Angus Young - WikiHQ

Angus McKinnon Young (born 31 March 1955) is an Australian musician, best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter, and the only continuous member of the hard rock band AC/DC. He is known for his energetic performances, school uniform-style stage outfits, and his own version of Chuck Berry's duckwalk. Young was ranked 38th in the 2023 edition of Rolling Stones 250 greatest guitarists of all time list. In 2003, Young and the other members of AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Early life

Angus McKinnon Young was born on 31 March 1955 in Glasgow, Scotland. In the 1950s, Young's father, William Young (1911–1985), his mother, Margaret (1913–1988; maiden name also Young), Cranhill was a tough, working-class suburb with high unemployment.

Young himself took up the guitar at the age of five or six, receiving one lesson from Alexander, after which he was self-taught. Young also learned how to fight on Cranhill's tough streets, and, on one occasion was struck by a car. John migrated to Australia separately from his parents and siblings, while Alexander was the only child to remain in the UK.

Initially staying at Villawood Migrant Hostel (a site later developed as Villawood Immigration Detention Centre) in Nissen huts, brother George met and became friends with another migrant, Harry Vanda, a relationship that grew into their professional careers in music. The house was demolished in December 2024, despite being on the National Trust List of Historic Homes since 2013. Young attended Burwood Public School from 1960 to 1966 and in 1967, attended Ashfield Boys High School, dropping out at age 15. While at high school, Young enjoyed only the art classes. He practised the guitar in his bedroom after school. Young's first guitar was a cheap acoustic model purchased second-hand by his mother. After high school, and with a pay packet,

Career

thumb|upright|Young live with [[AC/DC in 1982 at the Manchester Apollo]]

Both Angus and Malcolm were in a band with George and his music partner Harry Vanda called Marcus Hook Roll Band. The project released an album in Australia called Tales of Old Grand Daddy.

Prior to forming AC/DC, Angus Young played in a local group called Kantuckee. Kantuckee's line-up included Bob McGlynn (vocals), Angus Young (guitar), Jon Stevens (bass) and Trevor James (drums).

Young tried a number of stage costumes, such as Spider-Man, Zorro, a gorilla, and a parody of Superman named Super-Ang, before settling on his signature schoolboy look at the suggestion of his sister. To match this image the press and public were told that Young was born in 1959, not 1955. The original uniform was created by his sister Margaret and when it fell apart from wear and tear, he used his uniform from Ashfield Boys High School in Sydney.

In 2003, AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the following year they were ranked number 72 on Rolling Stones list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". VH1 ranked them number 23 on their list of the "100 greatest artists of all time" and number 4 in their list of the "100 greatest artists of hard rock".

Personal life

Young has been married to Ellen van Lochem, who is Dutch, since 1980; they have no children. They own homes in Australia, the UK, and the Netherlands.

Although a heavy smoker, Young is a teetotaler and has been his entire life. On 16 May 2012, he was named the "Best Australian Guitarist of All Time" in a poll conducted by Australian Guitar Magazine.

Equipment

Guitars

right|thumb|Young performing live in 2001 on the [[Stiff Upper Lip (album)|Stiff Upper Lip tour in Germany]]

Young has used Gibson SGs in various forms throughout his career. His original, and the basis for his current signature model, was a 1969–1971 SG Standard. One of his original SGs was given a lightning-bolt fingerboard during a repair by luthier John Diggins, and remained his most prominent studio guitar. His primary stage guitar is a 1967 ebony SG Standard. Diggins made at least one more SG for Young under his own "Jaydee" brand name.

At least two of his SGs, whether modified Gibson product or ground-up construction, circa 1977 and the Paris Let There Be Rock tapings featured on-board wireless going to his amplifiers, the circuitry installed in a cavity routed into the back of the body.

Gibson made a custom SG for Young with lightning bolt inlays to replace the Jaydee SG. Young's '69–'71 SG has T Top humbucking pick-ups. Another 1964 SG, which he used on the recording of Ballbreaker, has patent # pick-ups. All of these are vintage-output Alnico II or V pick-ups with matched coils typically reading 7.5k–7.8k DCR. Beginning in 2009, Young started fitting Seymour Duncan humbuckers to all of his touring guitars. He uses Ernie Ball Super Slinky guitar strings (.009-.042) and Fender "Extra Heavy" picks.

Angus Young SG

Young and Gibson Guitar Corporation have collaborated to make the Angus Young SG. It features a pick-up designed by Young himself, the Angus Young Signature Humbucker, in the bridge position, and a '57 Classic Humbucker in the neck. The neck has "lightning bolt" inlays.

Amplifiers

Young mainly uses Marshall 1959 100 watt Super Lead Plexi heads and model 1960 AX and BX 4x12 cabinets with Celestion G12-65 speakers. Later amplifiers included Marshall JMP 2203 and most recently, Wizard Amplifiers. Early wireless systems, the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System that he began using in 1977, was also used as a compressor and a booster in his signal to "fatten up" his tone. Ever since adding it to his rig, it was used on several albums in the studio for chosen rhythm guitar tracks and all lead guitar tracks. Beginning with Rock or Bust, due to the discontinuation of the Schaffer system, Young began using a replica of the unit's preamp with a commercial wireless unit from Shure.

In an interview with The Guitar Show, Young noted his influences include his brother Malcolm, Chuck Berry, Freddie King and Muddy Waters, while playing licks relating to Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townshend, John Lee Hooker and the Kinks' "You Really Got Me".

Young has indicated that he was also influenced by Keith Richards, When the band covered Chuck Berry songs in their early years, audiences would recognise the song, while noting their renditions were very different from the source material. or "Let There Be Rock" with Johnson. He frequently does his own version of Chuck Berry's duck walk, as well as a "spasm" during which he throws himself to the ground, kicking, shaking and spinning in circles while playing the guitar. In earlier years he might remove his jacket and shirt mid-song as a form of 'striptease' to the confused bemusement of the crowd.

Young was advised by older brother George that, if he ever tripped over his guitar cable, to keep playing and make it look like part of the act.

Discography

Marcus Hook Roll Band

Tales of Old Grand Daddy (1973 Australia, 1978 America, 2014 international)

AC/DC

Awards and nominations

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.

| 1995 || "Big Gun" – Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Most Played Australian Work Overseas ||

| 2001 || "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" – Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Ten Best Australian Songs ||

| 2006 || "Highway to Hell" – Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Most Played Australian Work Overseas ||

| 2007 || "Highway to Hell" – Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Most Played Australian Work Overseas ||

| 2009 || "Highway to Hell" – Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Most Played Australian Work Overseas ||

| rowspan="2"| 2010 || "Rock 'n' Roll Train" – Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Most Played Australian Work Overseas ||

| Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Most Played Australian Work Overseas ||

| rowspan="2"| 2015 || "Play Ball" - Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Song of the Year ||

| "Rock or Bust" - Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Most Performed Rock Work ||

| "Realize" - Angus Young, Malcolm Young || Song of the Year ||

References

External links

ACDC.com – official website