Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap at 50: The AC/DC Album Atlantic US Refused to Release

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 03:55:54 +0000

Out in Australia on 20 September 1976, turned down by Atlantic’s American office, and finally in US shops in March 1981, thirteen months after Bon Scott died. It went to number 3.

The record that took five years to cross the Pacific

Fifty years ago this weekend, AC/DC put out their third Australian album on Albert Productions. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap was produced by Harry Vanda and George Young, the older brother of Malcolm and Angus, and it was made in a hurry. Malcolm Young later told the story plainly: “We didn’t have much time to do that album… All we did was go straight into the studio,” fresh off the High Voltage tour (Parade, via Yahoo).

George Young on Real Rock Lab

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap at 50: The AC/DC Album Atlantic US Refused to Release

The record that took five years to cross the Pacific