Ballbreaker

About

"Ballbreaker" is the thirteenth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was released in 1995 and reissued in 2005 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series. The album marked the return of drummer Phil Rudd, who had previously played with AC/DC from 1975 to 1983. Rudd departed during the recording sessions for "Flick of the Switch" due to personal and interpersonal issues. According to Arnaud Durieux’s book AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll, Rudd attended a concert in Auckland in November 1991 and later expressed interest in rejoining the band if circumstances changed regarding then-drummer Chris Slade. In August 1994, Rudd rejoined the group, replacing Slade, who had been recording demos with the band in London. Slade later returned to AC/DC for select performances, including the 57th Annual Grammy Awards and the 2015 Rock or Bust World Tour, following Rudd’s legal issues. "Ballbreaker" is the only AC/DC album produced by Rick Rubin. Rubin, a longtime admirer of the band, had previously worked with them on the song "Big Gun", which appeared on the soundtrack to the film "Last Action Hero" and reached number one on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Recording of the album lasted approximately five months. Initial sessions took place at Record Plant Studios in New York City, but the band relocated to Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles due to dissatisfaction with the drum sound. During production, Rubin and guitarist Malcolm Young reportedly differed on aspects of the album’s direction, and multiple retakes were recorded for certain tracks. Mike Fraser was credited with recording, engineering, and mixing the album. The cover artwork was created in collaboration with Marvel Comics. Several songs on the album address topical or thematic subjects. "Burnin' Alive" references the 1993 Waco siege in Texas. The lead single, "Hard as a Rock", originated during the sessions for "Who Made Who"; its music video, directed by David Mallet, features guitarist Angus Young performing on a wrecking ball. Other tracks, including "The Furor" and "Hail Caesar", incorporate elements of social commentary.

via Last.fm

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