AC/DC: Beyond The Thunder

AC/DC Beyond the Thunder, the popular podcast dedicated to celebrating the music and legacy of rock legends AC/DC, is wrapping up its fourth season with a finale episode titled “Behind the Thunder Part IV.” The episode is packed with listener letters, exclusive interviews, and a live acoustic performance, providing a fitting end to a remarkable season that racked up over 350,000 downloads. Tune in for discussions on AC/DC’s current European tour. Former MTV Headbanger’s Ball host Riki Rachtman reveals his all-time favorite AC/DC album (you won't guess it!). Travel to Scores Gentlemen’s Club to find out the best AC/DC song to strip to (sorry Angus Young, it’s not "The Jack"). Relive the day AC/DC were inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk, with special details like Bon Scott’s mom sending his signature to be included in cement. Hear a firsthand account from Nantucket founder, Tommy Redd, talking about the night Brian Johnson made his American debut on the Back in Black tour. Finally, enjoy an exclusive acoustic female rendition of "Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution."

Aye, aye oh, and top of the podcast to you listeners! It’s time break out the corned beef & dark stout because we’re shipping up to Boston for a very special St Paddy’s Day celebration with drummer Matt Kelly from the Celtic punk rock band, the Dropkick Murphys. This skin bashing lover of all things AC/DC discusses everything from bagpipes to schoolboy uniforms, the magic minimalism of Phil Rudd, infusing AC/DC songs into their live sets, and most importantly, how this band brought he and his father together like no other.

This landmark episode celebrates AC/DC's 50th anniversary with a woman who was there from the very beginning, Fifa Riccobono. From secretary to CEO at Albert Music (the first female music exec in Australian history) take a trip down under with a key member of the AC/DC family who regales listeners with tales of Bon Scott's off-color premiere performance, meeting Brian Johnson years before AC/DC had even heard of him, and why she's the ultimate ballbreaker.

In this electrifying on-location episode, AC/DC Beyond the Thunder takes listeners on an epic journey into the heart of the scorching California desert with a 3 day blow-by-blow account of the legendary PowerTrip festival in Indio, featuring performances by Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest, Metallica, Tool and the triumphant return of AC/DC. This podcast captures all of the excitement, camaraderie, and even a trip to the remarkable pop-up AC/DC High Voltage Dive Bar where fans from around the globe gathered to celebrate their favorite band.

Ready to get your PhD in AC/DC? Then turn up your brain control, because AC/DC Beyond the Thunder goes back to school for a masterclass with Mark Jude Tramos, MD, PhD, former Director of the Institute for Music & Brain Science at Harvard University. Not only will this guy school your ass on why our brains love AC/DC so much, but he'll also blow your mind with his cerebral breakdown of how their classic track, 'You Shook Me All Night Long' is like going to church. Amen!

Season 4 kicks off with one of the most award-winning rock lighting directors / designers in the world, who since 1990, has worked on more than 700 shows for AC/DC — plus countless others, including The Stones, Black Sabbath, Scorpions, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Judas Priest, and a list that is simply unrivaled in the industry. Listen in as Cosmo sheds light on what it takes to makes this electric circus the greatest show on Earth. The late, great Bon Scott, once said 'Let there be Light', but we're changing it to, 'Let there Be Cosmo!'

Although he does have a degree in Biochemistry from Manchester, this is not the guy from The Big Bang Theory…it’s the other Jim Parsons who is certainly a much, much bigger AC/DC fan, and plays a much more important role in the band’s history than Sheldon Cooper could ever fathom—including bringing to life the fan favorite AC/DC TV performance on VH1’s Uncut! In this season finale, we dive into Jim's 30+ years as a producer & director who's gone shootin' with everyone from Metallica, McCartney, U2, Foo Fighters, Chili Peppers & Rolling Stones—not to mention his Grammy Award winning Led Zeppelin concert film and the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert featuring Brian Johnson.

In this very special two-part, skin-bashing, foundation-shaking edition of 'AC/DC Beyond the Thunder', we sit down with veteran stickman, Simon Wright, the drummer for AC/DC who kept the band’s heartbeat alive throughout the '80s. After being plucked from obscurity and into the eye of the storm, Part 1 allows listeners to be a fly on the wall, from Simon's audition, to meeting Stephen King, and playing Rock in Rio...before things blow up when he decides to leave AC/DC for Dio.

On the day Elvis Presley died in 1977, 21-year Wisconsin native, Susan Masino, was assigned to organize a meet and greet for an unknown Australian band by the name of AC/DC. She not only remained lifelong friends with the band, but was also inspired to write two books about AC/DC, becoming the first female to do so. Masino discusses everything from recent tour rumors, thoughts on Axl Rose, her own ‘Suzy’ name-drop in “Down Payment Blues” and even the ghost of Bon Scott.

The latest episode of AC/DC Beyond the Thunder, features Filippo “SoloDallas” Olivieri, telling a story spanning four decades, three continents, and eventually a summons to the recording studio from Angus Young. During the show, the inventor and obsessive music fan describes how he discovered the secrets behind the highly coveted AC/DC guitar tone that may have otherwise been lost forever.

The New England Patriots have won more Super Bowls, conference championships, division titles and overall games than any other NFL team in history. The man instrumental in the team's success, President Jonathan Kraft, also plays more AC/DC on game day than any other sporting venue in the world. Coincidence? We'll let him tackle that one!

Often told by many, including the people being interviewed, that their own "behind the scenes" adventures were just as interesting as their main objective (to find out why AC/DC matters), in this 1st installment and bridge between seasons, engineer Eric Kielb sits down with co-creators, Gregg Ferguson & Kurt Squiers to discuss the origins of 'Beyond the Thunder', how the duo were shot down in flames, the unlikely metamorphosis into a podcast, and what to expect for Season Two. Maybe it is the journey and not the destination, after all?

Saul Hudson would hear AC/DC for the first time, and earn his nickname, Slash...on the same day. Fate? We think so. Go behind the scenes of when this Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist opened up for AC/DC, why Keith Richards loves them so much, and how satisfying it is to give the Grammy's & Rolling Stone magazine the middle finger. Welcome to the Thunder, baby.