Angus Young was born in 1955 in Glasgow, Scotland, and immigrated to Sydney, Australia, with his family in 1963. His brothers were also musical and Angus Young learned to play guitar on a banjo that he restrung with six strings. His mother later bought him a second-hand acoustic guitar. Young bought his first electric guitar, a Gibson SG, from a music shop close to his home around 1970, playing it so hard that he warped the neck.
Angus Young played in a local band Kantackee, and in 1973, at the age of 18, formed AC/DC with his elder brother Malcolm.
The band name allegedly originated from seeing the letters “AC/DC” on the back of a sewing machine owned by their sister, Margaret.
Malcolm Young decided that every band member should have a “look” and Angus Young tried a number of costumes before deciding upon his old school uniform from Ashfield Boys High School in Sydney – a look he has stayed with throughout his long career.
AC/DC released their first Album “High Voltage” in Australia in 1975. Between 1974 and 1977 the band became one of the most successful acts in Australia. The band started touring in Europe in 1976 and after signing an international deal with Atlantic, AC/DC found the same support on the world stage as in Australia.
AC/DC have released 20 studio albums and five live albums, all of which have reached multi platinum status throughout the world.
Angus Young is well known for his stage antics, featuring practical jokes, duck walk, jumps and spasms. He occasionally performs a strip tease on stage and gets down to his underpants.
Angus Young plays a straightforward blues style adding elements of Scottish folk music to his playing as well as power chords and pull off arpeggios as shown in the title song of the best selling 1980 album Back in Black.
AC/DC have been criticised for being too simple and formulaic, but many people consider AC/DC to be one of the worlds best rock bands. They were inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 2003 and Angus Young has influenced guitar players and air guitarists the world over.
Angus Young is married and lives in Sydney, Australia, with his Dutch wife Ella. The couple also own a home in the Netherlands, close to his wife’s hometown. He keeps his personal life private but is said to be kind and warm hearted off stage. Despite his wild man of rock image, Angus Young is a long-time teetotaller.