"Most people, when they progress, they progress right up their asses...we just try to keep it exciting." - Malcolm Young
Born in
Glasgow,
Scotland on
January 9, 1953, Malcolm Young is believed to be the
brains of the outfit for the
heavy metal band
AC/DC. His sister
Margaret Young suggested the name "AC/DC" because she felt the name would symbolize the energy of their performance. Malcolm's
forte is
rhythm guitar and fans of the band find his efforts to be
concise and
innovative. Malcolm usually plays rhythm guitar, occasionally bass, and has played the
lead guitar on songs like
Can I Sit Next To You Girl,
Show Business,
Soul Stripper, and
You Ain't Got A Hold On Me. Furthermore, he co-writes pretty much all of the music with his brother
Angus Young and their friend and fellow performer
Bon Scott (until his untimely death). Nicknamed "Riffmaker" by his peers, Malcolm Young's writing talent is a significant part of what makes AC/DC's tremendously intense sound. In
Sydney Australia Malcolm co-founded the band with his brother in 1973. Prior to AC/DC, Malcolm had a band in
Newcastle named after the original
Velvet Underground, and he also performed in other bands, while waiting for his brother to finish school. Most notable besides Velvet Underground are the
Marcus Hook Roll Band and his guest appearance on
Stevie Wright's 1973 album.
Malcolm Young is very particular about his instrument. In the early days he started with a
Gretsch Jet Firebird. He's also played a
Gretsch White Falcon, an orange
Gibson and others, but feels the need to strip extra controls off of guitars because they get in his way and has struggled with finding the right sound. In the late 1990s, he got with the
Gretsch company and they perfected a variant of the Jet Firebird which was dubbed the
Malcolm Young Autograph.
Editors Note:
Malcolm Young died on November 18, 2017 at the age of 64. While no official cause of death has been given, Young had been battling with dementia for the last three years.