A Perfect Circle’s Cover Of AC/DC’s “Dog Eat Dog” Is 4 Minutes Of Pure Head Banging Goodness

A Perfect Circle’s Cover Of AC/DC’s “Dog Eat Dog” Is 4 Minutes Of Pure Head Banging Goodness | I Love Classic Rock Videos

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Band Releases Cover Of 1977 AC/DC Track

Thanks to veteran rockers A Perfect Circle, this year’s Black Friday rocked extra hard! The Los Angeles based band released a limited-edition 7-inch disc of their single “So Long and Thanks For All The Fish” in honor of Record Store Day Black Friday, complete with a B-side of their take on AC/DC’s “Dog Eat Dog”.

Originally recorded in 1977 and featured on Let There Be Rock, “Dog Eat Dog” is a snarling example of rock and roll mastery, held together by guitarist Malcolm Young’s signature rhythm guitar playing. So it’s no wonder that A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan was particularly drawn to this AC/DC classic, using the cover as an opportunity to pay tribute to Malcolm, who died last November at the age of 64.

Keenan, who with A Perfect Circle recently released the band’s critically acclaimed fourth studio album Eat the Elephant, had this to say about his band’s tribute to Malcolm Young:

“A belated farewell nod to Malcolm Young, who, along with Bon Scott, played a significant role in my rebellious, hasher youth. God Speed, Malcolm.”


A Perfect Cover

This isn’t the first time A Perfect Circle have tackled a classic; in 2004, they covered John Lennon’s “Imagine” for their album eMOTIVe, a collection of anti-war songs for a brand new generation. They turned John’s hopeful vision for humanity into a warning wrapped in a series of minor chords, a feeling of abject desperation laced with something that feels like exhaustion coloring Keenan’s vocal delivery.


It’s impossible to tune into this version of “Dog Eat Dog” and not want to bang your head right along with it, Keenan’s voice adding just the perfect amount of bark to compliment guitarist Billy Howerdel’s bite.

Sure, it’s not the original – but as far as covers go, A Perfect Circle knocked out a pretty damned faithful version of this 1977 AC/DC classic that we’re sure Malcolm Young and yes, even Bon Scott would have approved of.