhem, the Netherlands, and originally broadcast on Countdown, a show that ran on Dutch television between 1977 and 1993. (The footage comes courtesy of Reelin' in the Years Productions, which purchased the rights to more than 3,000 hours from the program in 2016, including performances by the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and U2.)
Two other songs from that concert, "Highway to Hell" and "Whole Lotta Rosie," were also featured on the Plug Me In box, which included three DVDs of live performances. One disc was devoted to the Bon Scott era, with another from AC/DC's years with Brian Johnson as their singer. The third DVD featured clips with both singers, as well as nine songs recorded in 1983 at the Summit in Houston.
"Highway to Hell" was uploaded to YouTube on July 17; "Whole Lotta Rosie" will arrive on July 31.
Released on July 27, 1979, Highway to Hell was AC/DC's international breakthrough and their first album with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange. It became their first record to sell a million copies and make the Top 20 in the U.S. The classic LP also marked an end of an era for the band: On Feb. 19, 1980, Scott died in his car following a night of heavy drinking.