After years of battling dementia, co-founder of Australian rock legends AC/DC — Malcolm Young — passed away on Saturday (November 18) at age 64, according to a statement from his family.
“It is with deepest sorrow that we inform you of the death of Malcolm Young, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother,” the statement read on AC/DC’s official website. “Malcolm had been suffering from Dementia for several years and passed away peacefully with his family by his bedside.”
Along with his brother/guitarist Angus Young, Malcolm founded AC/DC in 1973. The group soon became one of the most influential rock bands in music history with songs like “Thunderstruck,” “Back In Black” and “Highway To Hell.” In 2003, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. AC/DC has sold over 70 million albums worldwide.
Malcolm Young
1953-2017#ACDC#Legend#RIPMalcolmpic.twitter.com/TC1AomOUJT
— ⚡AC/DC News ⚡ (@ACDC_News) November 18, 2017
Countless notable musicians hit social media to pay their respects to Malcolm, including Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne, The Roots’ Questlove and Prophets of Rage guitarist Tom Morello, who called him “the greatest rhythm guitarist in the entire history of rock-n-roll.”
Rest in rock power AC/DC's #MalcolmYoung, #1 greatest rhythm guitarist in the entire history of rock n roll. THANKYOU for everything. pic.twitter.com/boXBDkJJ6W
— Tom Morello (@tmorello) November 18, 2017
Malcolm Young Of AC/DC we salute you. https://t.co/Yvwm4mPJTE
— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) November 18, 2017
So sad to learn of the passing of yet another friend, Malcolm Young. He will be sadly missed. God Bless @ACDCpic.twitter.com/HuEp3kCuyQ
— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) November 18, 2017
A number of Hip Hop artists have sampled AC/DC’s extensive catalog over the years as well. Eric B. & Rakim, LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Eminem and Dan The Automator have all used AC/DC’s music to craft some of their work.
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Eric B. & Rakim – “Chinese Arithmetic” (1987)
The sample used on Eric B. & Rakim’s “Chinese Arithmetic” was taken from AC/DC 1983’s album, Flick of the Switch.
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Beastie Boys – “Rock Hard” (1985)
Beastie Boys and Def Jam Recordings co-founder Rick Rubin always had a penchant for injecting rock into the Hip Hop they made. For 1985’s “Rock Hard,” they sampled AC/DC’s 1980 classic, “Back In Black.”
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LL Cool J – “Rock The Bells” (1985)
LL Cool J also visited AC/DC’s 1983 album Flick of the Switch for his classic cut, “Rock The Bells,” which appears on Ladies Love Cool James’ 1985 Def Jam Recordings debut, Radio.
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Boogie Down Productions – “Dope Beat” (1987)
KRS-One and his Boogie Down Productions crew also nabbed a sample of AC/DC’s “Back In Black” for “Dope Beat” from 1987’s Criminal Minded.
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Dan The Automator – “Music To Be Murdered By” (1989)
Seasoned producer Dan The Automator, who’s worked with the Gorillaz, Kid Koala and DJ Prince Paul for their Handsome Boy Modeling School project, sampled AC/DC’s 1980’s “Hell’s Bells,” which comes from the group’s album, Back In Black.
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Beastie Boys – “Slow and Low” (1986)
Beasties and Rubin again revisited AC/DC’s Flick of the Switch for “Slow and Low,” a track taken from King Ad-Rock, MCA and Mike D’s inaugural Hip Hop album, 1986’s License To Ill.
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Eminem “My Name Is (Sean Cunningham Remix)” (2007)
Eminem’s smash hit “My Name Is” got a remix courtesy of producer Sean Cunningham in 2007. AC/DC’s “Back In Black” is again peppered throughout the track.
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RIP Malcolm Young.
