The “driving force” behind rock band AC/DC, Malcolm Young, has died, aged 64.
Implacable, immutable, irreplaceable: why Malcolm Young was a rock’n’roll great Read more Young devised many of the band’s best-known guitar riffs, marking out tracks such as Back in Black, Highway to Hell and You Shook Me All Night Long and establishing them as one of the biggest rock acts of all time.
Three years ago the band announced that Young needed to step down to receive treatment for dementia. Shortly afterwards he retired permanently, to be replaced by one of his nephews, Stevie, for the band’s most recent tour.
From their first release in 1975, High Voltage, two years after the formation of the band, up until their final album, Rock or Bust, Young and his younger brother, Angus, were credited as co-writers on all AC/DC tracks.
Leading reaction to the news of the death on Twitter was Damon Johnson of the band Black Riders, who wrote:
A Rolling Stone tribute said: “As rhythm guitarist for the legendary rock band, Malcolm Young served as an indispensable foil to Angus Young’s arena- stuffing riffs.”
Young was born in Glasgow in 1953, but his family emigrated to Sydney, Australia, 10 years later.
Young’s elder brother George found fame first with his band the Easybeats, before going on to produce for AC/DC. He died last month, aged 70.
AC/DC – 10 of the best Read more Malcolm Young last performed live with AC/DC on tour in June 2010 at a concert in Bilbao, Spain.
An official statement was posted on the band’s website confirming his death.
“It is with deep heartfelt sadness that AC/DC has to announce the passing of Malcolm Young,” it read. “Malcolm, along with Angus, was the founder and creator of AC/DC. With enormous dedication and commitment he was the driving force behind the band.”
Young’s nephew Stevie, the son of his brother Stephen, stood in for Malcolm during a period of illness for the band’s Blow Up Your Video world tour in 1988.
AC/DC’s eighth studio album, Back in Black, was released in 1980 and sold 50m copies, making it one of the world’s highest-selling albums.
The group’s ninth album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You, was released in 1981 and was their first to reach No 1 in the US.
Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the rest of the band in 2003.
“Malcolm is survived by his loving wife O’Linda, children Cara and Ross, son-in-law Josh, three grandchildren, sister and brother,” said the statement on the band’s website. https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f281f45df2cc92709bc3fec424c442dfe77a5385/0_62 2_3150_1890/master/3150.jpg? w=620&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=da5bb950c8c703669cea94404b9f7f00">
Poster Comment:
Rip Malcolm. Thanks for all the great music.
