For the casual observers, it’s Angus Young who gets all the plaudits in AC/DC. Guitarists, however, understand that the band’s rhythm guitarist, Malcolm Young, was the glue that held the band together.
So much so, in fact, that Angus believes his brother was a better player than Eddie Van Halen.
In 1986, AC/DC had already established themselves as industry veterans and were on the promo trail for their 10th studio album, Fly on the Wall. Van Halen, meanwhile – another band to feature two brother musicians – were kickstarting their Sammy Hagar era with the ultra-successful 5150.
Even without David Lee Roth, who was busy recruiting Steve Vai for his solo band, Van Halen were one of the biggest bands on the planet, and it was Eddie Van Halen’s shredding that put them center stage.
But their Australian counterparts operated in different circles. Sure, they had guitar solos galore, and more riffs than you could shake a stick at. But speaking to Guitar World in March 1986, Angus insinuated that Eddie’s shredding was often a little superfluous.
“Malcolm makes [AC/DC] sound so full,” Angus said. “It’s hard to get a big ego if you play in a band with your brother – it keeps your head on the earth.
“Malcolm is like me. He just wants the two of us to connect. Although he lets me take all the lead breaks, Malcolm’s still a better guitarist than Eddie Van Halen.”
The word “better,” of course, brings the element of taste into the equation. Look at Guitar World’s list of the world’s greatest guitarists, and you’ll see that the top rankings are taken up by virtually incomparable players. So it’s hard to say what makes David Gilmour better or worse than Yngwie Malmsteen – they’re very different creeds.
In fighting his brother’s corner, Malcolm Young also took a swipe at his world-conquering counterpart.
There’s definitely a place for that type of playing, but it’s not in front of me
Angus Young
“Van Halen certainly knows his scales, but I don’t enjoy listening to very technical guitarists who cram all the notes they know into one song,” Angus bemoans.
“I mean, Van Halen can do what he does very well, but he’s really just doing finger exercises. If a guitarist wants to practice all the notes he can play, he should do it at home. There’s definitely a place for that type of playing, but it’s not in front of me.”
Strong words indeed. And in a bid to better underscore his point, he turned to two blues icons – Chuck Berry and B.B. King – to explain why technicality doesn’t resonate with him. He’s looking for someone else.
“Those guys have great feel,” he noted. "They hit the notes in the right spot, and they know when not to play.
“Chuck Berry didn’t care whether he was playing his tune, out of tune, or someone else’s tune. Whenever he plays guitar, he has a big grin from ear to ear.”
But perhaps, by this point in time, Angus Young had grown cynical about his contemporaries. In the same interview, he fired shots at Eric Clapton, saying he wasn’t sure what the hype was about. No name was too big for the SG loyalist not to try and scythe down.
In his eyes, no-one comes close to Malcolm Young, and many will agree with him. The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins believes him to be rock’s most underrated player. Steel Panther’s Satchel also reckons he influenced more guitarists than either of the two players Angus has snapped back at.
