Sam's Specials
8 Rock Tees you need for the July 4th BBQ
Celebrate July 4th in style. Discover the Rock Tees you need for the BBQ and make a statement this Independence Day.
Sam
June 23, 2025
In 1976, ACDC was almost over. They were tearing up Europe, but in America? Not so much. Atlantic Records hated Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap so much that they were ready to drop the band. But then came Let There Be Rock, released on March 21, 1977—a raw, sweaty, middle-finger of an album that didn’t just save ACDC. It defined them.
This wasn’t Dirty Deeds 2.0. This was louder, nastier, and hungrier. The band ditched any polish and cranked out a record that sounded like a live show trapped in vinyl. Bon Scott was at his most feral, Malcolm Young’s rhythm work was a masterclass in controlled chaos, and Angus Young? A one-man lightning storm.
Bon Scott never sounded better—sleazy, funny, effortlessly cool. Whether tearing through “Bad Boy Boogie” or belting about a certain larger-than-life woman on “Whole Lotta Rosie,” he was pure rock ‘n’ roll charisma. Some say this was the best Bon Scott era (RIP).
And then there’s Angus. His solos on this album? Not just fast. Not just technical. They were dangerous. The title track “Let There Be Rock” alone features one of his most unhinged, white-hot solos ever recorded.
From the first notes of “Go Down,” you knew this was different. But it was the title track that turned the album into a legend. A six-minute, high-voltage sermon on rock’s origins, it was both a tribute and a declaration: ACDC wasn’t there to follow the rules; they’re there to burn it all down.
Sure, it’s longer than your average song. But you GOTTA hear Angus Young’s electrifying riffs in this one.
Check out the title track:
This album went on to sell about 7 million copies worldwide, making it one of their best-selling albums. What’s your favorite track?
Let There Be Rock didn’t just keep ACDC alive—it made them. It set the stage for Powerage, Highway to Hell, and Back in Black.
And it wasn’t just ACDC that this album changed. It made an impact on fans like me. Back in the day, my friends and I would blast this album in the garage, passing around the vinyl like a sacred relic. It’s one of my all-time favorite albums. And one of those friends? A die-hard ACDC fan who picked up a guitar because of this album. Decades later, he’s a professional guitarist teaching kids how to shred—because Let There Be Rock lit the fire.
Nearly five decades later, Let There Be Rock still stands as one of the greatest guitar albums ever. Loud. Fast. Unapologetic. It was the moment AC/DC found their true identity—and once they did, rock music was never the same again.
And here’s a fun thought—AC/DC is on tour right now. You think they’ll play Let There Be Rock? (They better.) Grab a vintage-style tour tee and flex on the new fans.
Happy Anniversary, Let There Be Rock! It was fun blasting this album again while I wrote this post.
Rock on,
Sam
Celebrate July 4th in style. Discover the Rock Tees you need for the BBQ and make a statement this Independence Day.
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