AC/DC: 30 Years Since The Release of "For Those About to Rock - We Salute You"

"For Those About to Rock - We Salute You" is the eighth album by AC/DC, released in 1981. The album was a follow-up to their highly successful album "Back in Black" released the year before. "For Those About to Rock" has sold over 4 million copies in the US. It was AC/DC's first and only No. 1 album in the US until the release of "Black Ice" in October 2008.

The album was the third and final produced for the band by Robert John "Mutt" Lange.

The name of the album was inspired by a book Angus Young read, entitled "For Those About to Die, We Salute You", about Roman gladiators. The gladiators' final words to the emperor were "Hail Caesar, we who are about to die, salute you." Of course Angus had to change it into a rock n` roll direction.

Recorded in a rehearsal space on the outskirts of Paris. The band had found it difficult to come up with their desired sound while on their previous rehearsing location (an abandoned factory in France).

After its release the band embarked on its first arena tour of North America (late 1981 through early 1982). For the title track, large cannons were placed on stage, set to go off in accordance with the song on the album.

In Spain, early copies of the album featured a sleeve with the colours reversed, i.e., a gold cannon on a black background.

The title track's popularity was such that in every live concert AC/DC has done thereafter, the song is performed as an encore and is always accompanied by firing cannons on stage.