AC/DC's brand-new album, Rock or Bust, hits retailers December 2, but you can hear it first on The Loop.  Tune in 97.9 Tuesday morning between 7 and 8am to hear the Chicago premiere of the advance track, Play Ball!

The band’s first studio album since 2008’s Black Ice features 11 tracks in all, including "Play Ball,” which is being featured on Turner Sports’ coverage of post-season Major League Baseball.

Sadly, AC/DC guitarist and co-founder Malcolm Young, had to sit out Rock or Bust, due to his health.  The new album is the first AC/DC album in the band’s 41-year history not to feature Malcolm Young.  Instead, Stevie Young — Malcolm and Angus Young’s nephew — is carrying his uncle's torch.  And it's not the first time.  Stevie filled in while Malcolm left to deal with a growing alcohol dependency during the band's 1988 tour. Many fans were not even aware that Malcolm had been replaced, as Stevie bears a physical resemblance to him.

"We miss Malcolm, obviously," frontman Brian Johnson told Classic Rock in July. "He's a fighter. He's in [the] hospital, but he's a fighter. We've got our fingers crossed that he'll get strong again…. Stevie, Malcolm's nephew, was magnificent, but when you're recording with this thing hanging over you and your work mate isn't well, it's difficult. But I'm sure he was rooting for us."

Frontman Brian Johnson said as recently as last June that AC/DC would be hitting the road before the end of the year.  That may have been a bit ambitious; the band now says a 2015 tour is more likely.  My guess is it will start in the U.K., so we may have to wait a while to get AC/DC back in the United Center.

-Spencer