'77 - What the hell happened to this band????

Earlier today I downloaded the latest Broken Teeth album and I added it to my ever-growing comp of bands that are at least "similar" to AC/DC.  That got me thinking about '77.  Their first two were very much in the vein of Bon Scott-era AC/DC so I checked to see what they've been up to lately.  Turns out they released a new album this past April so I gave it a listen.

WTF????  Now instead of being AC/DC clones they've decided to be Sabbath clones?????  I mean tell me this stuff doesn't sound like Black Sabbath or at least Ozzy.  I think this band is the "chameleon" of this decade.  Holy crap can they imitate the sound of other bands.

That's interesting. They do both styles very well. I can't say I care for the way the vocalist tries to imitate Ozzy's peculiar pronunciation at certain spots though.

In case you think that's just an outlier from the new album check out other tracks on Youtube.  The whole thing sounds like that.  They've obviously made a choice; "Well our AC/DC soundalike albums aren't making us money so let's try another approach..."



I like this one more than the other track I posted but it still sounds like Ozzy IMO.

I did find one track from the album that harkens back to their earlier sound:




Frankly, I'd be pissed if I bought this album based on this song only to find out the rest sounds like the other tracks.

But holy crap does the rest of this sound like Sabbath:

So this is another retro sounding new"ish" band trying to bring us old farts back to the past? I was realy into these bands for about a year, but now am getting tired of this trend. Think I'll pass on these guys.

Well they're from Spain and I used to think they just liked AC/DC and were trying to emulate that sound and frankly since I LIKE that sound I was OK with it.  But now that they're apparently doing the same thing except emulating Black Sabbath/Ozzy now I agree with that assessment.  Now it's like listening to a "tribute band".

I like some of these bands, but I think they've run their course. I love Orchid, and other retro bands, but it's getting to where everywhere you look these days another one pops up. It's the record companies trying to cash in, and once again over saturating the market with it until people like me get sick of it and stop buying this stuff. Some will survive and others will end up being some obscure band the next generation will over pay for later. I'll still support the bands I got into a few years ago, like Orchid, Witch Craft, Blood Ceremony ect ect, but unless something really special comes along, I think I'm over the retro phase.

I'm looking forward to more from Klassik 78. It's obvious by everything they do they are not hiding the fact they are Kiss fans. This band above sounds good but I think I could get tired of it pretty fast. Good tunes but I don't know if they have lasting power.

For the uninitiated, here's what they used to sound like:



Not only did they sound like AC/DC they also apparently tried to look like them on stage.  I guess that wasn't working out so now they're trying the same tactic as Sabbath clones.

I actually think they started trying to change things up a bit on the last album, Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us. This new one has definitely shifted directions quite a bit, but I don't think they sound like Sabbath.

You don't think that first one I posted sounds like Sabbath?  Or at least Ozzy? 

Sure does to my ears.


But you're right, they definitely started a change of direction on the last album which is why I never bought it.

tohostudios wrote:

You don't think that first one I posted sounds like Sabbath?  Or at least Ozzy? 

Sure does to my ears.


But you're right, they definitely started a change of direction on the last album which is why I never bought it.

It's got a Sabbath vibe, yeah, but I don't think it really sounds like them.

tohostudios wrote:

For the uninitiated, here's what they used to sound like:



Not only did they sound like AC/DC they also apparently tried to look like them on stage.  I guess that wasn't working out so now they're trying the same tactic as Sabbath clones.

Wow, that's really good! I honestly have never heard these guys and that's a cool song.

I too thought the newer stuff sounds like Sabbath and it wasn't very good. Same reason I don't care for David Benson, he tries TOO hard to sound like Ozzy and the music just isn't memorable.

Will check out some more of the stuff that sounds like classic AC/DC.

My copy just arrived in the mail yesterday. I ordered it based on their past efforts and the one single I heard.

I really enjoyed their take on the AC/DC sound so I must admit I'm a little disappointed to hear they've shifted musical direction. Although I'm a Sabbath fan as well, so...win-win?

I'll give it a play through today and share my thoughts later. You can scoot up to the edge of your seats in anticipation now if you'd like.

mikeinfla wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

For the uninitiated, here's what they used to sound like:



Not only did they sound like AC/DC they also apparently tried to look like them on stage.  I guess that wasn't working out so now they're trying the same tactic as Sabbath clones.

Wow, that's really good! I honestly have never heard these guys and that's a cool song.

I too thought the newer stuff sounds like Sabbath and it wasn't very good. Same reason I don't care for David Benson, he tries TOO hard to sound like Ozzy and the music just isn't memorable.

Will check out some more of the stuff that sounds like classic AC/DC.

If you played either of these songs to an unsuspecting AC/DC fan and told them they were long-lost Bon Scott-era AC/DC tunes, they'd believe you.

mikeinfla wrote:

Quote :

Will check out some more of the stuff that sounds like classic AC/DC.

The albums to check out are "High Decibels" and "21st Century Rock"


From High Decibels (obviously):

i gotta say. the new tracks, has a Sabbath vibe, but i would not go and say Sabbath clone. to me, just straight up 70's Heavy Rock in the vein of Buffalo, Bang, (70's era) Pentagram and so on.

Yeah I guess the new stuff isn't as much of a Sabbath-clone as the early stuff was an AC/DC clone but I still think it's a pretty shocking change in musical direction.  "Let's pick a different 70s vibe to emulate"

tohostudios wrote:

Yeah I guess the new stuff isn't as much of a Sabbath-clone as the early stuff was an AC/DC clone but I still think it's a pretty shocking change in musical direction.  "Let's pick a different 70s vibe to emulate"

Definitely a big change.

HeavyThrashhead wrote:

i gotta say. the new tracks, has a Sabbath vibe, but i would not go and say Sabbath clone. to me, just straight up 70's Heavy Rock in the vein of Buffalo, Bang, (70's era) Pentagram and so on.

Yea, I'm kinda leaning in that direction too. They've changed their sound, no question about that. And I hear a certain Sabbathy-vibe, but not as blatant as their old AC/DC-vibe.

I'll also admit that I'm kinda diggin' it. Different, but nice.

EDIT: Skimming through the cd booklet and they even changed their image (slightly). They used to be tight jeans & t-shirts (or no shirt for the guitarist). Now they're button down shirts, big coats and flared-out pants. They went from 70's AC/DC to 70's Sabbath.

Well that probably explains why I'm totally turned off by the new album.  Everyone hears at least some 70s Sabbath in the sound and I don't really like that era of Sabbath.  My favorite era is the RJD one.  Conversely I LOVE the Bon Scott-era of AC/DC which is what this band channeled before. 

So yeah, I'm out on '77 unless they return to their previous sound.