Felt the need to get a thread going on this. As I said in an email to a friend who mentioned it: Yeah, I have been following this, and thought about commenting on the SDMB, but haven’t had the time (well, I guess I do now!). Word is that he had a stroke and it has compromised his playing.
I love the pre-Back in Black AC/DC – I really like BiB, but stopped paying attention after that. I enjoyed the first singer, Bon Scott’s, incredibly tasteless sense of humor.
Either way, Malcolm was essential to AC/DC establishing it’s sound. Songwriting, yes, but his work with original (and now returned) drummer Phil Rudd is what makes AC/DC pop - Angus and Brian Johnson ride on top of a wonderful rock/blues/boogie groove set by Malcolm, Rudd and whatever bassist is droning on open strings
That linked thread is good. As a non-musician I have little knowledge of what exactly is being discussed with syncopation and half beats and the like. I do know what I like though, and I like AC/DC. The Bon Scott years are the best, but Back in Black is, well, fabulous. I was just turning 18 when it was released. Everyone, and I mean everyone had that album. You couldn’t go to a party without hearing it.
Strangely the same people also had “Frampton Comes Alive.”
I had heard about this, too, but haven’t heard a confirmation of what is ailing him. The BBC reports that Brian Johnson says they’re planning on getting together in the studio soon, so I hope that it’s something he’s likely to recover from.
Even though I haven’t paid much attention to them since Back in Black, his rhythm playing certainly shaped my taste in music. Here’s to hoping he has a swift recovery.
This quote from The Sydney Morning Herald is attributed to a source close to the family:
“His memory loss is so bad it is consistent with Alzheimers or dementia although we do not know that is what it is. There has been talk about cancer too.”
When I read that the first thing that came to mind is a stroke. Or maybe a brain tumour. Or at 61 years of age it could actually be Alzheimers.
Yes, they should call it quits. Probably they have contracts to fulfill with their new album and tour, but Malcolm was the heart of the band, and though I don’t know anything about his nephew Stevie, I don’t know how anybody could follow in Malcolm’s footsteps. Heck, I never was a fan of Brian Johnson and don’t consider the post-Bon work (with a few exceptions) up to the standard of what they did before, but without Malcolm? No way. It’s like the Stones without Keef.
Must agree. Other than Back in Black, I don’t listen to BJ stuff, and I don’t need to listen to BiB because it pops up all over the place.
I get the impression that AC/DC is a machine - when Bon died, they were looking for the next guy within days. Their instinct is to keep on plugging. But Malcolm was the engine.
He’s 61 years old. My cousin once-removed just passed away from early & rapid-onset dementia; she went from being an accountant to completely unable to care for herself very quickly.
