Former AC/DC drummer sat down with Igor Miranda for a new interview and talked about the times he played with the band.
According to him, AC/DC isn’t Brian Johnson’s or Angus Young’s band, but it’s Malcolm Young’s band.
“It was his band. It wasn’t Angus or Brian. It was Malcolm’s band,” the drummer explained. “And he did everything — made decisions about visual direction, and songs, and lyrics, I’m sure. Although they co-wrote, Angus and Mal. And they [were] so well, those two guitars together. It’s so hard to do that and do it as well as they did it.”
“So Malcolm, I consider a genius,” he added. “A real genius. Like, in other words, unique in his field of rhythm guitarists, and probably songwriters, too. Because they wrote some great songs.”
Malcolm had to leave the band because of health issues back in 2014. Three years after leaving, the guitarist passed away. Right after learning the news that the guitarist left the band, the drummer praised Malcolm’s guitar skills.
“I’ve spoken to other guitarists about this — he must be the greatest rhythm guitarist ever born,” Slade said of Malcolm in an interview with The Pulse Of Radio ten years ago.” Even Angus [Young] says he’s a better guitarist. He makes the drummer’s job so easy; he’s a metronome.”
Malcolm’s nephew, Stevie Young, stepped in to fill his role in the band after his departure.
AC/DC hit the road for the first time in eight years. The last date of the tour has just wrapped up. While Cliff Williams rejoined the band for their Power Trip show in 2023, he’s stepping aside again for this tour. Phil Rudd has been replaced by Matt Laug and Mike Campbell, though the reasons are unclear.