At age 58, Malcolm Young is rocking as hard as ever. Born January 6, 1953, the Scottish-born guitarist remains the key component behind one of the world's most indelible institutions, Australia's AC/DC. He may not have the swagger of the band's present vocalist, Brian Johnson, or the zany aging-schoolboy image parlayed by his younger brother, Angus, but he is the one who founded the band in 1973 and helped it earn induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 30 years later. Apart from a brief absence in 1988 (due to a drinking problem), he's the one who more or less plotted the band's direction and helped sustain its hard-rock mayhem in the process.
Not surprisingly, Young is the product of an enviable rock 'n' roll
lineage. His brother George was a prime mover in the Aussie outfit, the
Easybeats, whose tune "Friday On My Mind" established them as
international hit makers. Another brother, Alex -- the only member of the
family that wasn't an expatriate -- established his own bit of history
by founding the band Grapefruit, one of the earliest bands to ink a deal
with the Beatles' Apple organization in the late '60s. Nevertheless,
its Malcolm's relentless riffs and no-nonsense melodies that have helped
AC/DC establish their template for sheer rock 'n' roll frenzy.
As a result, it could be argued -- and successfully at that -- that no other outfit, before or since, has ever usurped AC/DC's crown as the world's most riveting rockers. In fact, it could be said that they even outrock the Rolling Stones, their closest competitor. Need proof? Try this for a side-by-side comparison:
