Well, turns out that some of the rumors were true. Almost immediately after singer Brian Johnson refuted rumors that AC/DC was retiring in the near future, the group has issued a statement confirming that Malcolm Young is momentarily stepping down due to poor health.
AC/DC issued the following statement confirming the guitarist’s hiatus:
“After forty years of life dedicated to AC/DC, guitarist and founding member Malcolm Young is taking a break from the band due to ill health. Malcolm would like to thank the group’s diehard legions of fans worldwide for their never-ending love and support.
In light of this news, AC/DC asks that Malcolm and his family’s privacy be respected during this time. The band will continue to make music.”
Johnson did admit in his interview with The Telegram that one of his bandmates has fallen ill, but didn’t name anyone in particular. This does, however, confirm reports that Young has become too ill to continue on with the band (at least for the immediate future). While this isn’t the first time the guitarist has taken a momentary break from the group to address personal matters, this definitely is sad news to hear. While his brother Angus is often seen as the face of AC/DC, many rightfully credit Malcolm’s playing to be the backbone of the group. However, at least this means AC/DC will be around for a little while longer, and maybe there’s still a chance Malcolm could come back eventually. No word yet on who will be filling in for Malcolm, though Johnson made it seem pretty clear that a new album is in the works. Here’s hoping Malcolm gets better soon.
