Malcolm Young: The Man Who Made AC/DC

by Jeff Apter

Malcolm Young was a legend: the founder and the driving force of AC/DC, a man with what many have called 'the greatest right hand in rock and roll'. That right hand provided the instantly recognisable riffs and muscle behind such timeless songs as 'Highway to Hell', 'Back in Black', 'A Long Way to the Top' and many others. Malcolm was instrumental in ensuring that AC/DC survived shifting musical trends and numerous in-house dramas to stand tall as the biggest rock band on the planet. Yet he was the most unpretentious man to ever strap on a Gretsch guitar.

One of eight children, Young was always destined for a life in rock and roll: his elder brother George was a key member of The Easybeats and was also a vital early mentor of AC/DC. And Malcolm stood alongside his younger brother Angus in AC/DC for the best part of 40 years.

Malcolm lived hard and fast, enduring incredible hardship when the band started out in the mid-1970s, surviving the terrible loss of Bon Scott in 1980, and suffering numerous personal demons, including alcoholism. Yet without Malcolm Young, there would have been no AC/DC. As the band's former bassist, Mark Evans, wrote of Malcolm: 'He was the driven one, the planner, the schemer, the behind the scenes guy, ruthless and astute.'

This is the first biography to focus exclusively on Malcolm and tells the riveting story of his remarkable rise from working-class Glasgow and the Villawood migrant hostel in Sydney to the biggest stages in the world. It includes rarely seen photographs and is essential reading for any AC/DC fan.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2019

About the author

Jeff Apter is the author of more than 30 books, many dealing with the world of music. He has written biographies of Keith Urban, Malcolm and Angus Young of AC/DC, Jeff Buckley and the Bee Gees. As ghostwriter, he has worked with ARIA Hall of Famers Kasey Chambers and Richard Clapton, and AC/DC’s Mark Evans. He was also the creative consultant for the award–nominated live production A State of Grace: The Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley and spent four years on staff at Rolling Stone Australia.

Reviews

[Peter Langston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really outstanding read from Apter. His documentation of the life of Malcolm Young, starting in working class grit and determination and rising to an international music superstar is marked by one simple thing - the completely unchanged nature of his subject. Young grew as he lived, as he succeeded, as he died - fierce, loyal, determined, unaffected by circumstance and true to his nature. He never forgot who he was among all of the distractions of what he did. All of that sits more importantly apart from his quality as a guitarist who set the tone, the timing and the rhythm of every song of the biggest rock band of all time. As others have said, the final chapters are gut wrenching. I read them with tears welling and sometimes falling. Well done Apter. You just about captured lightning in a bottle ... just about.

[Todd Charlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malcolm was the founder, the boss, the thinker, the visionary behind AC/DC. The band conquered the world and became Australia's greatest musical export because of Malcolm's plan. When he didn't like Dave Evans he was out, when he didn't like Mark Evans he was out, when he didn't like Eddie Kramer and Michael Browning; gone. Eddie Van Halen called him the heart and soul of AC/DC. Anyone got in his way he'd tear them a new one like Geezer Butler and dopey Nikki Sixx.
Guitar experts site him as the best rhythm guitar player in the world. Scott Ian worships him. Anything Angus had to say he would run it past Malcolm first.
The band is still alive today and has recorded two albums without Malcolm only because Angus mined riffs the both of them had previously written. The spirit of Malcolm lives on in the band.
Early AC/DC has been written about many times and much of Jeff Apter's biography treads similar ground but the beauty of the book is Malcolm's personality eventually takes center stage. I've never seen another book written specifically about Malcolm and it's about time we had one.

[Partman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. As like Malcolm it didn't get much into about him. He was a man that didn't like the spot light. He was the driving force and riff master to the right of the drum kit. This also helped me come to realize something I've always thought about AC/DC. Malcolm was the master creator. Angus was the show. Brian never wrote a good song and Bon is still to this day the King of AC/DC. Still playing all the oldies more then any album after Back in Black. Oh also written with Bon little black book of toilet lyrics. It seemed to talk a lot of George Youngs past and all his doings with AC/DC. I pre ordered this in paper form in September with a March 1st delivery from Amazon. Well its the 25th no paper copy and book done. Thanks Kindle.

[Jenny Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I have to say I was never the biggest AC/DC fan in the world. I liked some of their stuff and of course everyone remembers the back in black album. Being born in the mid 60’s, their music was always part of my life. I was lucky to be able to see their black ice concert in Perth in 2011. This was a wonderful read about Malcolm Young and his career and also how much of a family man he was and I would recommend to anyone who loves biographies or who grew up with AC/DC or even just anyone who grew up in Australia in the 70’s.

[Lisa Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as my book arrived I started reading. I learned a lot about Malcolm and AC/DC, laughed at the boys antics and enjoyed reading about their life. I didn’t want the book to end. To read the ending was hard for me because of the outcome. I held the book to my chest when finished and had tears. All in all a very good read.
Thank you Mr. Apter

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read about the man behind one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
Malcolm Young lived just for his music and was a quiet man on the stage ,but wrote
some of their biggest hits The ending was sad but still a great story for music fans

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy entertaining read, but very light on regarding Malcolm Young's personal life and the latter years of AC/DC.

[Jenny McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Forever a fan! Sad where we all could end up in our lives Great band such a waste Thank you AC /DC

[Dinga05 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. It was really just the AC/DC story with extra focus on Malcolm. As usual it spends most of its time talking about the Bon Scott years and just the last 25% about the Brian Johnson years. Was still a good read.

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if I can pick the exact words to describe everything I felt while reading this book. I totally love the writing style, very precise, fluid and funny as well, the way the author tells us the stories mixing different moments and years is something I enjoyed very much. Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop and read this in a week. If you love AC/DC and Malcolm, please read this.

P.S: Herm Kovac was right, the last chapters are too emotional, as we all would expect, of course, it's heartbreaking. R.I.P. Mal. We Miss You.

[Will Bidstrup · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, clear writing, short chapters, would have liked more grit and grime.