The AC/DC-Angels Intersection, with John Brewster

Australian rock rhythm guitar master John Brewster improvises a piece, in the below video, after being asked to explain where his band The Angels and their Alberts label mates (and friends) AC/DC crossed paths in sound/style in the mid-1970s. 

Rhythm guitarists John Brewster and Malcolm Young jammed together in motel rooms on the TNT Australian tour, with Young being so impressed by 'The Keystone Angels' he and his brother Angus recommended them to Alberts and their producers Vanda & Young.

When AC/DC left Australia in April 1976, The Angels bought the amps and some of the guitars AC/DC played on the TNT, Dirty Deeds and High Voltage albums, which The Angels then used them to record their chart-rocking, pub-packing Face To Face and No Exit albums.

Considering the global musical impact of AC/DC and the direct influence of The Angels (Angel CIty) on 1980s L.A. hard rock and Seattle's grunge, I sometimes think that two year period when AC/DC and The Angels intersected was ultimately more influential on 1990s-2010s rock and metal music than the punk era that was beginning to unfold at the same time in the U.K. and the U.S.

And it all began in some of the cheapest, grittiest motel rooms in South Australia in 1975, with both bands fighting to find The Sound that would electrify brutally drunk and unforgiving Australian pub rock crowds and make them cheer instead of throwing glass ashtrays and full beer cans.

Both bands found their sound. And their own levels of success and fame. 

Angus Young On His Brother Malcolm's 7 Year Long Fight With Dementia

Angus Young on his brother Malcolm's dementia is devastating:

“Malcolm was always very organised. And it was kind of strange for the first time to see him disorganised, being confused about a lot of things. That’s when it kind of hit me — there’s something not right with him.“

I thought that at times it was not Malcolm with me. He would say at the time: ‘I have good days and I have bad days.’ Later on, when he got diagnosed – he had brain shrinkage, and he got diagnosed in America and they gave him some medication to help him – I said: ‘Are you going to be fit for this? Because it’s going to be a hefty tour.’ And he said: ‘We’ll do it. We’ll do it.’

“He was not well when we went to do the Black Ice album. His symptoms of dementia were starting then, and he got through it. I had said to him, even before we did the album: ‘Are you sure you want to do this? I have to know that you really want to do it.’ He was the one who said: ‘Yes! We’ve really got to do it.’

As mentioned in previous stories here, Malcolm Young's dementia affected him, and his live performance, all the way through the Black Ice world tour.

“It was hard work for him. He was relearning a lot of those songs that he knew backwards; the ones we were playing that night he’d be relearning.”

“He was his own driver. He himself had that thing, where you’ve just got to keep going ..

“Sometimes you would look and he’d be there, and you’d be, ‘Malcolm!’ And you’d have a really great day and he’d be Malcolm again. And other times, his mind was going. “But he still held it together. He’d still get on the stage. Some nights he played and you’d think: ‘Does he know where he is?’ But he got through.” 

 AC/DC singer Brian Johnson said of performing with Malcolm on the Black Ice tour:

“Can you imagine knowing you’re not sure about (what’s happening)? You know where you are, put it that way, but your mind’s playing tricks. He was brilliant. He did brilliant.”

The singer adds that the other band members wanted to step in and help, but they were worried about denting Malcolm’s pride.

“It was tough. But you couldn’t say anything or do anything, because it would have been like giving pity. You had to treat it like a normal day. So we did. He said, keep making music. Without any of that sympathy stuff, you know? So we did..."

Angus also tells a story from his childhood, watching his older brother George suddenly become famous with The Easybeats:

“I knew my brother was in bands, but I’d never seen him play. I remember coming home from school and seeing all these people outside the house, and I couldn’t get in the house. There was all these police, all these schoolgirls … I’m this little kid saying to the policeman: ‘I live in this house!’ ‘Yeah kid, sure.’ I went right round the block then asked the people behind: ‘Can I go over your fence so I can get in my house?’ That’s how I found out my brother had a hit. My father, he said: ‘You tell no one.’ At school I couldn’t say what my brother did. There’d be some kids at the bottom of the street saying: ‘Angus, that’s your brother.’ And I’m going ‘I’m not allowed to talk about it.’”

The secrecy that surrounded the Young family was present in Angus' childhood, and fixed in his early memories. For him to be so open with the media about Malcolm's dementia has surprised even some of Angus' friends. But it's important. And it raises awareness on dementia. Angus Young didn't have to front an anti-dementia campaign, just talking about what happened to Malcolm, so honestly, will make a big difference and raise awareness of what dementia can do to middle-aged people, too.

The Full Story Is Here

Angus Young Reveals His Brother Malcolm Has Been Suffering Symptoms Of Dementia Since 2008

By Darryl Mason

In one of the most personal interviews he's ever given, AC/DC's Angus Young has opened up about his brother Malcolm, now in a Sydney care facility suffering from dementia.


"It's something that had actually been happening for a long time," Angus Young told Rolling Stone magazine, meaning Malcolm's lapses in concentration and ability to remember riffs he'd written was failing as far back as 2008, when the band recorded the Black Ice album.

"(Malcolm was) still capable of knowing what he wanted to do. I had said to him, 'Do you want to go through with what we're doing?' And he said, 'Shit, yeah.' "

Touring through 2008-2010 saw Malcolm receiving treatment on the road, and had to re-learn some of the band's most famous songs, which, Angus said, "was very strange for him. But...we made it work."

But then, "with the condition he got in, that kind of faded."

Malcolm and Angus Young had been writing for a new album since 2008, and all the songs on the new album Rock Or Bust are credited to the brothers, Young-Young, but Malcolm didn't play on the new album. Rhythm guitars are supplied by Angus' cousin Stevie Young, who used Malcolm's guitars and amps.

Singer Brian Johnson revealed the future of AC/DC, beyond unspecified touring in 2015, is all up to Angus Young. He decides now if the band continues beyond next year.

It certainly seems drummer Phil Rudd, recently arrested in New Zealand, and rumoured to be fighting drug addiction, won't be joining AC/DC on tour. Rudd turned up for the album recording sessions in Vancouver, Canada. But, claims producer Brendan O'Brien, Rudd was 10 days late, and was almost replaced there and then.

Angus Young told Rolling Stone, his brother Malcolm "still likes his music. We make sure he has his Chuck Berry, a little Buddy Holly."

The same music the brothers Young grew up listening to, when they dreamed of becoming famous musicians and taking on the world.

A dream they've both lived to see become reality.

The Full Rolling Stone Story Is Here

AC/DC's New Album 'Rock Or Bust' Out Late November, Malcolm Young Officially Retires

Angus Young, fan Mathew Nagra, Stevie Young, May 2014 via AC/DCBrasil.net

By Darryl Mason

UPDATE: A good source says this is the track list for AC/DC's new album 'Rock Or Bust':

1. Play Ball
2. Sign of The Times
3. Ain't The Way
4. Rock or Bust
5. Done Her Good
6. Steal My Meal
7. Watching Games
8. Cardhouse Blues
9. Bulletride
10. Rumble
11. Back in The Zone


Following up from stories posted here earlier this year, AC/DC has now confirmed that AC/DC founding member, key songwriter, rhythm guitarist and 'The Boss' has officially retired from the band due to illness. Malcolm Young is believed to have suffered a stroke late last year just before the band got back together to rehearse for a new album and found he could no longer play. Malcolm is believed to be in a care home at this time.

So, AC/DC's new album will be titled Rock Or Bust and released November 28.

The first single will be called Play Ball, and will be released/previewed this weekend.

Here's all the info Albert's and Sony has officially released on the album news:

* Rock Or Bust is AC/DC's first new album since 2008's eight million copy shifter Black Ice.

* The album will contain 11 new songs

* Rock Or Bust was recorded at Warehouse Studios, Vancouver, in May, with producer Brendan O’Brien and mixer Mike Fraser.

* Malcolm Young doesn't feature on the album. Angus and Malcolm's cousin Stevie Young is now rhythm guitarist, and will tour with AC/DC for their 2015 'Rock Or Bust' world tour.

* Albert's: "Unfortunately, due to the nature of Malcolm's illness, he will not be re-joining the band."

Here's some unofficial news/rumours:

* Angus Young most or all of the songs.

* We may finally get to hear Angus Young playing some straight blues rock on 'Rock Or Bust,' and there may even be a small amount of his phenomenal jazz guitar playing. Certainly hope so.

* Angus Young may retire the school uniform. His hair's gone completely grey and he's said to be unwilling to dye it, or to act out the schoolboy character for this next tour.

* The 2015 'Rock Or Bust' tour may be a substantially smaller scale, and shorter, world tour than their 2008-2010 Black Ice world tour.

* This album, the band's 17th official album release, is likely to be their last.

And something very curious to finish off, for now. AC/DC's original singer (1974-1975) Dave Evans released a song called Rock N Roll Or Bust in 2006, on his solo album Sinner.

Dave Evans reaction to AC/DC naming their new album, Rock Or Bust, so similarly to one of his songs should be interesting.

UPDATE: Dave Evans reaction to the new AC/DC album title? "I like it!"

April 2014: AC/DC Confirms Malcolm Young Taking A Break Due To Ill Health, But Rest Of The Band Will Make New Music

July 2014: AC/DC Finish New Album, Malcolm Young In Hospital

Is This The End Of AC/DC?