Angus Young (born on 31 March 1955) is a guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young is known for his wild stage energy and schoolboy-uniform stage outfits. He was ranked 96th on Rolling Stone's list the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Angus Young was brought up in Cranhill, Glasgow with his older brothers Malcolm, George, Alex, who all became musicians. Angus started playing guitar when he was five years old — a local child had one and Angus would play it during visits. He got his own guitar by taking a banjo
Young did not get into guitar-playing seriously until after the Young family moved from Scotland to Australia in 1963. He bought his first guitar, a Gibson SG, after seeing it in a friend's catalogue. Until then, he had been playing on an old guitar he inherited from his brother Malcolm.[citation needed] Malcolm's brother George (of The Easybeats) gave both Angus and Malcolm guitar lessons when he would come home during breaks from touring.
Prior to joining AC/DC, Young played in a local group called Kantuckee. Kantuckee's lineup included Bob McGlynn (vocals), Angus Young (guitar), Jon Stevens (bass) & Trevor James (drums). This was the first band to record the music for Stevie Wrights classic "Evie" at the request of George Young. The band split and was later called Tantrum with the following line up Mark Sneddon (vocals-guitar), Angus Young (guitar), Jon Stevens (bass) and Trevor James (drums)
AC/DC
Angus and Malcolm Young formed AC/DC in 1973. The first line up included Angus Young on lead guitar, Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar, Colin Burgess on drums, Larry Van Kriedt on bass guitar and Dave Evans singing. They got the name AC/DC after seeing the letters AC/DC on the back of a sewing machine owned by their sister, Margaret.
After playing with the band for a while, Young developed his trademark schoolboy image. Before settling on the schoolboy costume, Angus had tried other costumes, such as Spider-man, Zorro, a gorilla, and a parody of Superman, named Super-Ang. The schoolboy costume became a signature trademark of Young. To match this image the press and public were told that Young was born in 1959, not 1955. The original uniform was reputedly from his secondary school, Ashfield Boys High School in Sydney. One rumour is that he did not have time to change his clothes between school and band practice, and simply wore the uniform; while such an event may have occurred years earlier, by 1973, Angus had long left school. His sister Margaret suggested he wear the uniform after Malcolm asked each band member to come up with their own gimmick, which was ironic as Angus very much disliked being at school. This was the era of glam rock, when costumes were common for pop and rock acts.
Although Young prefers to keep his private life out of the media, it is known that he now lives in Sydney, Australia and also has a home in Aalten, Netherlands (because he has a home in the Netherlands, he is also on the Quote 500, the list of Holland's 500 richest people). It is also known that he married his wife Ellen in 1980 shortly before Bon Scott died.
On August 24, 2006, Young received Kerrang! magazine's Legend Award from the editor, Paul Brannigan. Brannigan called AC/DC "one of the most important and influential rock bands in history." Angus Young is now considered by many, as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time.
Guitars
Angus Young has used Gibson SGs in various forms (his original, and the basis for his current signature model, was a 1968 SG) throughout his career. He is rarely seen with another guitar. However, he also owns Telecasters, Gibson Firebirds and ES335s. When AC/DC played a jam of "Rock me Baby" with the Rolling Stones in 2003, he played a Gibson ES-335, perhaps one of the only times he was without an SG onstage. Young's legendary 1968 SG has T Top pickups. Another 1964 SG that he used on the recording of Ballbreaker, has patent # pickups. All of these are low to medium output Alnico 5 pickups with matched coils.
Angus Young Signature SG
Angus Young and Gibson Guitar Corporation have collaborated to make the Angus Young Signature SG, which is special in a several ways.
The model features a pickup designed by Young himself (the Angus Young Signature Humbucker) in the bridge position, and a '57 Classic Humbucker in the neck. The headstock features Young's famous "Devil Schoolboy" engraved picture, and the tremolo bar features Angus' name instead of the Gibson logo. The guitar has a rosewood fingerboard, trapezoid fret inlays, a signature black pickguard, 22 frets, a worn cherry finish, and nickel hardware. The volume and tone knobs are bigger than those of a regular SG but it still features the standard 3-way selector switch. He also removed the "Whammy Bar" with an ABR bridge and Engraved Lyre Vibrola tailpiece.
Angus Young first adopted this guitar in 1981, and has been a trademark of his. He used it at the Live at Donnington' concert, and he records with it. However, Young rarely plays his signature series guitar at live concerts.
Amplifiers
Young's amps have been plexi Marshalls: JTM45s, JTM50s, JMP50s and Superleads (plus a few Wizard amplifiers). His main amp is his JTM45, which he uses both live and in the studio. When Young plays live, he runs this through an isolation speaker box that sits under the stage and feeds directly into the PA system. In the studio, Angus has often used a 100w plexi for riffs and a smaller plexi (jmp50, jtm50, or jtm45) for solos. Speaker cabinets he has used have been Marshall 4x12"s (model 1982 and 1960, mostly B models) with Celestion G12H 30 watt (on old recordings), Vintage 30s (on newer recordings) and G12M 25 watt speakers (on solos/overdubs on newer recordings). Malcolm has used Mesa Boogie Cabs before as seen on AC/DC's 1992 live album, Live. Angus is said to, by Marshall, use the 1987X 50watt head.
Angus Young was brought up in Cranhill, Glasgow with his older brothers Malcolm, George, Alex, who all became musicians. Angus started playing guitar when he was five years old — a local child had one and Angus would play it during visits. He got his own guitar by taking a banjo
Young did not get into guitar-playing seriously until after the Young family moved from Scotland to Australia in 1963. He bought his first guitar, a Gibson SG, after seeing it in a friend's catalogue. Until then, he had been playing on an old guitar he inherited from his brother Malcolm.[citation needed] Malcolm's brother George (of The Easybeats) gave both Angus and Malcolm guitar lessons when he would come home during breaks from touring.
Prior to joining AC/DC, Young played in a local group called Kantuckee. Kantuckee's lineup included Bob McGlynn (vocals), Angus Young (guitar), Jon Stevens (bass) & Trevor James (drums). This was the first band to record the music for Stevie Wrights classic "Evie" at the request of George Young. The band split and was later called Tantrum with the following line up Mark Sneddon (vocals-guitar), Angus Young (guitar), Jon Stevens (bass) and Trevor James (drums)
AC/DC
Angus and Malcolm Young formed AC/DC in 1973. The first line up included Angus Young on lead guitar, Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar, Colin Burgess on drums, Larry Van Kriedt on bass guitar and Dave Evans singing. They got the name AC/DC after seeing the letters AC/DC on the back of a sewing machine owned by their sister, Margaret.
After playing with the band for a while, Young developed his trademark schoolboy image. Before settling on the schoolboy costume, Angus had tried other costumes, such as Spider-man, Zorro, a gorilla, and a parody of Superman, named Super-Ang. The schoolboy costume became a signature trademark of Young. To match this image the press and public were told that Young was born in 1959, not 1955. The original uniform was reputedly from his secondary school, Ashfield Boys High School in Sydney. One rumour is that he did not have time to change his clothes between school and band practice, and simply wore the uniform; while such an event may have occurred years earlier, by 1973, Angus had long left school. His sister Margaret suggested he wear the uniform after Malcolm asked each band member to come up with their own gimmick, which was ironic as Angus very much disliked being at school. This was the era of glam rock, when costumes were common for pop and rock acts.
Although Young prefers to keep his private life out of the media, it is known that he now lives in Sydney, Australia and also has a home in Aalten, Netherlands (because he has a home in the Netherlands, he is also on the Quote 500, the list of Holland's 500 richest people). It is also known that he married his wife Ellen in 1980 shortly before Bon Scott died.
On August 24, 2006, Young received Kerrang! magazine's Legend Award from the editor, Paul Brannigan. Brannigan called AC/DC "one of the most important and influential rock bands in history." Angus Young is now considered by many, as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time.
Guitars
Angus Young has used Gibson SGs in various forms (his original, and the basis for his current signature model, was a 1968 SG) throughout his career. He is rarely seen with another guitar. However, he also owns Telecasters, Gibson Firebirds and ES335s. When AC/DC played a jam of "Rock me Baby" with the Rolling Stones in 2003, he played a Gibson ES-335, perhaps one of the only times he was without an SG onstage. Young's legendary 1968 SG has T Top pickups. Another 1964 SG that he used on the recording of Ballbreaker, has patent # pickups. All of these are low to medium output Alnico 5 pickups with matched coils.
Angus Young Signature SG
Angus Young and Gibson Guitar Corporation have collaborated to make the Angus Young Signature SG, which is special in a several ways.
The model features a pickup designed by Young himself (the Angus Young Signature Humbucker) in the bridge position, and a '57 Classic Humbucker in the neck. The headstock features Young's famous "Devil Schoolboy" engraved picture, and the tremolo bar features Angus' name instead of the Gibson logo. The guitar has a rosewood fingerboard, trapezoid fret inlays, a signature black pickguard, 22 frets, a worn cherry finish, and nickel hardware. The volume and tone knobs are bigger than those of a regular SG but it still features the standard 3-way selector switch. He also removed the "Whammy Bar" with an ABR bridge and Engraved Lyre Vibrola tailpiece.
Angus Young first adopted this guitar in 1981, and has been a trademark of his. He used it at the Live at Donnington' concert, and he records with it. However, Young rarely plays his signature series guitar at live concerts.
Amplifiers
Young's amps have been plexi Marshalls: JTM45s, JTM50s, JMP50s and Superleads (plus a few Wizard amplifiers). His main amp is his JTM45, which he uses both live and in the studio. When Young plays live, he runs this through an isolation speaker box that sits under the stage and feeds directly into the PA system. In the studio, Angus has often used a 100w plexi for riffs and a smaller plexi (jmp50, jtm50, or jtm45) for solos. Speaker cabinets he has used have been Marshall 4x12"s (model 1982 and 1960, mostly B models) with Celestion G12H 30 watt (on old recordings), Vintage 30s (on newer recordings) and G12M 25 watt speakers (on solos/overdubs on newer recordings). Malcolm has used Mesa Boogie Cabs before as seen on AC/DC's 1992 live album, Live. Angus is said to, by Marshall, use the 1987X 50watt head.
DISCOGRAPHY
HIGH VOLTAGE (AUSTRALIA)
T.N.T.
HIGH VOLTAGE
DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP (AUSTRALIA)
DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP
LET THERE BE ROCK (AUSTRALIA)
LET THERE BE ROCK
POWERAGE
IF YOU WANT BLOOD
HIGHWAY TO HELL
BACK IN BLACK
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK
FLICK OF THE SWITCH
'74 JAILBREAK
FLY ON THE WALL
MADE WHO
BLOW UP YOUR VIDEO
THE RAZORS EDGE
LIVE LIVE 2cd
BALLBREAKER
LIVE FROM THE ATLANTIC STUDIOS
LET THERE BE ROCK - THE MOVIE - LIVE IN PARIS
VOLTS
STIFF UPPER LIP
