‘Without Malcolm There Wouldn’t Be Angus,’ Alice Cooper Guitarist Explains

Alice Cooper’s guitarist Ryan Roxie shared some advice for musicians.

The rocker sat down with Guitarist and talked about the importance of mastering the rhythm guitar. He said:

“The skill to play solid rhythm guitar always takes the back seat to playing lead and I don’t know why.”

He then mentioned AC/DC brothers Angus and Malcolm Young and explained how Malcolm’s presence helped the band:

“Without Malcolm there wouldn’t be Angus, or at least not the Angus we all know. Learning rhythm guitar will actually help you become a better lead player as it will lock you in more with the ‘rhythm section’ aka bass and drums.”

Roxie’s Advice On How To Be A Better Guitarist

Elsewhere in the same interview, Roxie mentioned that while flashy lead guitar might look good on social media and online platforms, it’s actually being good at rhythm guitar that gets you the gigs:

“Wanna get popular on YouTube? Play mind-blowing solos and post ’em up. Wanna get employed with a touring band? Play mind-blowing rhythm parts as well as solos that ultimately lift the song that becomes popular on all musical platforms, including YouTube!”

It’s fair to say the guitarist knows his way around social media since he regularly posts guitar videos on YouTube. You can watch his latest video, where he covered Sloan’s ‘All Used Up,’ down below.