by THOMAS O’SCANNELL Staff Writer
AC/DC rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young has recently gone on a break from the band due to an illness he is currently fighting.
The band released an official statement on their website on April 16, 2014, saying, “After forty years of life dedicated to AC/DC, guitarist and founding member Malcolm Young is taking a break from the band due to ill health. Malcolm would like to thank the group’s die hard legions of fans worldwide for their never-ending love and support.”
The weakness Young is suffering from has not been disclosed yet, and nothing else has been posted on the matter on AC/DC’s website.
The band also said, “In light of this news, AC/DC asks that Malcolm and his family’s privacy be respected during this time. The band will continue to make music.”
However, there has been much speculation. The frontman of a band called Choirboys, Mark Gable, says that Young has been experiencing problems recognizing familiar people, and sometimes has problems communicating.
“It’s not just that he is unwell, it’s that it is quite serious. It will constitute that he definitely won’t be able to perform live. He will probably not be able to record,” Gable says.
Gable also said that he heard Young’s son, Ross, “confirmed in part” that it is definite that Young will never be able to perform live in concert ever again.
Freshman Zach Jones says, “That’s very strange, mainly because Malcolm is a key part of the band! It will be interesting to see how it plays out.”
Critics and nervous fans alike have obviously taken into account that, due to Young’s importance in the band, AC/DC might consider retiring. It has even been said that brother Angus Young, who is also in AC/DC on lead guitars, and the late great Bon Scott, who fronted the band until his untimely death in 1980, acknowledged Young as “the band”, and that he could be considered the only person the band would not be able to continue without. Nevertheless, AC/DC and the Young family deny any rumors of a split.
The band’s post on their website also revealed that Young’s absence from the band will not stop the band from writing or recording new music.
However, many other sources beg to differ. They claim that AC/DC’s official retirement is near, including an anonymous person identifying himself as “Thunderstruck.”
Thunderstruck said in an email, “My information is that Malcolm Young has moved himself and his family back to Australia, he’s very very ill and that AC/DC may well be history.”
Then again, there are other sources that say AC/DC are really as sincere and hopeful as they sound. Despite Gable’s doubts, he does admit that the fact that Young is gone may not stop the band from progressing with their plans for a 40th anniversary tour and plans to make a sequel to their most recent studio album “Black Ice,” which was released in 2008.
Freshman Chris Preuster says, “I wonder how the band will be able to continue and how well the band will be able to perform without Young.”
AC/DC are probably best remembered for their extremely popular 1980 album “Back in Black,” which, alongside Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon,” has sold 50 million units worldwide and, with “The Dark Side of the Moon”, is the second highest-selling album of all-time. Other volcanic releases from the Aussies include 1979’s “Highway to Hell” and 1981’s “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).”
The band has always been graced with stellar musicians in addition to Young, including former lead singer Scott, current lead singer Brian Johnson, and Young’s younger brother Angus, who is probably the band’s most recognizable member.
The band’s fans and rock fans in general keep Young and his family in their thoughts, and everybody is keeping their fingers crossed that this will not be the end of AC/DC.
What illness do you think Malcolm Young might be suffering from?