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Malcolm Young

Australian rock guitarist and co-founder of AC/DC, known for muscular rhythm playing, economical arrangements, and a foundational hard rock sound.

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Born: January 6, 1953
Genres: Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Rock And Roll
Notable Bands: AC/DC, Velvet Underground (Australian group)
Years Active: 1971–2014

Biography

Malcolm Mitchell Young was born on January 6, 1953, in Glasgow, Scotland, and moved with his family to Sydney, Australia, in 1963. He was playing in Australian pre-AC/DC groups by 1971, then co-founded AC/DC with his younger brother Angus in 1973. From the start, Malcolm’s role was central: he was the band’s principal rhythm guitarist, a major songwriter, and a key organizer behind the group’s drive and discipline.

AC/DC’s rise turned Young’s tightly focused approach into one of rock’s most recognizable engines. He helped shape songs that balanced blunt force with precision, and he also contributed backing vocals. Though he is often remembered for what he did not play, his arrangements made room for Angus’s lead work while giving the band its heavy, forward-moving pulse.

Young retired from AC/DC in 2014 because of illness, after which his nephew Stevie Young handled rhythm guitar duties. Black Ice in 2008 was his final studio album as a performing member. He died on November 18, 2017, aged 64, after several years living with dementia. His influence remains inseparable from AC/DC’s identity and from the template of modern hard rock rhythm guitar.

Signature Playing Style

Malcolm Young’s style was built on forceful downstrokes, open-position chord shapes, and a remarkably controlled sense of timing. Rather than filling every bar with distortion and motion, he let the riff breathe, using space as part of the groove.

His parts often sound simple at first listen, but they are carefully voiced and tightly locked to the drums and bass. He favored a thick, articulate attack that kept chords defined even at high volume, giving AC/DC’s songs their punch without clutter.

Signature Guitars & Gear

1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird, nicknamed “The Beast” — His best-known guitar was a heavily modified Jet Firebird associated with his recording and stage work.
Modified Marshall bass amplifier head — He used a Marshall bass head to achieve a larger, cleaner foundation with strong rhythm detail.
Gibson Sonomatic strings, .012–.058 with a wound G — Heavy-gauge strings helped stabilize tuning and reinforced the firmness of his rhythm attack.

THE SOUND

Essential Listening

Three recordings worth exploring.

Whole Lotta Rosie — AC/DC

Let There Be Rock (1977)

This studio version captures Malcolm Young at full throttle, driving the band with a riff that feels both primitive and meticulously locked in. The guitar arrangement is all propulsion and chassis-strength rhythm, leaving Angus room to cut above it while Malcolm keeps the song surging forward with unstoppable momentum.

Highway to Hell — AC/DC

Highway to Hell (1979)

The title track shows how Malcolm could make a riff sound massive without overcrowding it. His rhythm part is compact, insistent, and perfectly paced, turning a relatively simple progression into a stadium-sized statement. It is one of the clearest demonstrations of his exacting touch and arrangement sense.

Back in Black — AC/DC

Back in Black (1980)

Few rock songs better display Malcolm’s sense of space and weight. The opening guitar figure is crisp, dry, and unmistakably physical, with every chord hit landing like part of the drum kit. The recording shows how he could make restraint feel larger than excess, which is the essence of his art.

FROM THE ARCHIVE