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Monday, November 20, 2017

Malcolm Young...1953-2017 RIP...AC/DC guitarist/songwriter..the quiet force behind the riffs



Malcolm Mitchell Young (6 January 1953 – 18 November 2017) was a Scottish-Australian musician and songwriter, best known as a co-founder, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the hard rock band AC/DC. Except for a brief absence in 1988, he was with the band from its November 1973 beginning until retiring in 2014 for health reasons. Young and the other members of AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

Influenced by 1950's rock and roll and blues-based rock guitarists of the 1960's and 1970's, Young was regarded as a leading rock exponent of rhythm guitar. He is the subject of a song (and album) title by Australian punk rock band Frenzal Rhomb: "Forever Malcolm Young".

Guitar Player magazine has stated that the secret to Young's guitar technique was playing open chords through a series of Marshalls set to low volume with little or no gain. This is contrary to a common belief of many rock guitarists that rhythm guitar should involve loud and over driven power chords through large amplifiers.


Dave Mustaine of Megadeth stated in a 2004 interview that he considered himself, Young, and James Hetfield of Metallica to be the best rhythm guitarists in the world.

Though his younger brother Angus was the more visible of the brothers, Malcolm was described as the driving force and the leader of the band. In 2014, he stated that despite his retirement from the band, AC/DC was determined to continue making music with his blessing. As the rhythm guitarist, he was responsible for the broad sweep of the band's sound, developing many of their guitar riffs and co-writing the band's material with Angus. He was married to Linda Young and had two children, Cara and Ross.

Young took a leave of absence from AC/DC in April 2014, to receive treatment for dementia. In September 2014, the band's management announced that he would be retiring permanently. He died on 18 November 2017.

Full story HERE






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