06.01.1953 – 18.1.2017
Rock’n’roll lost another legend recently – the one and only Malcolm Young of AC/DC.
I’ve been a fan of AC/DC for a very long time – they were one of the very first hard rock bands that I listened to. “Who Made Who” was the first song of theirs I heard and was absorbed by. Later on the “Blow Up Your Video” album came along and I was hooked.
A couple of years later, in a rip-off Hard Rock Cafe in Berlin, I heard the “Highway to Hell” album and was re-introduced to the earlier AC/DC recordings. I was that enraptured by the title track that I went out and bought a copy the next day – I couldn’t wait to return home to buy it.
I’ve still got that vinyl album now, along with many others.
I could write all day about my favourite AC/DC albums and songs; write list after list and enthuse forever about how great this band are.
Malcolm Young was the anchor of AC/DC – the perfect bridge between the super-tight rhythm section of Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd and the upfront lunacy of Angus. Angus, the younger brother – along with unforgettable Bon Scott and good old Brian Johnson – were the focus, but Malcolm was the heart.
Malcolm held it all together, and not just playing live – he was essential to writing of all the band’s material and developing their entire simple-but-effective ethos. He’s been called the greatest rhythm guitarist of all time, and I agree.
Thank you for the riffs, Malcolm Young. High Voltage Rock’n’Roll forever.