AC/DC

Died On This Date (November 18, 2017) Malcolm Young / AC/DC Founder & Rhythm Guitarist

Malcolm Young
January 6, 1953 – November 18, 2017

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Malcolm Young, the co-founding guitarist for legendary hard rock band, AC/DC passed away with his family by his side after a long battle with dementia.  Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Young moved with his family to Australia when he was 10 years old.  At 20, he formed AC/DC, which would go on to include his brother Angus Young on lead guitar, and Bon Scott on lead vocals. There were several line-up changes through the years, including the hiring of Brian Johnson on lead vocals after Scott passed away in 1980.  With early Bon Scott fronted albums like T.N.T., Powerage, and Highway to Hell, the band began to build a huge following around the world due in large part to the bigger-than-live sound and image largely conceived by Malcolm.  Their first album with Johnson, 1980’s Back in Black, sent the band’s popularity into the stratosphere. That album alone has sold over 50 million copies while their entire catalog sits at over 200 million in sales.  They are one of the highest-selling bands of all time.

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Died On This Date (June 4, 2015) Allan Fryer / Lead Singer of Heaven

Allan Fryer
DOB Unknown – June 4, 2015

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Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

Allan Fryer is perhaps best remembered as the lead singer of popular ’80s Australian heavy metal band, Heaven.  Following the death of Bon Scott in 1980, Fryer auditioned to replace him in AC/DC.  It was believed he secured the role until a surprise announcement (at least to him) that Brian Johnson had in fact been given the job.  Fryer went on to form Heaven whose sound was definitely cut from the same cloth as AC/DC, at least on the early records.  They  eventually grew into a more NWOBHM sound.  Heaven found some success in the US, enough to tour with Dio and Motley Crue in 1982.  Throughout their run, the band released four albums and also toured with Judas Priest, KISS, and Iron Maiden.  On June 4, 2015, Allan Fryer died following a long struggle with cancer.  He was 60.

Thanks to David Plastik for the assist.

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Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com
Click to find at amazon.com


Died On This Date (April 7, 2014) Neil Smith / Former Bassist For AC/DC & Rose Tattoo

Neil Smith
1953 – April 7, 2013

neil-smithNeil Smith was an early bassist for legendary Australian rock band, AC/DC.  As the replacement for original bassist, Larry Van Kriedt in 1974, Smith was in the band for less than a year before being replaced by Rob Bailey.  In 1979, Smith joined Rose Tattoo, another popular Australian hard rock band of the day, for a brief period.   Neil Smith lost his battle with cancer on April 7, 2013.

Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.

 

Died On This Date (June 4, 2012) George Marino / Legendary Recording Engineer

George Marino
1947 – June 4, 2012

George Marino was a much-respected mastering engineer whose talents can be heard on such iconic albums as AC/DC’s Highway To Hell, Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions, Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction, Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet, John Lennon & Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy, and Whitney Houston’s Whitney.  Marino’s began his career as a musician, playing guitar in various bands in New York City. In 1967, he was hired by Capitol Records as a librarian and assistant in their New York studio.  After Capitol closed the studio, he went to work at the Record Plant before landing at Sterling Sound in 1973.  It was there that he worked on many of the most iconic albums of the rock era.  Besides those mentioned above, Marino worked on albums by Metallica, Coldplay, Cyndi Lauper, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, and many more.  Throughout his career, he was recognized with three Grammys including Arcade Fire’s Suburbs in 2011.  George Marino died of lung cancer on June 4, 2012.



Died On This Date (March 24, 2012) Vince Lovegrove / Australian Singer, Manager & Journalist

Vince Lovegrove
1948 – March 24, 2012

Vince Lovegrove was a famous Australian artist manager, television producer, journalist, and one-time pop star himself.  As a singer, Lovegrove performed with several Perth bands during the early ’60s.  In 1966, he founded the Valentines in which he sang co-lead with future AC/DC front man, Bon Scott.  In fact, it was Lovegrove who ultimately introduced Scott to the other members of AC/DC who of course, went on to become a rock and roll dynasty.  The Valentines scored several Australian hits before disbanding in 1970.  Lovegrove went on to become a pop music journalist, writing for such magazines as Go-Set and Immedia!.  As a manager, Lovegrove, at one point or another, oversaw the careers of AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, and the Divinyls.  During the mid ’80s, Lovegrove’s wife, Suzi Sidewinder, was diagnosed with HIV.  Prior to this knowledge, Suzi passed the virus along to their then-unborn son, Troy Sidewinder, while he was in her womb.  Suzi died of AIDS in 1987, while Troy passed away from it in 1993.  Lovegrove forged on as an HIV awareness activist, educating people that the virus was much more than a “gay disease.”  He made two very personal and critically acclaimed documentaries on the subject, Suzi’s Story, and A Kid Called Troy.  Lovegrove continued writing and performing well into the 2000s.  Vince Lovegrove was killed in an automobile accident on March 24, 2012.  He was 64.

Thanks to Henk de Bruin at 2+ Printing for the assist.