Day 47 v.2014 - A sad, sad, sad day.

[pero-the-vuk]

If I ever needed a stronger reason to despise my old habit, to truly want to burn every British American tobacco plant to the ground, then here it is:

This morning I heard the news about my favourite rhythm guitarist, Malcolm Young - from AC/DC, better, than Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, better even than his younger brother Angus, the more wider known Young brother famous for his schoolboy suit and duck walk.

Turns out my favourite guitar player in the world has reportedly suffered a stroke about 3 weeks ago, and when turning up for rehearsals for the 40th anniversary tour where the band were planning 40 shows in 40 countries, realised he'd lost the required motor skills to actually play the guitar tracks correctly. He has a blood clot in the brain, brought on by the stroke. Malcolm is/was a heavy smoker.

Which means:

The end of AC/DC.

It's Malcolm's band.

He's not dead, thankfully, but cannot perform that magic anymore.

And I am gutted squared.

Truly truly sad. For Malcolm, his family, ultimately, for Rock'n'Roll music.

This one is a true great, people.

Sod it. I'm off for a whiskey... A Gentleman Jack I think...

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Smoking is sloooooow death that has robbed the world of so much incredible talent! Know your enemy - knowledge IS power!

[cheryl_1-1-14]

I hadn't heard this.  My all time favorite band as well.  I saw them a few years ago and wondered if it would be the last time to see them live.  They were still amazing! 

This news is very disturbing.  Smoking contributed to taking Malcolm's talent and alcohol took Bon's in the prime of his life.  I'll never forget that day either.  What a waste.

[pero-the-vuk]

Hey Thomas,

If I didn't already know my enemy, then I do now.

Completely at a loss today. Don't know what to do with myself. For me, these boys are the last link to true Rock'n'Roll music. Okay, we still have the Stones, but... AC/DC were more my generation.

Now what do I do?

The best guitarist of my time, unable to play guitar anymore, aged 61, probably 97% due to cigarettes. He stopped drinking alcohol in 1988.

Thought he'd be smoking aged 112, tough little cookie... all 5ft 2in of him. Poor bugger.

😞

[pero-the-vuk]

Cheryl,

That's great you're a fan! Yes... this is disturbing. I just missed Bon's passing, my first DC album was Back In Black (aged 9!) but obviously got to know the real heart of DC's lyrics, from the old gutter poet Ronnie Scott later...

Just read a really interesting book about them, written by an English rock journo, who writes that Bon used to dabble now and then with heroin, he was older than the Youngs and got a bit lonely, by all accounts a bit of a pipe and slippers guy with a penchant for Donna Summer!

The night of his death he was said to have drunk only 6 double whiskies. Not a lot for a guy who drank every day (Malcolm has said he used to get drunk three times a day). Now... as any junkie will tell you - it is a huge NO NO to mix opiate with opiate. Even a small 'toot' would have done him.

Hence the panic call from the guy he was drinking with to his girlfriend at the time, herself a user.

But Malcolm Young?

Still, unbelievable.

[cheryl_1-1-14]

I have a few years on  you.  I remember well the morning I learned of Bon Scott's death. I was in the 9th grade and someone had a newspaper in the smoking area at school. That's how we got news back in 1980.  LOL

I went to school in rural North Carolina which was tobacco farmimg country.  During harvest, half the school was empty because the kids were needed to work the crops.  It was a normal way of life for us.  At school, students were allowed to smoke in a designated area as long as we had a note from our parents saying it was okay.  I was 13 or 14 years old at the time and I had a note.  My parents didn't write it. but it was good enough for the school at the time.  

Wow how times have changed.  Wish I knew back then what I know now.  Never would have taken that first puff.

[marilyn_marmac]

I hadn't heard! I love AC/DC! I posted a blog a little while ago about my stroke as well. I had my stroke at the age of 50 and lost a few things as well. The brain is totally amazing though! There were some things that I was able to relearn and over-come because the brain can rewire itself sometimes. I hope this happens for him.

[Chris265]

I remember you writing about AC/DC last summer, so I am sure you are crushed.  But skills do come back so maybe all is not lost.  Fingers crossed.