Why Didn't The AC/DC Style Originate In America?

I was thinking about this last night - why did it take a band from Australia to merge loud crunchy guitars with basic four-on-the-floor first generation rock n roll style music? Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of AC/DC, seeing them in concert in 2001. Still, an outsider would think that a band from America would have come up with the AC/DC sound before the lads from down under, but of course this isn't the case. Am I overlooking a band that sounded like AC/DC here in the states before AC/DC?

 

One could argue any number of bands such as Blue Cheer (a US band) or Status Quo (an English band) founded the "loud crunchy guitars with basic four-on-the-floor first generation rock n roll style music."

 

. . . Or Chuck Berry

 

Nah AC/DC are much heavier than Chuck Berry

 

I reckon this album was a big influence for Angus and Malcolm. It's the prototype of the AC/DC sound, if you don't believe me listen to "Red Revolution" or "Quick Reaction"

 

I am honestly not familiar with either of those bands. I'll definitely look into them. Thanks!

 

The idea isn't going to be that you can't hear a difference between one artist and another.

 

I thought they both played on it.

 

MC5 have that kind of thing going on their Back In The USA album.

Some early Aerosmith too, like Same Old Song and Dance.

 

Only go for 1972-1976 Quo!

 

Maybe Foghat?

 

Erm .... the entire garage rock genre? How about Link Wray and "Rumble"?

 

Yes, the famous Young clan (George, Alex, Angus and Malcolm) of Australia all together.

 

Their music is essentially hard blues rock infused with elements of football club-style chants. I think that's a big part of it. "Futbol" is popular basically the world over except here in N. America.

 

This.

 

Why are you assuming America would be the default country for inventing a genre?

 

Another band I am not familiar with. I'll look into them as well.

 

Because the Beatles.

Am I doing this right?

 

Read the first sentence

Rock music - Wikipedia

 

Its hard not to see The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Cream, Hendrix , Cactus and Mountain as antecedents to AC/DC. Just off the top of my head.

Also all the garage rock bands who aped the Yardbirds and Stones.

 

Malcolm Young wasn’t born there.

 

This. AC/DC not only took their sense of fun from Chuck Berry, Angus even copped his duck walk. Every kid who picks up a guitar, whether they know it or not, is influenced by Chuck Berry. Johnny B. Goode set the foundation for the 3 chords and a cloud of dust sound the Young brothers built.

 

Good strong boogie guitar band. Top songwriting and playing. They don't wear a musical straitjacket the way AC/DC do. A bit more variation in their sound but they are a highly decent unit nonetheless.

I'd recommend Fool For The City or Night Shift as good places to start.

 

I was thinking about Link Wray as well, but I am not very familiar with his work other than 'Rumble'. Are most of his songs AC/DC heavy?

I disagree. While all of the bands you mention had a track or two that were heavy, I don't think any of them made an album that was track-after-track as heavy as AC/DC.

 

I have always lumped early AC/DC in with the early Glam music that was popular in the UK like Slade or Wizzard. In the US, between 72-75, what was popular was either "Heavy Rock", like Zepplin, Deep Purple or Sabbath or more "Country-fied Rock" like Skynyrd, The Allmans or Manassas. Glam Rock sowed some seeds that began to flourish with Kiss, Cheap Trick and Aerosmith but not really until after 1976.