High Voltage

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Lore & Background

The album was produced by Vanda & Young at Albert Studios in Sydney, Australia. George Young, older brother of Angus and Malcolm, played bass guitar on a number of the album's songs and also produced alongside Harry Vanda, his bandmate from the Easybeats. When George heard what his younger siblings were up to, he told VH1's Behind the Music in 2000: 'All of a sudden the kid brothers were still the kid brothers... but my God, they knew how to play. There was no sort of, 'Do they have it or don't they have it?' It was obvious that they had something.' The album was recorded in ten days in between gigs, working through the night after coming off stage and then through the day, as Angus recalled: 'I suppose it was fun at the time, but there was no thought put into it.'

In Their Own Story

In November 1973, guitarists Malcolm Young and Angus Young formed AC/DC and recruited bassist Larry Van Kriedt, vocalist Dave Evans, and Colin Burgess on drums. Soon the Young brothers decided Evans was not a suitable frontman—they felt he was more of a glam rocker like Gary Glitter. The band recorded only one single with Evans: 'Can I Sit Next To You Girl' with 'Rockin' in the Parlour' as the B-side. In September 1974, Ronald Belford 'Bon' Scott replaced Evans after friend Vince Lovegrove recommended him. Scott had played in the Valentines, the Spektors and Fraternity. In a 2010 interview with Mojo's Sylvie Simmons, Angus recalled that Scott 'moulded the character of AC/DC... Everything became more down to earth and straight ahead. That's when we became a band.' The album's title and artwork were the suggestion of Chris Gilbey of Albert Productions, who explained in the 1994 Scott biography Highway to Hell that he came up with 'an electricity substation with a dog pissing against it. It's so tame now, but back then we thought it was pretty revolutionary.'

Reader's Guide

High Voltage was originally released on Albert Productions only in Australia and New Zealand, and has never been reissued by another label in this format. The international version of High Voltage, issued on Atlantic Records in 1976, has a different cover art and track listing, with only 'She's Got Balls' and 'Little Lover' appearing overseas. 'Baby Please Don't Go', 'Soul Stripper', 'You Ain't Got a Hold on Me' and 'Show Business' were later released on '74 Jailbreak in 1984. 'Stick Around' and 'Love Song' were released on Backtracks in 2009. Most of the original LP and Cassette releases contain an error to the writing credits for 'Baby, Please Don't Go' with credit going to Broonzy (Big Bill Broonzy), though it was in fact 'Big' Joe Williams who wrote the song in 1935; the error was corrected on all CD releases. In 2025, High Voltage and TNT were released in those formats internationally for the first time, as merch on the band's Power Up Tour.

Did You Know?

• The album was recorded in ten days in between gigs, working through the night after coming off stage.
• Bon Scott replaced Dave Evans in September 1974 after the Young brothers felt Evans was more of a glam rocker like Gary Glitter.
• The title and artwork—an electricity substation with a dog pissing against it—were suggested by Chris Gilbey of Albert Productions.
• Most original LP and Cassette releases miscredited 'Baby, Please Don't Go' to Big Bill Broonzy instead of the actual writer, Big Joe Williams.
• In 2025, High Voltage and TNT were released internationally for the first time as merch on the band's Power Up Tour.