The  internet has been a virtual beehive of rumors since late Monday that AC/DC were being forced to call it quits due to a malady of ailments listed on hundreds of sites, with an equal amount of articles disputing them.  Well, apparently the fact that legendary AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young being ill are true. But the rumors about AC/DC retiring from music are not.
On Wednesday, the band posted a statement on its website:
“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.”
While the band would not reveal Young’s illness, their close friend, Choirboys frontman Mark Gable, told Australia’s ABC Radio that his
condition is very serious.
“That is true, Malcolm is sick,” Gable told ABC radio Wednesday morning. “From what I understand, and it’s even been confirmed in part by his son Ross (Young), that it would appear Malcolm is unable to perform anymore.
“It’s not just that he is unwell, it’s that it is quite serious. It will constitute that he definitely won’t be able to perform live.
“He will probably not be able to record.”
A person who goes by the screen name Thunderstruck started the rumors via e-mail to Australian radio station 6PR. ”My information is that Malcolm Young has moved himself and his family back to Australia, he’s very, very ill and that AC/DC may well be history,” Thunderstruck told 6PR on Tuesday morning. ”I have extremely good contacts in Europe that are very close to AC/DC. I have it on very good authority that one of the band members is quite ill and has returned to Australia with his family.”
Reports of Young’s illness sparked the retirement rumors because the band made a pact that they would not replace any of the members should one of them leave. Â It was very shocking considering that the band had made numerous posts on social media over the past few weeks regarding an upcoming 40-date/40th Anniversary Tour.
AC/DC was formed by brothers Angus Young, now 59, and his brother Malcolm (61), who migrated from Scotland to Sydney when they were children, in 1973. Â One of the group’s best-loved works is their successful and influential Back In Black album, which has sold more than 22 million copies in the US.
We are wishing the very best for Malcolm Young and will update as soon as we know FOR SURE what the fuck is going on. Until then…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAgnJDJN4VA]
