List of AC/DC members

AC/DC are an Australian rock band from Sydney. Formed in November 1973, the group originally consisted of vocalist Dave Evans, lead guitarist Angus Young, rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young (his older brother), bassist Larry Van Kriedt and drummer Colin Burgess. The band's current lineup features Angus Young, bassist Cliff Williams (from 1977 to 2016, and since 2018), vocalist Brian Johnson (from 1980 to 2016, and since 2018), drummer Phil Rudd (from 1975 to 1983, 1994 to 2015, and since 2018), and rhythm guitarist Stevie Young (nephew of Angus and Malcolm Young, a member since 2014).

Members of AC/DC performing live in 2009 (top) and 2015 (bottom).

History

1973–1994

AC/DC were formed in November 1973 by brothers Angus (lead guitar) and Malcolm Young (rhythm guitar), with the original lineup also including vocalist Dave Evans, bassist Larry Van Kriedt and drummer Colin Burgess.[1] The band's first single "Can I Sit Next to You, Girl" was released after the departure of Van Kriedt, with a third Young brother, producer George, filling in on bass.[2] AC/DC subsequently went through numerous early personnel changes, including replacing Dave Evans with Bon Scott in time for the recording of their debut Australian album High Voltage, which also featured contributions from George Young and session drummer Tony Currenti.[3] By early 1975, the band had settled on a lineup of Angus and Malcolm Young, Bon Scott, bassist Mark Evans and drummer Phil Rudd.[4]

After frontman Bon Scott died in 1980, Brian Johnson took his place.

Shortly after the release of Let There Be Rock in 1977, Evans was fired from AC/DC due to growing tensions with the Young brothers.[5] He was replaced by English bassist Cliff Williams.[6] After two more studio albums, Scott died on 19 February 1980 of acute alcohol poisoning.[7] The band briefly considered breaking up, but later enlisted former Geordie frontman Brian Johnson as Scott's replacement.[8] In 1983, following an altercation with Malcolm Young and ongoing problems with substance abuse, Rudd was fired from AC/DC.[9] He was replaced by Simon Wright, who remained until 1989 before joining Dio.[10] Wright was replaced by Welsh drummer Chris Slade for five years, before Rudd returned in late 1994 during sessions for the group's thirteenth studio album Ballbreaker.[11]

1994 onwards

The lineup of AC/DC remained stable until April 2014, when Malcolm Young retired due to ill health.[12] The group recorded Rock or Bust with Stevie Young, Angus and Malcolm's nephew,[13] who was made an official band member in September.[14] Rudd was later arrested and pleaded guilty to drug charges and threatening to kill a former assistant, with Slade returning to replace him on the Rock or Bust World Tour.[15] In March 2016, several shows were cancelled after Johnson was ordered by doctors to cease touring due to "severe hearing problems".[16] The following month, it was announced that Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose would replace Johnson as a temporary vocalist for the remaining tour dates.[17][18] Long-term bassist Cliff Williams retired after the tour, with his last show taking place on 20 September 2016.[19]

Following the conclusion of the Rock or Bust World Tour, it was reported that Angus Young, Stevie Young and Rose would continue AC/DC with new musicians once the Guns N' Roses Not in This Lifetime... Tour had concluded, with a new studio album planned.[20] Malcolm and George Young both died in late 2017.[21] In early 2019, reports began to circulate that Johnson, Williams and Rudd had returned to AC/DC to record a new album as a tribute to Malcolm Young, using archived guitar parts that the brothers had recorded earlier; the report also indicated that Johnson would perform live with the band to promote the new album.[22] In September 2020, the rumours were confirmed as a new lineup comprising Angus and Stevie Young, Johnson, Williams and Rudd was announced.[23]

Members

Current

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Angus Young	1973–present	lead guitar occasional backing vocals	all AC/DC releases
	Phil Rudd	1975–1983 1994–2015 2018–present	drums percussion	all AC/DC releases from T.N.T. (1975) to Flick of the Switch (1983), and since Ballbreaker (1995)
	Cliff Williams	1977–2016 2018–present	bass backing vocals	all AC/DC releases since Powerage (1978)
	Brian Johnson	1980–2016 2018–present	lead vocals	all AC/DC releases since Back in Black (1980)
	Stevie Young	1988 (touring) 2014–present	rhythm guitar backing vocals	Rock or Bust (2014) and Power Up (2020). Also replaced Malcolm Young for the US leg of the Blow Up Your Video World Tour while Malcolm was recovering from health problems.[24]

Former

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Malcolm Young	1973–2014 (died 2017)	rhythm guitar backing vocals occasional lead guitar and bass guitar	all AC/DC releases from "Can I Sit Next to You, Girl" (1974) to Live at River Plate (2012)
	Dave Evans	1973–1974	lead vocals	"Can I Sit Next to You, Girl" (1974)
	Larry Van Kriedt	1973–1974 1975	bass guitar saxophone	none – live performances only[25]
	Colin Burgess	1973–1974 1975	drums	"Can I Sit Next to You, Girl" (1974). Returned to fill in for Rudd temporarily in 1975, for live performances only
	Neil Smith	1974 (died 2013)	bass guitar	none – live performances only[26]
	Ron Carpenter	1974	drums
	Russell Coleman
	Noel Taylor
	Rob Bailey	1974–1975	bass guitar	High Voltage (1975)
	Peter Clack		drums	High Voltage (1975) – "Baby, Please Don't Go" only
	Bon Scott	1974–1980 (until his death)	lead vocals occasional bagpipes	all AC/DC releases from High Voltage (1975) to Highway to Hell (1979)
	Paul Matters	1975 (died 2020)	bass guitar	none – live performances only[27]
	Mark Evans	1975–1977		all AC/DC releases from T.N.T. (1975) to Let There Be Rock (1977)
	Simon Wright	1983–1989	drums percussion	Fly on the Wall (1985) Who Made Who (1986) Blow Up Your Video (1988)
	Chris Slade	1989–1994 2015–2016		The Razors Edge (1990) Live (1992) "Big Gun" (1993)

Others

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Notes
	George Young	1974–1975 (died 2017)	bass guitar backing vocals rhythm guitar	Young filled in on bass on several occasions during the band's early shows, amid frequent lineup changes. He also played bass on a number of tracks on High Voltage (1975).[28]
	Tony Currenti	1974–1975	drums	Played drums on seven songs for High Voltage (1975) plus the "High Voltage" single as a session musician before Rudd joined.[29]
	Denis Loughlin	1974 (died 2019)	lead vocals	Loughlin, the band's manager at the time, would occasionally substitute for Dave Evans during early shows.[30]
	Bruce Howe	1975	bass guitar	Howe, Bon Scott's former bandmate in Fraternity, performed bass a number of times with the group.[28]
	Paul Gregg	1991		Gregg replaced Cliff Williams for several shows on the US leg of the Razors Edge World Tour due to illness.[31]
	Axl Rose	2016	lead vocals	Replaced Brian Johnson for the last two legs of the Rock or Bust World Tour, due to Johnson's hearing problems.

Timeline

Lineups

Period	Members	Releases
November 1973 – February 1974	Dave Evans – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Larry Van Kriedt – bass, saxophone Colin Burgess – drums	none
February 1974	Dave Evans – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Larry Van Kriedt – bass, saxophone George Young – drums (substitute)
February 1974	Dave Evans – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, bass, backing vocals Colin Burgess – drums George Young – bass, rhythm guitar (session)	"Can I Sit Next to You, Girl" (1974)
February – April 1974	Dave Evans – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Neil Smith – bass Noel Taylor – drums	none
April – September 1974	Dave Evans – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Rob Bailey – bass Peter Clack – drums
September 1974 – January 1975	Bon Scott – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Rob Bailey – bass Peter Clack – drums	High Voltage (1975) (Clack appears on one track only)
January – February 1975	Bon Scott – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Phil Rudd – drums, percussion George Young – bass (substitute)	none
February – March 1975	Bon Scott – lead vocals, bagpipes Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Paul Matters – bass Phil Rudd – drums, percussion
March 1975	Bon Scott – lead vocals, bagpipes Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Phil Rudd – drums, percussion George Young – bass (substitute)
March 1975 – May 1977	Bon Scott – lead vocals, bagpipes Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Mark Evans – bass Phil Rudd – drums, percussion	T.N.T. (1975) High Voltage (1976) Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976) Let There Be Rock (1977) Volts (1997) – four tracks
May 1977 – February 1980	Bon Scott – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Phil Rudd – drums, percussion	Powerage (1978) If You Want Blood You've Got It (1978) Highway to Hell (1979) AC/DC: Let There Be Rock (1980) Live from the Atlantic Studios (1997) Volts (1997) – remaining tracks
March 1980 – April 1983	Brian Johnson – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Phil Rudd – drums, percussion	Back in Black (1980) For Those About to Rock We Salute You (1981) Flick of the Switch (1983)
May 1983 – November 1989	Brian Johnson – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Simon Wright – drums, percussion	Fly on the Wall (1985) Who Made Who (1986) Blow Up Your Video (1988)
November 1989 – August 1994	Brian Johnson – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Chris Slade – drums, percussion	The Razors Edge (1990) AC/DC Live (1992) Live at Donington (1992) "Big Gun" (1993)
August 1994 – April 2014	Brian Johnson – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Phil Rudd – drums, percussion	Ballbreaker (1995) No Bull (1996) Stiff Upper Lip (2000) Stiff Upper Lip Live (2001) Black Ice (2008) Live at River Plate (2012)
April 2014 – February 2015	Brian Johnson – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Stevie Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Phil Rudd – drums, percussion	Rock or Bust (2014)
February 2015 – April 2016	Brian Johnson – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Stevie Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Chris Slade – drums, percussion	none
April 2016 – September 2016	Axl Rose – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Stevie Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Chris Slade – drums, percussion
September 2016 – August 2018	Angus Young – lead guitar Stevie Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
August 2018 – present	Brian Johnson – lead vocals Angus Young – lead guitar Stevie Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams – bass, backing vocals Phil Rudd – drums, percussion	Power Up (2020)

Bibliography

• Masino, Susan (15 May 2009), Let There Be Rock: The Story of AC/DC, London, England: Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-0825634697
• Wall, Mick (1 October 2012), AC/DC: Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be, London, England: Orion, ISBN 978-1409115342

References

1. "AC/DC Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide". Ultimate Classic Rock. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
2. "Rare AC/DC 7" Single 'Can I Sit Next To You, Girl' Sells for $4,500". Guitar Interactive. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
3. Rivadavia, Eduardo (17 February 2016). "The Story of AC/DC's Debut Australian Album, 'High Voltage'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
4. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "AC/DC: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
5. Bosso, Joe (11 October 2011). "Interview: Former AC/DC bassist Mark Evans on life in the band". MusicRadar. Future plc. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
6. Blistein, Jon (20 September 2016). "AC/DC Bassist Cliff Williams Confirms Retirement in Heartfelt Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
7. Jinman, Richard (19 February 2005). "25 years on, AC/DC fans recall how wild rocker met his end". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
8. Elliott, Paul (5 May 2016). "AC/DC: The epic inside story of Back In Black". Classic Rock. TeamRock. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
9. "Phil Rudd: 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time". Rolling Stone. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
10. Kielty, Martin (29 September 2016). "Dio hologram show was nerve-racking says Simon Wright". Classic Rock. TeamRock. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
11. "Drummer Chris Slade: Why I Left AC/DC". Blabbermouth.net. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
12. Kielty, Martin (16 April 2014). "Brian Johnson: AC/DC not retiring yet". TeamRock. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
13. Reed, Bryan (9 July 2014). "AC/DC Finish New Album, Detail Malcolm Young Health Update". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
14. McCabe, Kathy (24 September 2014). "AC/DC to release new album Rock Or Bust as guitarist Malcolm Young retires from band". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
15. "AC/DC confirm Chris Slade will replace Phil Rudd on their 2015 tour". The Guardian. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
16. Young, Alex (7 March 2016). "AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson ordered "to stop touring immediately or risk total hearing loss"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
17. Kreps, Daniel (16 April 2016). "AC/DC Confirm Axl Rose Is New Lead Singer, Joining Band on Tour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
18. Greene, Andy (6 October 2020). "Exclusive: Angus Young, Brian Johnson, and Cliff Williams on the Resurrection of AC/DC". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
19. Kreps, Daniel (21 September 2016). "Watch AC/DC Salute Cliff Williams at Bassist's Final Show". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
20. "Major Update on AC/DC's Future: What the Band Will Do Now That Cliff's Retired". Ultimate Guitar Archive. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
21. Colothan, Scott (18 November 2017). "AC/DC legend Malcolm Young dies aged 64". Planet Rock. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
22. "AC/DC Reportedly Planning Tour with Brian Johnson". Metal Injection. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
23. "AC/DC confirm line-up, issue first photo of reunited band". Classic Rock. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
24. Wall, p.386–88
25. Wall 2012, p. 59
26. Wall 2012, pp. 62–65
27. Wall 2012, pp. 132, 141
28. Wall 2012
29. Fink, Jesse (1 November 2013). The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC. Ebury Australia. ISBN 9781742759791.
30. Ross, Annabel (30 December 2013). "AC/DC's original lead singer, Dave Evans". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
31. Masino 2009, p. 178

External links

• AC/DC official website