Stevie Young: 'I try to keep the spirit of what Malcolm did in AC/DC'
AC/DC’s Stevie Young has spoken about stepping into his uncle Malcolm’s footsteps in a fresh interview about his guitar playing and role in the band.
Uploaded to AC/DC’s official YouTube channel, the two minute video sees Stevie insist that he’s “not trying to imitate or copy” his legendary uncle; instead he’s “trying to keep the spirit of what he did in the band.”
Having previously filled in for Malcolm on AC/DC’s 1988 US tour, Stevie was made his permanent replacement in July 2014 following Malcolm’s dementia diagnosis.
Speaking about his work ethic, Stevie says in the video: “I work at stuff all the time, I keep working away every day.
“I listen and try to find bits that I’ve missed or something that Malcolm did that would help with what’s going in the tunes – I’m not trying to imitate or copy him but trying to keep the spirit of what he did in the band.”
Reflecting upon his upbringing – where his dad Stephen and four uncles Alex, Angus, George and Malcolm were all musical – Stevie said: “My dad played accordion, he had a guitar lying around in the house and I was always just picking it up.
“I tried the accordion but it was huge and I was only about 10, so I used to get my brother pulling on one end of it and I was playing it like a keyboard. That never really worked out!”
“I come from a musical family, my dad and all of his brothers played instruments. Parties were always good when we were kids, non-stop music so there was always instruments knocking around. You picked it up and played away and there was always people to show you how to get on with it.”
Elsewhere in the video, Stevie talks about getting through 35 guitar picks per show (“They don’t make them like they used to!”), how his ever-energetic uncle Angus is an inspiration and AC/DC’s ethos of giving people a good time.
Watch it here: