Ballbreaker
Encyclopedia
Ballbreaker is the 13th Australian and 12th international studio album by the Australian hard rock
band AC/DC
, released in September 1995. It was the band's first studio album in five years, since The Razors Edge
(1990). The album featured the return of former drummer Phil Rudd
, who had been fired from the band in 1983 as a result of drinking and drug problems and a fight with founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young
. The album was produced by the prolific producer Rick Rubin
. Rubin had briefly worked with the band in 1993 to produce the song/single "Big Gun
," for the soundtrack to the movie Last Action Hero
.
Production started at the Record Plant Studios
in New York City
, but the band became dissatisfied with the sound there and moved to Los Angeles
' Ocean Way Studios.
Two weeks into the U.S. leg of the Ballbreaker World Tour
, four gigs were cancelled so that Brian Johnson
could attend his father's funeral. During the tour, MTV cartoon characters Beavis and Butthead appeared in the intro during concerts. Five of the album's songs were played live, 'Hard As a Rock', 'Boogie Man', 'Cover You In Oil', 'Hail Caesar', and 'Ballbreaker'.
Ballbreaker was re-released in 2005 as part of the AC/DC remasters series. The album is currently certified Double Platinum by the RIAA in the US, for sales in excess of 2,000,000.
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, released in September 1995. It was the band's first studio album in five years, since The Razors Edge
The Razors Edge (album)
-Personnel:*Brian Johnson – lead vocals*Angus Young – lead guitar*Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals*Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals*Chris Slade – drums, percussion-Tour:...
(1990). The album featured the return of former drummer Phil Rudd
Phil Rudd
Phillip Hugh Norman Rudd is an Australian drummer. He is best known for his membership of rock band AC/DC from 1975 until 1983, and again from 1994 to present. After the 1977 departure of bass guitarist Mark Evans, he became the only Australian-born member of the band...
, who had been fired from the band in 1983 as a result of drinking and drug problems and a fight with founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
. The album was produced by the prolific producer Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
. Rubin had briefly worked with the band in 1993 to produce the song/single "Big Gun
Big Gun
"Big Gun" is a song by AC/DC. It was released as a single in 1993 and can be heard on the soundtrack to the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Last Action Hero, as well as during reruns of the Savage Nation talk show as bumper music. It was later released on the 2009 box set Backtracks. It became the...
," for the soundtrack to the movie Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film....
.
Production started at the Record Plant Studios
Record Plant Studios
The Record Plant was a series of three famous recording studios which were founded by Gary Kellgren and Chris Stone, beginning in New York City in 1968. The next year, Kellgren and Stone opened a second studio in Los Angeles. In 1972, the company expanded again with a third location in Sausalito,...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, but the band became dissatisfied with the sound there and moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
' Ocean Way Studios.
Two weeks into the U.S. leg of the Ballbreaker World Tour
Ballbreaker World Tour
The Ballbreaker World Tour was a rock concert tour played by the hard rock band AC/DC, which had 5 legs around the world lasting 11 months starting on 12 January 1996 in Greensboro, NC finishing on 30 November 1996 in Christchurch, New Zealand. The tour saw the return of drummer Phil Rudd to the...
, four gigs were cancelled so that Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
could attend his father's funeral. During the tour, MTV cartoon characters Beavis and Butthead appeared in the intro during concerts. Five of the album's songs were played live, 'Hard As a Rock', 'Boogie Man', 'Cover You In Oil', 'Hail Caesar', and 'Ballbreaker'.
Ballbreaker was re-released in 2005 as part of the AC/DC remasters series. The album is currently certified Double Platinum by the RIAA in the US, for sales in excess of 2,000,000.
Reception
Track listing
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Albums Chart |
1 |
| Billboard 200 | 4 | |
| UK Albums Chart | 6 | |
Personnel
- Brian JohnsonBrian JohnsonBrian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
– lead vocals - Angus YoungAngus YoungAngus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Malcolm YoungMalcolm YoungMalcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocals - Cliff WilliamsCliff WilliamsClifford Williams is an English bassist and backing vocalist, who has been a member of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC since mid-1977. He had started his professional music career in 1967 and was previously in the British groups Home and Bandit. His first studio album with AC/DC was Powerage...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Phil RuddPhil RuddPhillip Hugh Norman Rudd is an Australian drummer. He is best known for his membership of rock band AC/DC from 1975 until 1983, and again from 1994 to present. After the 1977 departure of bass guitarist Mark Evans, he became the only Australian-born member of the band...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Production
- Produced By Rick RubinRick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
& Mike FraserMike FraserMike Fraser is a Canadian record producer, engineer, and mixer. Mike is best known for his work with AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith and Joe Satriani... - Pre-Production Engineer: Noel Rafferty
- Recorded, Engineered & Mixed By Mike FraserMike FraserMike Fraser is a Canadian record producer, engineer, and mixer. Mike is best known for his work with AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith and Joe Satriani...
- Assistant Recording Engineers: Mark Dernley, Steve Holroyd, Brandon Harris, Kyle Bess, Rory Romano
- Mastered By George Marino
Certification
| Country | Sales | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2,000,000 | 2x Platinum |
| Finland | 38,732 | Gold |
External links
- Lyrics on AC/DC's official website
- "Ballbreaker" at discogs