Malcolm Young was born on January 6, 1953 in Glasgow, Scotland. Malcolm is the sixth child of
the Young Family. He was ten when his family moved from Scotland to settle in Sydney, Australia.
Upon arriving in Australia, Malcolm wasted little time in earning a reputation as a schoolyard
brawler. He left school as soon as he could and found gainful employment. He worked as a machine
maintenance engineer for a bra company.
Malcolm picked up the guitar while he was still at school. He graduated quickly from acoustic to
electric and picked up tips from his older brother George whenever the Easybeats returned from a
tour. The salary from his work allowed Malcolm to buy more professional guitars.
Eventually Malcolm put a few small bands together. During 1971 he joined up with Australia's
Velvet Underground. The Velvet Underground went through a number of line-up changes during
their brief career, but were never considered good enough to make any lasting impact.
During 1973 George Young, along with his partner Harry Vanda, were working on an album under
the name of the Marcus Hook Roll Band at Albert Studios. The project had begun in London as a
casual, tongue-in-cheeck diversion but took on a more serious aura after EMI's American division
expressed interest in a full album. In the process, George and Harry recruited Malcolm and Angus
as supporting players. That was the first thing Malcolm and Angus did before AC/DC.
The Marcus Hook Roll Band project had had a profound effect on Malcolm, who decided that the
standard process of overdubbing tracks one by one went against his idea of how rock'n'roll ought to
be made. He decided that his band wouldn't do that.
When the Velvet Underground fell apart, Malcolm determined to put together a new outfit. At first
this was to be a one-guitar band, with a keyboard player being drafted to fill out the sound. But a
sudden change of heart on Malcolm's part led to his decision to get in a second guitarist to play
alongside with him. He turned to his brother Angus. Malcolm's new band called AC/DC rehearsed
energically, playing cover versions. The band's first gig took place in the Chequers Club in Sydney
on December 31, 1973.
Angus Young (Lead Guitar)
Angus Young was born on March 31, 1955 in Glasgow, Scotland. At school, Angus was an
unenthusiastic student. His only real academic interest was art wich allowed him some freedom of
expression. He gave up school at 15 and went to work for a soft porn magazine called Ribald as a
printer.
But his ambitions laid elsewhere anyway, and for a year prior to leaving school Angus had been
practising guitar almost constantly, jamming around with friends and playing at school dances. In the
beginning, Angus messed around with Malcolm's guitars for years before his mother finally bought
him his own, a cheap little acoustic. By the time he was eleven Angus had flirted with a tutorial
course, but he prefered to learn by himself and most of his musical education was pure trial and
error.
While his older brother Malcolm was hatching plans for his new band, Angus was well on his way
toward establishing a distinctive stage persona. His spasmodic, seemingly out-of-control onstage
body language has always come naturally. Such trademark Angus moves as his patented duckwalk
and his on-the-floor body spasms could be handy attention-getting devices when playing for
drunken, rowdy barroom crowds. Many of these gestures grew out of accidents.
One night Tantrum, the pre-AC/DC band Angus was playing with, was going down really badly.
Angus walked across the stage and tripped over the guitar lead, so he felt a right dick and he kept
running across the floor. He made it look like a death scene, screaming all hell from the guitar. It
was the only clap they got that night. Angus told his brother about it. Malcolm asked him to join the
band he was putting together.
Bon Scott (Vocals)
Bon Scott was born on July 9, 1946 in Kirriemuir, Scotland. He spent the first six years of his life in
the small town of Kirriemuir. Bon's parents hailed from musical families; his father, Charles, known
to friends and relations as Chick, played drums in the Kirriemuir Pipe Band and performed with the
local light-opera company. In 1952, the Scott family relocated to Australia. The Scotts first resided
in Melbourne before settling in the Adelaide suburb of Sunshine. In 1956, Bon's brother Graeme
was diagnosed with asthma and the Scott family relocated to Fremantle.
As early as grade school, Bon had shown an affinity for music, first playing recorder in school; he
would subsequently have brief flirtations with piano and accordion, before settling on drums. Bon
took his first tentative steps as a performer at the age of twelve, playing a recorder duet with a
classmate at a school concert and banging the drums alongside his father in the local Caledonian
Society's Scots pipe band.
Bon's lifelong distaste for authority led him to quit his studies at the age of fifteen. After leaving
school, he held a series of odd jobs, driving a tractor, laboring on fishing boats and working as an
apprentice weighing-machine mechanic.
Bon's earliest bands found him doubling up on vocals and drums. In Perth during 1966 he played
with The Spectors. Then he moved on to The Valentines. In May 1967 The Valentines released a
debut single entitled 'Every Day I Have To Cry' on the Clarion label. Despite its lack of originality,
the single reached the Top 5 of the local charts. But their next three singles flopped and they
decided to move to Melbourne for a change of luck.
The Valentines recorded three Easybeats songs, 'She Said', 'Pelicular Hole In The Sky' and 'My
Old Man's A Groovy Old Man'. The latter reached No. 23 in the Australian charts in July 1969. On
September 20, 1969 The Valentines were arrested for dope possession which shattered their
clean-cut image beyond repair. Nevertheless The Valentines released another single, 'Juliette' in
April 1970 that barely reached the Australian Top 30. The band officially called it quits on August
1, 1970.
Within six months of The Valentine's dissolution, Bon received a call from Bruce Houwe, leader of a
new blues-rock band called Fraternity, inviting him to join his group. By the time Bon joined
Fraternity, the band had already recorded a single, 'Why Did It Have To Be Me', and begun gigging
around Adelaide, where it had relocated from its original base of Sydney. After two albums for
RCA Australia, 'Live Stock' in 1971 and 'Flaming Galah' in 1972, Fraternity decided to try their
luck in Europe. For the most of 1973 they toured the Continent, principally Britain and Germany.
They even got to support a band called Geordie, fronted by one Brian Johnson, in the UK. The
European trip was largely fruitless for Fraternity and they returned to Australia slightly disillusioned.
After returning home, Bon was involved in a motorbike accident that left him in a coma for three
days and in hospital for several months, ending his association with Fraternity.
Now based in Adelaide, Bon was reduced to taking on casual work until the day he was offered the
chance to drive this new band called AC/DC around. Bon lost little time in telling the band he could
play drums, and before long he'd successfully auditioned for Peter Clack's position in the band. He
also recommended as bass player his old friend from Fraternity, Bruce Houwe. But Bon harboured
ambitions to front the band. He persuaded the Young brothers that the band needed a better
frontman and he suggested himself as the ideal replacement. And when Dave Evans failed to turn up
for a show, Bon seized his chance.
Bon Scott was the man who brought AC/DC into sharp focus. He was a unique personality, a man
of such charisma that he could make every single fan in an audience of thousands feel like he was
performing just for them, whilst also having the ability to make the local pub seem like an arena. He
enjoyed life and loved nothing better than giving pleasure to others.
Yet Bon Scott was also an excessive and this would ultimately lead to tragedy. After a night of
heavy drinking, Bon died in a car parked outside a friend's flat in South London sometime on
February 19, 1980. He was prononced dead on arrival at Kings College Hospital. Bon Scott lies in
the Fremantle Cemetery's Memorial Garden in Australia.
Phil Rudd (Drums)
Phil Rudd was born on May 19, 1954 in Melbourne, Australia. Phil made his name with the
Colored Balls, a skinhead band formed by guitarist Lobby Lloyd and singer Angry Anderson (who
went on to form Rose Tatoo), which terrorised the club circuit during the early Seventies with a
ferocious brand of yob-rock.
Two singles ('Liberate Rock' and 'Mess Of Blues') were the only recognised fruits of Phil Rudd's
time with the Colored Balls who, in 1974, changed their name to Buster Brown and went on to
record one album ('Something To Say') for the indie Mushroom Records later the same year. But
by the beginning of 1975 Phil had had enough, and hardly hesitated when AC/DC offered him the
gig.
In 1983, at the end of the recording sessions of 'Flick Of The Switch', there were personal
difficulties between Phil and Malcolm Young. Their relationship progressively deteriorated, to the
point where a physical confrontation eventually took place. Two hours later Phil was out, flying
home. Phil elected to retire to New Zealand where he bought a helicopter business and gave up
professional music completely.
In 1994, when AC/DC were playing in New Zealand, Malcolm and Angus Young gave Phil a call.
They hadn't seen him in about ten years. Then, around May 1994, they asked Phil to come and jam
with them. He was back in the band.
Mark Evans (Bass Guitar)
Mark Evans was born on March 2, 1956 in Melbourne, Australia. In March 1975, Mark met
AC/DC when they played a date at the Station Hotel in Melbourne. He had actually been thrown
out and barred from the Station Hotel for brawling the night before the AC/DC show. Mark and his
mates managed to get back into the bar for the gig the next night, but were eventually spotted by the
hotel's bouncers who threw them out once again. During the ensuing melée, Bon and AC/DC roadie
Steve McGrath jumped in to help Mark Evans. They managed to persuade the hotel management
not to throw him out. Two weeks later Mark joined the band and even played one of his first shows
with them at the Station Hotel.
Mark left AC/DC during the summer of 1977 and flew back to Australia. Joining up with vocalist
Owen Orford and drummer Peter McFarlane, he swiftly put together an outfit called Contraband
and recorded an album entitled 'Nothing To Hide' for the Portrait label, which was released in
1978. Mark Evans recorded three albums with Contraband.
Subsequently, Mark turned up in various Australian bands, none of whom really went on to achieve
anything of note. Arguably the most interesting were Heaven, managed by Michael Browning and
fronted by one Allan Fryer, who was considered at one time to be the hot favorite to replace Bon
Scott after his tragic death in 1980.
The last anyone heard musically from Mark Evans was in Los Angeles during the early '90s when he
recorded an album with The Zoo, led by Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood.
Cliff Williams (Bass Guitar)
Cliff Williams was born on December 14, 1949 in Romford (Essex), England. He moved with his
familly to Liverpool when he was nine, where he spent the first two working years of his life as an
engineer before joining his first band.
Linking up with singer Mick Stubbs, guitarist Laurie Wisefield, keyboard player Clive John and
drummer Mick Cook, Cliff found himself playing bass for a band called Home. By 1970 the group's
progressive brand of both hard and soft rock had earned them a deal with Epic Records and a
debut LP was released the following year under the title 'Pause For A Hoarse Horse'. In November
1971 Home supported Led Zeppelin at the Wembley Empire Pool on the second of Led Zep's
'Electric Magic' concerts which featured circus acts as well as rock bands.
During 1972 Jim Anderson replaced Clive John on keyboards and Home released a self-titled
album, going on to have their one and only hit with 'Dreamer' in November 1972, which peaked at
No. 41 in the UK album charts. 'The Alchemist' followed in 1973 but by then the band seemed to
have run their course, and when controversial folk troubadour Al Steward suggested they back him
on his first American tour in March 1974, Mick Stubbs went his own way and the others bacame
The Al Steward Band. This didn't last long, and Cliff Williams was next to jump ship, forming Bandit
in 1974.
Bandit quickly got a deal with Arista and released a self-titled album in 1977. Joining Cliff in this
line-up were such future luminaries as vocalist Jim Diamond (who went on to success as a solo
artist) and drummer Graham Broad (who was later to join Buck's Fizz). But Bandit did little
business and Cliff had no hesitation when he received the call from AC/DC.
Brian Johnson (Vocals)
Brian Johnson was born on October 5, 1947 in Newcastle Upon Tyne (Northumberland), England.
As a kid Brian performed Gang Shows with the Scouts, appeared in a TV play and even joined the
local church choir. But he was quickly bitten by the rock'n'roll demon. In February 1972 he joined
the Newcastle band USA, also featuring guitarist Vic Malcolm, bassist Tom Hill and drummer Brian
Gibson. They changed their name to the far more appropriate Geordie a few months later. The
band's first single, 'Don't Do That', was issued towards the end of the year through EMI, peaking at
No. 32 in the British charts. This was rapidly followed a few months later by their biggest hit in the
form of 'All Because Of You', which reached No. 6 in the charts, and another Top 20 hit with 'Can
You Do It'.
As the glam era thrived so did Geordie, although after 'Electric Lady' slid out of the charts, only
reaching No. 32 in August 1973, the band began to go out of fashion. Geordie continued to play the
club circuit and released three albums during the Seventies as well as one compilation album,
'Master Of Rock' in 1974. Sadly, none of their albums managed to persuade anyone to take the
band seriously in the long-term. Shortly after the release of 'Save The World' in 1976, Geordie
called it quits.
Brian actually gave up all hopes of making it in the music business at this point. But by the beginning
of 1980, he started to think about having another crack at the entertainment world. He persuaded
his former colleagues to reform Geordie. When AC/DC approached Brian, Geordie had just signed
a deal with Red Bus Records in London, initially for a single. Geordie elected to carry on when
Brian left, recruiting one Terry Schlesser as his replacement.
Simon Wright (Drums)
Simon Wright was born on June 19, 1963 in Alden, England. At 18 he joined an unknown
Manchester based band called Tora Tora who released just one self-financed single, 'Red Sun
Setting' on the Mancunian Metal label. In 1980 Simon Wright joined AIIZ and recorded the live
'Witch Of Berkeley' LP for Polydor. However, AIIZ fell apart, going on to release just one more
record, a single titled 'I'm The One Who Loves You' prior to splitting up.
By the end of 1982 Simon had moved to London and joined the more promising Tytan, a powerful
British band of fluctuating personel who sounded like a cross between Black Sabbath and
Whitesnake. The outfit had released an excellent 12-inch single, 'Blind Men And Fools', and were
recording a debut album called 'Rough Justice' for Kamikaze Records when Simon took over from
former Judas Priest drummer Les Binks (Simon did three tracks for the record). However, financial
problems eventually buried Tytan, leaving an unfinished album. Tytan folded during the Summer
1983.
The future looked bleak for Simon Wright, until a friend spotted an ad in the paper and insisted on
him applying. The ad said: "Heavy Rock drummer wanted. If you don't hit hard, don't apply". Simon
did two auditions; the first one just playing along to two or three songs, and then the second one, a
couple of days later, with AC/DC. After the second audition, the band invited him to sit down with
them to discuss touring arrangements. He was in AC/DC.
In 1989, Simon Wright took up an offer from Ronnie James Dio to play on Dio's new album, 'Lock
Up The Wolves'. And while initially it was claimed Simon was merely guesting on the record as a
session drummer, a few months later it was announced that he'd been inducted as a full member of
Dio's band. But Simon did not last long with Dio. Ronnie James Dio disbanded his group to rejoin
Black Sabbath only one year after Simon Wright jumped in. Since then Simon has been working
with Rhino Bucket who released an album titled 'Pain' in 1984.
Chris Slade (Drums)
Chris Slade was born on October 30, 1946 in Pontypridd, Wales. His career can be traced back
to 1963. His first success came in 1965 when he played on the Tom Jones hit single 'It's Not
Unusual'. Chris subsequently toured with Tom Jones before quitting in 1969 to join a group called
Toomorrow whose focal attraction was an Australian blonde called Olivia Newton-John.
Returning to session work, Chris recorded albums with Tony Hazzard and Tom Paxton in 1971,
before joining Manfred Mann's Earth Band in March 1972. He was to spend six years with the
band, recording nine albums and achieving three UK Top Ten singles in the process: 'Joybringer'
(No. 9, october 1973), 'Blinded By The Light' (No. 6, September 1976) and 'Davy's On The Road
Again' (No.6, June 1978).
After leaving the Earth Band, Chris recorded two albums in 1979 with Frankie Miller and Kai
Olsson, before joining Uriah Heep in time to play on their 'Conquest' album in 1980. After that,
Chris Slade teamed up with Gary Numan, Bad Company guitarist Mick Raphs in the disastrous
Mick Raphs Band and toured with Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, prior to teaming up with
Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers and bassist Tony Franklin in The Firm at the end of 1984.
The Firm never lived up to the reputation of its individual members, although they did produce two
albums for Atlantic in 1985 and 1986. Then Chris joined up with Gary Moore on a temporary
basis, taking over from Cozy Powell just four days before the start of the 1989 'After The War'
tour. It was at one of Gary Moore's gigs in Los Angeles that Malcolm Young saw Chris Slade play.
After the tour it was his intention to put together a band with ex-Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay. But
the call from AC/DC scuppered those plans.
