On This Day in 2017, the Loss of a Legendary Guitarist and Songwriter Shook the Foundations of Rock and Roll

On this day (November 18) in 2017, Malcolm Young died from dementia at the age of 64. He was the founding rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and backing vocalist of AC/DC. He and his brother Angus were the driving force behind many of the greatest songs in rock history.

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Young grew up in a musical family in which nearly all the boys and men played some kind of instrument. His older brother George was in a rising Australian rock band, and Alex played in Tony Sheridan’s backing band. Soon, Malcolm and Angus were playing with their brother George and his friends. Before long, though, he struck out on his own.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1990, AC/DC Released an Album That Contained Their Biggest Hot 100 Hit Ever—a Nod to Their Working-Class Roots]

After playing with a couple of local bands, Malcolm and Angus Young formed AC/DC in 1973. According to a biography, they got the name from the back of their sister’s sewing machine. To them, it represented the soul of the music they wanted to create: dangerous, powerful, and electrifying. While the band’s lineup changed several times, the brothers Young found their slots in the band’s infancy. Malcolm played rhythm guitar and Angus played lead.

Malcolm Young and AC/DC Hit the Big Time

AC/DC released two albums in 1975. High Voltage and T.N.T. were initially only released in Australia. Then, a year later, High Voltage became their first international release. Later that year, they shared Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. The latter became their first hit in the United States when it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.

Malcolm and Angus Young formed a songwriting trio with vocalist Bon Scott. They penned a long list of classic songs together before Scott died in 1980. This left the Youngs to handle the bulk of the songwriting ahead of the release of Back in Black, their 1980 breakout album and tribute to their late vocalist.

The band rolled on for more than two decades. Then, in 2008, the band released Black Ice, their final album with Malcolm on guitar. After touring in support of the album, his health began to decline. In 2014, he announced his retirement, passing the torch to his nephew, Stevie Young.

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