List of AC/DC band members

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AC/DC band members
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The Black Ice World Tour lineup performing live in 2009.

AC/DC are an Australian hard rock band formed by guitarist brothers Angus and Malcolm Young in 1973. Originally featuring vocalist Dave Evans, bassist Larry Van Kriedt and drummer Colin Burgess, after a number of lineup changes the band settled with Bon Scott on vocals, Mark Evans on bass guitar and Phil Rudd on drums, and released five albums (two limited to Australia) between 1975 and 1977. Due to continuing clashes with lead guitarist Angus Young, Evans was later fired from the band shortly after the release of Let There Be Rock, although "musical differences" was the official reason given for his departure.[1] Cliff Williams was brought in as his replacement,[2] and he remains with the band to this day.

After another two successful albums, as the band were due to start recording again frontman Bon Scott died in London on 19 February 1980 due to alcohol poisoning.[3] The band briefly considered quitting, but later chose to carry on and hired Brian Johnson to take Scott's place as lead vocalist.[4] The group's first album with Johnson was Back in Black in 1980, which is now the second best-selling album of all-time after Michael Jackson's Thriller.[5] After the recording of Flick of the Switch in 1983, Phil Rudd quietly left the band due to problems with drug and alcohol abuse as well as a confrontation with rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young.[6]

Simon Wright joined as Rudd's replacement, performing on the albums Fly on the Wall (1985), Who Made Who (1986) and Blow Up Your Video (1988) during his time in the band. He left the band in 1989, and later explained that he "began to get complacent about things", claiming that he "needed to expand on [his] drumming more".[7] He would later join the band Dio. The next drummer to join AC/DC was Chris Slade, who despite being in the band for five years only performed on one studio album, The Razors Edge. In 1994 Slade departed from the band, due to the desire of the Young brothers to return to working with former drummer Rudd, who they said "demonstrated a 'groove' more fitting [to] their style of rock".[8] The lineup of Johnson, A. Young, M. Young, Williams and Rudd remained from 1994 until 2014, and released the albums Ballbreaker (1995), Stiff Upper Lip (2000), and Black Ice (2008).

In April 2014 the band announced that founding member Malcolm Young was ill and will be taking a leave of absence from the band. In June 2014 the band recorded their current album Rock or Bust with the Young Brothers's nephew Stevie Young as a stand in rhythm guitarist for his uncle. On 24 September 2014, it was confirmed that Malcolm Young had officially departed from the band due to ill health, and would be replaced by his nephew Stevie Young permanently.[9] Shortly thereafter, Rudd was arrested and pleaded guilty to drug charges and threatening to kill a former assistant.[10] After the plea, the band's official web site changed the listed drummer to Chris Slade who had been replacing him for their 2015 tour.[11][12]

Current members

Angus Young
Active: 1973 – present
Regular instruments: lead guitar
Occasional instruments: rhythm guitar, backing vocals, slide guitar
Contributions: all AC/DC releases
Cliff Williams
Active: June 1977 – present
Regular instruments: bass guitar, backing vocals
Contributions: all AC/DC releases from Powerage (1978) to present
Brian Johnson
Active: April 1980 – present
Regular instruments: lead vocals
Contributions: all AC/DC releases from Back in Black (1980) to present
Stevie Young
Active: April–November 1988, May 2014 – present
Regular instruments: rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Contributions: Rock or Bust (2014). Also replaced Malcolm Young for the US leg of the Blow Up Your Video World Tour while Malcolm was recovering from health problems.[13]
Chris Slade
Active: November 1989 – August 1994, February 2015 – present
Regular instruments: drums, percussion
Contributions: The Razors Edge (1990), Live (1992) and "Big Gun" (1993)

Former members

Image Name Years active Instruments Contributions
Malcolm Young Malcolm Young 1973 – September 2014 rhythm guitar, backing vocals All releases prior to Rock or Bust (2014)
Dave Evans December 1973 – September 1974 vocals "Can I Sit Next to You Girl" (1974)
Larry Van Kriedt Larry Van Kriedt December 1973 – February 1974, January 1975 bass guitar, saxophone Live performances only. Occasionally switched to saxophone during some gigs.[14] Returned in January 1975 to fill in briefly after Rob Bailey was fired.
Colin Burgess December 1973 – February 1974, September 1975 drums Returned in September 1975 to replace Phil Rudd for a few gigs, as Rudd had injured his hand.
Ron Carpenter February 1974 drums Live performances only.
Neil Smith February–April 1974 bass guitar Live performances only.[15]
Noel Taylor February–April 1974 drums Live performances only.[16]
Peter Clack April 1974 – January 1975 drums "Can I Sit Next to You Girl" (1974) and High Voltage (1975)
Rob Bailey April 1974 – January 1975 bass guitar "Can I Sit Next to You Girl" (1974) and High Voltage (1975)
Bon Scott Bon Scott September 1974 – February 1980 lead vocals, bagpipes All AC/DC releases from High Voltage (1975) to Highway to Hell (1979)
Russell Coleman January 1975 drums Performed at a small number of gigs during the first week of January 1975, immediately before Phil Rudd was hired.[17]
Phil Rudd Phil Rudd January 1975 – May 1983, August 1994 – 2015 drums, percussion All AC/DC releases from T.N.T. (1975) to Flick of the Switch (1983); Ballbreaker (1995) to Rock or Bust (2014)
Paul Matters February–March 1975 bass guitar Recruited at George Young's suggestion, Matters was fired after 11 gigs.[18]
Mark Evans March 1975 – June 1977 bass guitar All AC/DC releases from T.N.T. (1975) to Let There Be Rock (1977)
Simon Wright Simon Wright July 1983 – November 1989 drums, percussion Fly on the Wall (1985), Who Made Who (1986) and Blow Up Your Video (1988)

Session musicians and temporary replacements

Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Dennis Laughlin 1974 vocals Band manager who occasionally filled in for Dave Evans for live performances.
George Young 1974, 1975 bass guitar, backing vocals, rhythm guitar, drums Contributed various instruments, mainly bass guitar, on High Voltage (1975) and several subsequent albums, but was only credited as a producer. He often filled in on bass guitar at live shows during 1974–75.[19]
John Proud 1974 drums Contributed to High Voltage (1975) as a session musician. Uncredited.[20][21]
Tony Currenti 1974 drums Contributed to High Voltage (1975) and the "High Voltage" single as a session musician. Uncredited.[22][21]
B.J. Wilson 1983 drums Was brought in to record tracks for the Flick of the Switch (1983) album following Phil Rudd's departure from the band. His contributions were ultimately not used on the album and Simon Wright joined the band shortly thereafter.[23] Wilson was previously the drummer with Procol Harum.
Paul Greg 1991 bass guitar Replaced Cliff Williams for a few shows on the US leg of the Razor's Edge tour, when Williams was ill.[24]
Bob Richards 3–4 October 2014 drums Replaced Phil Rudd for the filming of the "Rock or Bust" and "Play Ball" videos in London as Rudd was unable to attend due to family emergency.[25] Richards did not contribute musically.

Timeline

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Wall, p.386–88
  14. ↑ Mick Wall, "AC/DC: Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be, Phoenix, 2012, p.59
  15. ↑ Wall, p.62–65
  16. ↑ Wall, p.62–65
  17. ↑ Wall, p.132
  18. ↑ Wall, p.141
  19. ↑ Mick Wall, "AC/DC: Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be, Phoenix, 2012.
  20. ↑ Wall, p.124
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Wall, p.124
  23. ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=JMwfax4vtHwC&pg=PA58&lpg=PA58&dq=B.J.+Wilson+ac/dc&source=bl&ots=OZXH_nEXJ5&sig=P4HrumjjydvvqCG7gmeQYDgRG_8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hUxfVMiSLM6cyASq0IDwBg&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=B.J.%20Wilson%20ac%2Fdc&f=false
  24. ↑ Masino 2009, p. 178.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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