For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

The Zoo Crew is cranking up the volume with "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" by AC/DC, a track that’s pure dynamite from their 1981 album of the same name. This song’s iconic cannon blasts were inspired by a wild coincidence: while recording, the band overheard the televised wedding of Princess Diana, where ceremonial cannons fired. Guitarist Angus Young recalled pausing and thinking, “That actually sounds pretty good,” leading to the song’s explosive sound and life-sized Napoleonic cannons becoming a staple at their live shows. The track’s title and lyrics draw from a book Bon Scott gave Angus, likely Those About to Die by Daniel Mannix, about Roman gladiators, echoing their salute, “Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant” (“Hail Caesar, those who are about to die salute you”).

Another tidbit from AC/DC’s X posts reveals the band ditched their initial recording plans at Paris’s Pathe Marconi studios, opting instead for a warehouse at H.I.S. Studios using the Rolling Stones’ mobile truck, giving the album its raw edge. The music video for the song, filmed at a 1981 Landover, Maryland concert, was among AC/DC’s first to gain heavy MTV rotation, captivating fans with Angus’s shirtless shredding and those booming cannons. Fans on Reddit call the album underrated, praising tracks like “Spellbound” and “C.O.D.” alongside the title track, which remains a concert closer, always paired with live cannon fire.

AC/DC was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1973, founded by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, Scottish immigrants with a passion for raw, bluesy rock. Inspired by their older brother George’s band, The Easybeats, the Young brothers started jamming, recruiting vocalist Dave Evans, bassist Larry Van Kriedt, and drummer Colin Burgess. Their gritty sound and high-energy gigs, with Angus’s schoolboy-uniform stage antics, quickly built a local following. By 1974, Bon Scott replaced Evans, redefining the band’s raw, cheeky vibe until his tragic death in 1980. Brian Johnson stepped in, debuting on Back in Black, cementing AC/DC’s global legacy.

Connect with AC/DC on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Zoo Freaks can also dive into fan communities at ACDCfans.net or join the AC/DC Fans Facebook group for more rock ‘n’ roll camaraderie.