AC/DC The Tragic Death of Malcolm Young

Following the band’s final show in Spain the group took almost 4 years off releasing a stop gap record in between which was their 2012 live album from River Plate stadium in Argentina, that happened in 2009. In 2012 frontman Brian Johnson would give an interview where he hinted that health problems were hampering production on the group’s next record revealing ‘One of the boys is a little sick & I can’t say anything, but he’s getting better. He’s doing wonderful Full recovery fully expected he’d say. And the band would finally reassemble to record their 2014 follow up Rock or Bust, but in April of 2014 a few weeks before they were to hit the studio word leaked that Malcolm Young was done with the band as his health had deteriorated to the point that he wasn’t able to continue. And Frontman Brian Johnson provided an update without naming names saying one of the boys has a debilitating illness but i don’t want to say too much about it. He’s very proud and private, a wonderful chap we’ve been pals for 35 years and I look up to him very much.

But the same day AC/DC put out their own statement confirming that Malcolm was as they put it taking a break from the band tjat he helped form 4 decades prior. The statement would also put to rest rumors that AC/DC was retiring as the statement would read that the group would move forward and continue to write and record new music. While the band’s latest record at the time 2014’s Rock or Bust wouldn’t feature Malcolm’s signature guitar playing he did co-write every song on the album. Filling in for Malcolm was his Nephew Stevie Young who had previously replaced Malcolm in 1988 while he went into treatment for his alcohol addiction.

Johnson would later admit that Malcolm's absence was felt in the studio saying We missed Malcolm obviously Stevie was magnificent in his stead but when you’re recording with this thing hanging over you and your workmate isn’t well. It’s difficult. I’m sure he was rooting for us the whole time we were in Canada he’d say

Drummer Phil Rudd would run into his own problems and while he would play on the album Rock or Bust he wouldn’t tour with the band as he would be replaced by prior drummer Chris Slade. Rudd would suffer from legal troubles in 2014 when he was arrested for drug possession and attempting to hire a hitman. By 2016 the band would run into more trouble as with only 22 shows remaining as part of the Rock or Bust tour frontman Brian Johnson would suffer hearing issues and need to stop touring immediately. The band enlisted the help of Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose who did an incredible job filling in for Brian. Following the end of the Rock or Bust tour in late 2016 the AC/DC camp went silent for about a year. Then on November 18, 2017 the news a lot of fans people were expecting finally happened As Malcolm Young would die from the effects of Dementia at the young age of 64. The music world would respond with an outpouring of support with Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash posting on social media Monumentally sad day in rock n’ roll and Guns N’ Roses who were on tour at the time would dedicate ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ to Malcolm’s memory following the news of his passing. While guitarist Eddie Van Halen put out a statement saying he was the heart and soul of AC/DC.

But perhaps the most touching tribute came from his bandmate Brian Johnson who put out a statement at the time saying I’m saddened by the passing of my friend Malcolm Young. I can’t believe he’s gone. We had such great times on the road. I was always aware he was such a genius on guitar. His riffs have become legends as has he. I send my sympathies to his wife Linda and his children Cara, Ross and Angus who will all be devastated as we all are. He never liked the celebrity side of fame. He was too humble for that. He was the man who created AC/DC because he said there was no rock n’ roll out there. I’m proud to have known him and call him a friend and I’m going to miss him so much. I salute you Malcolm Young he’d say.

And by 2018 rumors had circulated that the band was back at work in the studio in Vancouver, Canada. Photographs of the band at a studio and local hotel only added fuel to the fire and a recent interview with the band’s longtime engineer only confirmed that the band was up to something. Jam Magazine would also report that several years ago that AC/DC new material was using old guitar parts that were recorded by Malcolm With the magazine claiming 5 years prior to the black ice LP at that time Angus and malcolm were living together where literally they wrote 100’s of songs and many were been recorded and have stashed away and they further elaborated saying Angus selected the best tracks for those recordings from those records and would used them as the songs foundations that the rest of the song would build . And just last year Dee Snider confirmed the existence of new material posting on Twitter