Background

Angus Young, the youngest of seven children of William (1911 - 1985) and Margaret Young (1913 - 1988), was born on March 31, 1955, in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1963, he emigrated to Sydney, Australia, with his parents, older brothers Malcolm and George, and older sister Margaret. Older brother, Alex, remained in Scotland and would later form the London-based group, Grapefruit.

He first started playing a banjo, and then the guitar on a cheap acoustic model purchased second-hand by his mother. His first Gibson SG was also bought second-hand.

Education

At 15, Angus Young dropped out of Ashfield Boys High School. Initially, he played in a local group called Kantuckee. The band split, and was later called Tantrum.

Career

In 1973, Angus Young and his brother Malcolm formed AC/DC with Angus on lead guitar, Malcolm on rhythm guitar, Colin Burgess on drums, Larry Van Kriedt on bass guitar and Dave Evans as a vocalist. They took 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 "schoolboy 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.

Their first single was “Can I Sit Next To You.” It was later re-recorded with Bon Scott as their vocalist as “Can I Sit Next To You Girl.”

After trying a number of stage costumes, he finally settled on his signature schoolboy look as suggested by his sister Margaret who created the original uniform. Later he used his school uniform.

In 1975, AC/DC released their debut album, “High Voltage.” They followed it up by “T.N.T.,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” “Let There Be Rock,” and “Powerage” over the next three years. “Highway to Hell,” a studio album, became their best-selling in 1979, and launched them to new heights of fame.

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," which was released in 1980 as a tribute to Scott. 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.

AC/DC’s 1981 album “For Those About to Rock We Salute You” was a big success. The following albums “Flick of the Switch”, “Fly on the Wall” and “Blow Up Your Video” gained mediocre success.

AC/DC’s 1990 studio album “The Razors Edge” brought them some glory. It reached 5x multi-platinum in the US, and sold between 10 and 12 million copies worldwide.

The 1995 album “Ballbreaker” included the tracks, “Hard as a Rock,” “Boogie Man,” “Cover You in Oil,” “Hail Caesar,” and “Ballbreaker.” The album “Stiff Upper Lip” was released five years later.

They put together the songs used for the “Iron Man 2” soundtrack into an album released in 2010. It reached number 1 in many countries including the UK, and number 4 in the US.

Young has designed the Angus Young SG, in collaboration with Gibson Guitar Corporation, with a pick-up in the bridge position, and a ’57 Classic Humbucker and “lightning bolt” inlays in the neck.

Achievements

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  On 24 August 2006, Young received Kerrang! magazine's Legend Award from the editor, Paul Brannigan. Brannigan called AC/DC "one of the most important and influential rock bands in history."
  
  He was voted Scotland's greatest guitarist in the Total Guitar Magazine poll of the best 12 British guitarists in July 2001.
  
  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of AC/DC) on 10 March 2003.
  
  AC/DC were voted the 72nd Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone.
  
  Their studio album “Highway to Hell” became their best-selling album. It was overtaken by the album “Back in Black.” It became the second highest-selling album worldwide. The album “For Those About to Rock We Salute You” was a big success. The band’s glory was reinstated with the studio album “The Razors Edge.” With the album “Black Ice,” AC/DC finally won a Grammy for the track “War Machine,” after seven nominations.

Works

More photos

• music

  • High Voltage 1975
  • T.N.T. 1975
  • Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap 1976
  • Let There Be Rock 1977
  • Powerage 1978
  • If You Want Blood You've Got It 1978
  • Highway to Hell 1979
  • Back In Black 1980
  • For Those About to Rock 1981
  • Flick of the Switch 1983
  • Fly On the Wall 1985
  • Who Made Who 1986
  • Blow Up Your Video 1988
  • The Razors Edge 1990
  • Ballbreaker 1995
  • Stiff Upper Lip 2000
  • Black Ice 2008
  • Rock or Bust 2014

Views

When Angus Young was asked, did AC/DC music had some satanic connection, he said: "Music that you didn’t really have to think about and say, “These guys have got a message.” There was no message. It’s not like we were out there social-reforming or something."

Quotations: "We can't sit on our arses and say the world owes us a living because we've paid our dues. Me; I think if I fluff a note I'm robbing the kids. You're gonna pour it all on until you drop, so even if they hate you they can still say 'At least they tried'."

"I've always looked at it as a twelve-step-program rock 'n' roll band: each day at a time."

Membership

Angus Young is a supporter of charities and foundations, such as MusiCares, GRAMMY Foundation and others.

• 

  MusiCares

• 

  GRAMMY Foundation

Personality

Although a smoker, Angus is a teetotaller.

In an interview with The Guitar Show, Angus noted his influences to include his brother Malcolm Young, Chuck Berry, Freddie King, and Muddy Waters, while playing licks relating to Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, and The Kinks "You Really Got Me." Young has indicated that he was also influenced by Keith Richards, as well as Chuck Berry's performing style, including his banter with audiences and duck walk. When the band would cover Chuck Berry songs in their early years, audiences would recognise the song, while noting their renditions were very different to the source material.

Young is famous for his wild onstage antics: intense jumps and running back and forth across the crowd. Once Young would clamber onto Bon Scott's or Brian Johnson's shoulders during concerts and they would make their way through the audience with smoke streaming from a satchel on his own back, while he played an extended improvised guitar solo, usually during the song "Rocker" with Scott or during "Let There Be Rock" with Johnson. He frequently does Chuck Berry's duck walk, as well as a kind of spasm, during which he throws himself to the ground, kicking, shaking, and spinning in circles, while playing the guitar. He first feigned a spasm to avoid embarrassment when he tripped over a lead at a gig.

According to AC/DC video director David Mallet, Angus suffers from acute acrophobia.

He doesn’t have any social media account.

Physical Characteristics: Build: Slim

Height: 5 ft 2 in or 157.5 cm

Weight: 61 kg or 134.5 lbs

Hair Color: Dark Brown

Eye Color: Green

Interests

• photography

• Sport & Clubs

  Rangers F.C., football

• Music & Bands

  Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis

Connections

Young prefers to keep his life private. He and his wife Ellen live in Kangaroo Point in the Sutherland Shire, in Sydney, and also own a home in Aalten, Netherlands where his wife is from.

Father:

William Young

(1911-1985)

Mother:

Margaret Young

(1913 - 1988)

Wife:

Ellen Van Lochem

Brother:

Malcolm Young

Malcolm Mitchell Young was a Scottish-Australian musician and songwriter. He was best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist, and songwriter of the rock band AC/DC.

colleague:

Bon Scott

Friend:

Keith Emerson

Angus became very close friends with Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer while AC/DC made Back in Black. The band recorded the album in The Bahamas, where Keith lived. Emerson took members of the group out on his fishing boat, helped them relax and grew close with Angus.

colleague:

Brian Johnson

colleague:

Phil Rudd

colleague:

Clifford Williams

References

• AC/DC Official Website
• High Voltage
  2018
• The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC
  2015