Guitarist Malcolm Young passed away on November 18, 2017, and we want to share with you some facts about the "quiet power", "the anchor", "the soul" and "the engine behind" "AC/DC".
(Photo: Redferns)
This time we will make it sharp, precise, and focused, just like Malcolm's playing:
1. He was born Malcolm Mitchell Young in Glasgow, Scotland on 6 January 1953.
2. In June 1963 his family emigrated to Australia.
3. He started playing the guitar when he was in elementary school.
4. His first job after graduating from school was in a factory making bras.
5. In 1971 he joined a local Australian band called "Velvet Underground" (not the famous Avant-garde band from New York).
(Photo: Fin Costello)
6. In 1973, together with his younger brother Angus Young, he formed "AC/DC". He was then only 20 and Angus was 18.
7. He chose the band name along with Angus Young after his sister Margaret saw the words AC/DC embedded on a sewing machine.
8. Malcolm is considered one of the greatest rhythm guitar players of all time. It is simply a well-oiled and precise rhythm machine whose power thunders even in the silence between the riffs.
9. In 2004 Dave Mustaine from Megadeth defined Malcolm along with him and with James Hetfield as the best rhythm guitar players in the world.
10. Despite being a rhythm guitarist, he plays guitar solos in these band's songs: "Soul Stripper", "Show Business", You Ain't Got A Hold On Me, and "Can I Sit Next To You Girl".
11. Malcolm sings background vocals in almost every "AC/DC" song.
12. He is responsible quite a bit for the band's unique sound and was a major part of writing a significant portion of its songs and immortal riffs.
13. He played on the same battered and long-lived guitar "Gretsch - '63 G-1910 Firebird" during his career.
14. The guitar was given to him by producer Harry Vanda, who co-produced all early "AC/DC" albums with his brother George Young.
15. It is interesting to note that the same famous guitar was originally in red.
16. He entered the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" with "AC/DC" in 2003.
17. Due to dementia he was forced to leave "AC/DC" in 2014. His nephew Stevie Young filled his place in the band.
18. Beyond being one of the driving forces behind the band's unique sound, Malcolm is also the mastermind and businessman behind it.
19. The excellent "Power Up" album released in 2020 includes riffs he wrote. He got credit for writing all the songs from it.
20. In 2006, the Australian punk rock band "Frenzal Rhomb" released an album and a song bearing his name and being called: "Forever Malcolm Young".