AC/DC – Powerage [European Mix 1978 second LP pressing 10 tracks] HQ *Rare*

We have been featuring early AC/DC albums in its original Australian LP pressings, all pretty different in sound & mix than the international.
But if there’s a ‘really different‘ sounding version of the same album that’s “Powerage“. In this case it was the first time the tapes used for the Australian release were the same used for the international. But… there’s a completely different version of the album, a very early pressing only sold in UK and Germany.
The European release of “Powerage” was quite chaotic. Atlantic Records wanted to release the album in Great Britain quickly, before AC/DC started their UK tour. The problem was… “Powerage” wasn’t fully finished yet, not mixed. Anyway, they ordered a first batch on LP’s made in Germany, with most copies sold in UK and some locally.
So the very first pressings of “Powerage” features the ‘rough mix‘ of the album, not the definitive version. Also includes the exclusive track “Cold Hearted Man”, and this second pressing (done within days) also the then new song  “Rock’N Roll Damnation” added at the eleventh hour – the only 10-track version of “Powerage” that ever existed. Oh boy, and the sound is really different: the guitars, Bon’s voice is without effects, almost there isn’t backing vocals, etc.
Read below the differences on each track. ”Powerage [European Mix]” is a must for fans and collectors, and totally worth having.

Basically we prefer the final, international version of “Powerage”: more complete, rich in details, the guitars sound bigger.
But ”Powerage [European Mix]” has its charm too: raw, in your face, almost like the band playing live into the studio.
The very first LP pressings to be sold in UK included 9 tracks, but the second (made only a few days after) included as opener the new song “Rock’N Roll Damnation”. However, there’s a misprint in the LP back cover still listing 9 tracks. Part of the batch was printed correctly with 10 tracks. As you see, a rushed release…

Btw, it was used ”Rock’N Roll Damnation (single version)” – the international release features the album version. Here begin the differences; the middle section edited, and the song fades out at the end rather than ”cold ending” (proper ending) as in the international.

Listen both versions closely, and you’ll find these big differences, among others:
European release / rough mix:

– ”Gimme A Bullet”; Cymbal crash when Angus’ part comes in during the intro (you can still hear this if you listen closely to the “final mix”, but more behind). No backing vocals all over the song.

– ”Down Payment Blues”; Guitars ‘panned hard’ left and right (this is the case with most of the tracks). No effect on Bon’s voice (there’s something subtle there on the international mix, bit of a chorus). Different reading / take of the line “floating down a storm drain”. No “blues coda” at the end.

– ”Gone Shootin”; Fades later, the guitars are panned hard right / left again here.

– ”Riff Raff”; More vocal ad libs but one missing that was included on the international mix. At the end, the song fade-out rather than ”cold ending”.

– ”Sin City”; this is the song closer to the international version, however, guitars are heavily panned, and lead vocals are rawer, almost as live.

– ”Up To My Neck In You”; Vocal ad lib(s?), different take of ending (no lead guitar).

– ”What’s Next To The Moon”; this is perhaps the most different song. No solo(s), no backing / double tracked vocals, different readings / takes of some chorus lines towards the end. It’s also a little longer by a few measures.

– “Cold Hearted Man”: Well, this track is exclusive to this European release – and a great track it is!

– ”Kicked In The Teeth”; Different intro, begins with the band instead Bon’s voice. The finished version has a “hey” just before the song kicks into full gear, that’s missing here. There’s a different reading of the first line “Two faced woman with your two faced lies”.

But there’s much more to discover… This ”Powerage [European Mix]” is pure gold, a rip made by a 0dayrox team member for you collectors and classic hard rock fans.
HIGHLY Recommended

You saw it here first at 0dayrox

A1 – Rock’N Roll Damnation (single version)
A2 – Gimme A Bullet
A3 – Down Payment Blues
A4 – Gone Shootin’
A5 – Riff Raff

B1 – Sin City
B2 – Up To My Neck In You
B3 – What’s Next To The Moon
B4 – Cold Hearted Man (exclusive track)
B5 – Kicked In The Teeth

Bon Scott – lead vocals
Angus Young – lead guitar
Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals
Phil Rudd – drums

out of print