Malcolm Young: what is the reason for the guitarist's departure from AC / DC?

2015, perhaps, will be the last for the legendary AC / DC: cult musicians plan to retire. Of course, age takes its own, but also inexorable diseases disable these young men's soul. In 2014, it became known that Malcolm Young, one of the founders of the group, is seriously ill, so he can not continue to record hits and work on tour tours. What happened to the famous musician?

Malcolm and AC / DC

His life began on January 6, 1953 in Scottish Glasgow. Malcolm had six brothers and one sister, and it was with his brother Angus that he created the famous rock band for the whole world. The year of birth of the legendary AC / DC is 1973. Malcolm became the rhythm guitarist of the band, and Angus became the songwriter and solo guitarist.

The popularity of the then still unknown to any guys brought in the TV show "Countdown". First AC / DC warmed up the audience before the performances of Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Kiss, Cheap Trick and Foreigner. A lot of concerts were given, a lot of songs were played. But in the seventies there was a real hit, which raised the band to the top of popularity. And this, of course, Highway to Hell.

Years went by, the popularity of the collective grew. The soloists and other participants changed, but Angus and Malcolm Young remained unchanged.

The greatest guitar player of all time

This title awarded the Malcolm Young magazine Classic Rock. Of course, other well-known guitarists entered the list of the best. They are Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, George Harrison and Kurt Cobain. In this list is the brother of Malcolm Angus.

As the edition of Guitar Player notes, Malcolm Young has a special way of playing. It provides open chords through a slight gain and with low overload. Before him, rhythm guitarists have never played like that, and indeed, perhaps, so now only Malcolm Young does.

The guitar is the constant companion of a rock musician. In Malcolm Young, this is his famous "Grech". This guitar will seem to the inhabitant nothing remarkable, not allocated among similar, not especial. But this is not so. For Malcolm, this is one of the most important attributes of creativity, to which he remained faithful all his life, as a devoted admirer of traditions. In the 80's, the manufacturer had a difficult time, and many musicians refused to use Gretsch products, but not Malcolm Young. He continued to perform with his favorite guitar as much as he could.

What happened in 2014?

In the spring of 2014, Young left AC / DC. The 16th album of the band Rock Or Bust was already recorded without one of the founders of the band. Fans of the group, by the way feared that the new record simply will not, as well as a world tour, already planned for 2015. But everything worked out, and Stevie Young agreed to replace his uncle. He already performed on stage instead of Malcolm, when he had problems with alcohol in the 80's, and then many viewers did not even notice the substitution - so Stevie looked like his famous relative.

The cause of Malcolm's departure from the group was not withheld from the general public. The press was also spoken by Yang's comrades in AC / DC, and members of his family. So, almost immediately fans found out about the real reason of what happened - their idol had dementia.

In an interview with colleague Yang told that the first signs of frustration, they began to notice from Malcolm in 2008. Then the work on the Black Ice album was in full swing, and the guitarist could forget his parts. To play it with every week it became more difficult. The musician forgot even the words of the band's most famous hits. Then Angus asked his brother if he would not want to stop all this, because he saw how hard it was for Malcolm to work. But he replied: "We just have to do it!" And Black Ice saw the light.

But in 2014, Malcolm Young's condition worsened, so he had to stop speaking.

How does the musician feel now?

Unfortunately, it is completely impossible to recover from dementia, and over time the disease only progresses. Existing drugs and methods of therapy give only some improvement and slightly facilitate the adaptation of a person to life, but it is impossible to return his personality as it was before pathology began to manifest.

As sad as it may be, but did not become any happy exception and Malcolm Young. The disease did not recede, but, on the contrary, worsened. The musician has problems with short-term memory. Angus Young tells that Malcolm can forget that, for example, he talked to someone two minutes ago. Of course, in this case, the resumption of concert activity is simply impossible.

When the greatest talents are forced to stop their creative activity, it's sad. Nevertheless, the legacy of AC / DC and Malcolm Young is great. And so the musician will not be forgotten.