RIP Malcolm Young

[DirtyDeeds]

I felt like I had to stop back into the forum to say something on the passing of Malcolm Young. I don't know what I can add that hasn't already been said, but I am yet another decade-plus member of mygnrforum (closer to a decade and a half, yeesh) that came here after a couple years on the Elektra Records AC/DC message board, before the band signed a new record contract with a different label. AC/DC was a gateway drug into hard rock and metal for me, too. Getting into Guns n' Roses was actually a bit of a step for me at the time. But when I was 14 and 15 years old, AC/DC absolutely dominated my life. I mean, it completely controlled it. I listened to them all day and night. On days off school, I would put on High Voltage and listen to album after album, in order, all the way until Stiff Upper Lip (their latest album at the time) was finished, then I'd watch the No Bull DVD. And then I'd go to bed, wake up, and do it again. My career aspiration at the time was to be the Angus in an AC/DC tribute band. 

Another forum member said that they were initially drawn to Angus, with his great leads and solos and crazy stage antics, but now that they've matured, they focus on Malcolm. I couldn't agree more. And I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that will listen to a live extended "Jailbreak" or "High Voltage" just to hear Mal hit the same two chords over and over for eight minutes, each one hitting like a lightning strike, and then resonating into a warm hypnotic hum. 

I'll just say this. There is no band in existence that gives you energy like AC/DC. I'm overweight and I hate to run, but I go running sometimes anyway when I try to get in shape. I don't know how the hell it works, but I go twice as far without tiring out when I listen to AC/DC when I run, as opposed to any other music. The rhythm drives you. It gives you energy and forces you into motion. 

Do I headbang when I listen to other bands? Sure, if I just want to be kinda goofy or I go to a live show, I will choose to headbang. With AC/DC there is no choice. I will be halfway through a song and realize that I've spend the last minute and a half headbanging without realizing it, every single time. It doesn't matter if it's the 10,000th listen of an AC/DC favorite or if it's the very first listen. That's what the rhythm guitar playing of Malcolm Young did. 

AC/DC left it all on the stage, or on the record. No one ever had a celebrity sighting of Malcolm or Angus. Nobody has heard any legends of AC/DC banging groupies in a sex pit and destroying hotel rooms, or being resuscitated, or crashing cars. Does that mean that they didn't? Maybe, maybe not. I've heard rumors Angus likes drinking tea and painting watercolor landscapes. Brian likes racing cars. That's about it. I had never heard the names of their family members until right now when other band members expressed their condolences.  I've often wondered what the music they make at home for themselves sounds like. Does it sound like AC/DC or do they experiment a lot more with other sounds? A couple years of my life were spent trying to know everything there was to know about AC/DC. I know literally not a damn thing about them except that their music is fucking awesome and they put on the best damn show of anyone out there. I mean, in the last couple days, I've learned the names of his wife and kids, that wants people to support the Salvation Army charity, and that his funeral will be at the Catholic Cathedral in Sydney, and in learning that, I feel like I've pretty much violated his private life. Everything one knows about AC/DC they know from experience of their shows and their records. And that's the way it should be. 

Malcolm, well done indeed. 

Edited November 23, 2017 by DirtyDeeds

[Sydney Fan]

Malcolms funeral held today in Sydney

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/acdc-guitarist-malcolm-young-farewelled-at-sydneys-st-marys-cathedral/news-story/f420c99d223ab3db19cbcde9a1545030

[DirtyDeeds]

Looks like an absolutely beautiful Mass and a very fitting procession and celebration of life. It makes me very happy to see Brian and Phil there, to see that his iconic guitar was placed on the casket, and to see that there was a pipes and drums band, and that they played "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" as Malcolm approached his final resting place. That is so fitting.