A hillbilly version of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck."

If you are a fan of AC/DC, you have probably heard of a Finnish country band called Steve 'n' Seagulls. The guys are known for playing songs in the genre of hard rock and metal. But not their own, but those of famous bands... The big popularity caught up with the band in the summer of 2014, when a video appeared on YouTube, where Steve 'n' Seagulls played a song by AC/DC themselves! The "hillbilly" version of "Thunderstruck" gained over 100 million views!

But before we talk about the success of Steve 'n' Seagulls, we suggest we look back at the history of the song itself!

The story behind the song "Thunderstruck"

It's no secret that in order to attract the attention of the general public to their "masterpiece", many musicians and bands do not mind slightly embellishing the story of its creation... Sometimes such stories are very surprising, and, as a rule, completely fictitious! And it's worth noting that listeners themselves often "add oil to the fire" by inventing incredible stories about their favourite works!

As for the legendary "Thunderstruck", right after the song's release AC/DC fans put forward a lot of versions of how it was written. Let's consider two of the most common ones....

According to the first version, Angus Young wrote "Thunderstruck" under the strong impression of a flight, during which, allegedly, the plane was struck by lightning!

The second legend says that the song was born after the band members visited the CALFEX military exercise. As they were impressed by the M1A1 tank, the band decided to dedicate a whole single to it!

However, to the delight or dismay of music lovers, in 2003 Angus Young opened the veil of secrecy... Here's what the AC/DC's permanent lead guitarist and songwriter told in his interview:

"It originally started with a little guitar trick that I had just learnt... I played it to Mel and he said: "That's really good, and I have a cool idea for that rhythm!". And together we wrote the song! We had to mess around with it for about two months before it all fell into place!"

"...We couldn't find a good title for our song for a long time. And finally we liked the thunder version! It's a very cool subtext: AC/DC is exactly the power! That was the main idea behind it..."

The resulting "thunderstruck" track was released on the album The Razors Edge (1990). "Thunderstruck" quickly reached number five on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and was released as a single in several countries!

A curious fact, but the song was part of a computer virus that attacked Iran's nuclear programme in July 2012. "Thunderstruck" was played at full volume on all affected computers!

And here are some more interesting facts about the song:

• Especially attentive viewers must have noticed that on videos from various concerts of the band Angus Young often plays the opening solo only with his left hand, using the tapping technique! Sometimes the musician resorts to the help of a plectrum...
• The track "Thunderstruck" is a favourite amongst athletes, especially - amongst football clubs!
• After all this time, the song has not lost its relevance! It can be heard in many feature films, as well as in computer games!

Steve 'n' Seagulls version....

Now let's talk about the "hillbilly" version of "Thunderstruck" by the Steve 'n' Seagulls Band!

By the way, the guys released their debut album called Farm Machine in May 2015. Subsequently, they released covers of a number of famous songs, including "Aces High" by heavy metal band Iron Maiden. However... it was "Thunderstruck" that became their major breakthrough!

Their rendition of the song literally went viral! Those country motifs, banjos, mandolins and spoons, the authentic country atmosphere... It was unlike any rock cover you've ever heard! The band was not afraid to take on AC/DC classics, and the result of their endeavours was simply amazing!

It's hard to tear yourself away from the way these country boys in overalls, funny hats and big boots use all sorts of techniques to play this classic rock ballad... It's fair to say that Steve 'n' Seagulls are real musicians with real talent!

"At first we performed world pop hits, but we switched to rock and metal a couple of years ago... And we were pleasantly surprised when so many people liked the video of 'Thunderstruck'! The thing is, we all used to make music for a living, but only electronic music... So to do something new, and to see the fruits of the work we've done - it was really fun and enjoyable for us!"

It's very interesting, but despite their devotion to pop music, it was their cover of the rock hit "Thunderstruck" that brought Steve 'n' Seagulls worldwide fame! In fact - this work was the first major success for the team...

This amazing blend of country and rock turned out to be a great fit for a rock ballad... As well as the guys themselves! There's no denying that Steve 'n' Seagulls have a unique way of creating their own sound that really works! And they also have their own specialities!

You may find their idea far from the best, or at least successful... But that's only when you read it. It's worth listening to this "hillbilly" cover to realise that it's really amazing! The guys' version stands out from the variety of other rock covers! And that deserves respect...