Malcolm Young

fastonebaz

Was tracking the rhythm to Sin City this evening and through detailed listening of the original Powerage recording I felt a little overwhelmed with his loss I must admit.  An ACDC follower since first picking up the guitar I think Angus taught me to play but Malcolm taught me to be play in time.  I expect that many a track is made up of comps but despite that, it's still metronomic in its rhythm regularly.

stratman3142

I know what you mean, although I'm not sure I'd call it 'metronomic', which suggests digitally precise to me. AC/DC as a whole have an great groove. There's some sort of swing to the rhythm that's hard to pin down.

fastonebaz

Its almost like there isn't a verb for it.  It's precisely repetitive, but without being repetitive.  THere's probably a word in Polish for it mind.

DrBob

Yep,agreed, that moment when I realised that what I really wanted to be doing was trying to be more Malcolm than Angus was almost an epiphany 

roberty

Rick Beato has done one on this



I agree, it is so sad about Malcolm. Such an awful disease

soma1975

Malcolm is up there with Keef and Nile Rodgers for amazing rhythm players.

He is tight as anything but he swings.  

TTBZ

DrBob said:

Yep,agreed, that moment when I realised that what I really wanted to be doing was trying to be more Malcolm than Angus was almost an epiphany 

Yep, same thing for me and also the same with Bill in Mastodon. Something cool about a solid rhythm player holding the fort whilst the lead guitarist is buggering about showing off. I probably should have been a bass player.

stickyfiddle

Never mind rhythm vs lead, I'd put Malcolm in my top 5 guitarists any day of the week. 

Rowby1

Totally with you on this @fastonebaz his playing isn’t so much metronomic as accurate. The little pushes and inflections in the timing are all placed perfectly. Just immense energy and excitement in the way he plays. Then on top of that his tone is brilliantly raw.

As an aside, the first gig I ever went to was AC/DC on the Highway To Hell tour a couple of months before Bon died. 

Adey

Rowby1 said:

As an aside, the first gig I ever went to was AC/DC on the Highway To Hell tour a couple of months before Bon died. 

Yep. I saw them at Southampton Gaumont on Highway to Hell tour. Last date of the tour I think. I'm 6'5" and was standing at the front (sorry if you were standing behind me!)

fastonebaz

Wow must've been so awesome to see them at ther height of their energy. 

newi123

Always annoys me when covers bands do AC/DC and the Malcolm part is soaked in drive......... :-(

Rowby1

newi123 said:

Always annoys me when covers bands do AC/DC and the Malcolm part is soaked in drive......... :-(

Yes, hate that too!

Dodge

Rowby1 said:

newi123 said:

Always annoys me when covers bands do AC/DC and the Malcolm part is soaked in drive......... :-(

Yes, hate that too!

There's a great video of Audley Freed doing a Gibson clinic when he talks about Malcolm Young and Pete Townshends rhythm playing and tone. It's not saturated at all, just beginning to drive.

What a tone this is:. 

pintspiller

I think Malcolm Young had it all. The sound, the ability to write hooky/catchy chord progressions.

He looked swamped and barely in control when he had the jazz box. He always suited the look with the battered solid body.

Danny1969

newi123 said:

Always annoys me when covers bands do AC/DC and the Malcolm part is soaked in drive......... :-(

Me too, used very little gain. 

The chord voicing is critical, not just the actual 5's he played but the way he attacked, muting the bottom E with his thumb quite often and striking for attack. Get the voicing wrong and it just doesn't sound right ... right notes maybe but not right

newi123

Danny1969 said:

newi123 said:

Always annoys me when covers bands do AC/DC and the Malcolm part is soaked in drive......... :-(

Me too, used very little gain. 

The chord voicing is critical, not just the actual 5's he played but the way he attacked, muting the bottom E with his thumb quite often and striking for attack. Get the voicing wrong and it just doesn't sound right ... right notes maybe but not right

Yep - I think any good player is distinctive in the way they attack and play the note.

On one of the rig rundowns the tech said Malcolms Marshalls were on 3 or 4. That's pretty clean really!

Also annoys me when bands play highway and haven't listened to when the guitars come in...... Both from the first chord - aarrggghhhhhh! 

DrBob

Dodge said:

Rowby1 said:

newi123 said:

Always annoys me when covers bands do AC/DC and the Malcolm part is soaked in drive......... :-(

Yes, hate that too!

There's a great video of Audley Freed doing a Gibson clinic when he talks about Malcolm Young and Pete Townshends rhythm playing and tone. It's not saturated at all, just beginning to drive.

What a tone this is:. 

Audleys such a great player