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Most rock fans would agree that AC/DC guitarist
Angus Young is one of the genre's most energetic and entertaining
performers. It's impossible to imagine an AC/DC show without Young
bobbing his head up and down in time to the music, playing amped
up Chuck Berry licks on his Gibson SG guitar, shirtless and drenched
in sweat. And in addition to his manic stage persona, he's one
of the best (and underrated) rock guitarists of all time. Born
on March 31, 1955 in Glasgow, Scotland, Young and his family moved
to Australia in the '60s, just as the British Invasion was sweeping
the rock & roll world. Young's older brother, George, found fame
as a member of the Easybeats, scoring a worldwide smash, "Friday
on My Mind" in 1966. Inspired by their older brother's success,
Angus and another brother, Malcolm, began learning guitar and
became fascinated by such bluesman as Muddy Waters, the aforementioned
Berry, and such Brit-rockers as the Rolling Stones and the Who.
The brothers formed their first band together in the early '70s,
taking the name AC/DC from their sister's sewing machine. Young
also stumbled across a gimmick that would remain his trademark
to this day — band rehearsals were right after school, so he would
practice in his "school boy uniform" (which consisted of a cap,
tie, a white shirt, jacket, and shorts). The look became such
a hit that Young wore the outfit on stage. He also began playing
a Gibson SG, the only guitar model he would play throughout his
career. Reportedly, his reckless stage presence came to be after
Young had to cover up tripping over something on-stage, and the
audience thought it was part of the show. The Young brothers turned
a deaf ear to popular musical trends of the early '70s (disco,
prog rock, etc.), and bashed out raw and simple three-chord rock,
predating punk rock by a few years. And with the addition of singer
Bon Scott, AC/DC became a sensation in their native Australia,
soon signing a worldwide record deal with Atlantic Records.
While AC/DC never strayed far from their original musical path,
record and ticket sales continued to increase with each successive
album and tour. With massive global success beckoning, AC/DC overcame
a career-threatening tragedy in 1980 when Scott died from alcohol
poisoning. But his replacement, Brian Johnson, fit in perfectly,
as the group immediately issued their biggest hit of their entire
career, the classic "Back in Black." And with nearly all rock
guitarists copying Eddie Van Halen and his kamikaze guitar pyrotechnics
throughout the '80s, Young admirably stuck to his economical and
tasty playing style, influencing such future bands as Guns N'
Roses, Jackyl, Buckcherry, and Nashville Pussy.
This bio courtesy www.allmusic.com
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