Angus Young Quotes

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About Angus Young

Angus McKinnon Young, born on March 31, 1953, in Glasgow, Scotland, is an iconic Australian guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the legendary hard rock band AC/DC. The son of a Scottish family who immigrated to Australia, Young moved with his family to Sydney at age eight. It was there that he and his older brother Malcolm formed the band they would later transform into AC/DC in 1973. Angus Young's influence on rock music is immense, thanks to his distinctive guitar style, energetic stage performances, and his role as a key songwriter in AC/DC. His raw, aggressive playing style, characterized by power chords and palm-muted riffs, has been a significant inspiration for countless generations of guitarists worldwide. The band's debut album, "High Voltage" (1975), marked the beginning of their meteoric rise to fame. However, it was their subsequent albums like "T.N.T." (1976), "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (1976), and "Highway to Hell" (1979) that solidified AC/DC's status as a major force in hard rock music. The tragic death of lead singer Bon Scott in 1980 led to the arrival of Brian Johnson, but the band continued to thrive under his leadership with albums such as "Back in Black" (1980), which became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Throughout his career, Angus Young has been known for his distinctive schoolboy outfits on stage, which have become a trademark symbol of AC/DC. His energetic live performances, often involving stage dives and backflips, have earned him the nickname "The Little Angel of Death." Despite personal losses, health scares, and lineup changes, Angus Young continues to drive AC/DC forward, cementing their legacy as one of the most influential rock bands in history.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I'm not a guitar hero. I'm just a guy who plays guitar."

The quote by Angus Young, "I'm not a guitar hero. I'm just a guy who plays guitar," highlights the idea that he views himself as an ordinary individual with exceptional skill rather than an extraordinary talent. It shows his humility in acknowledging his ability to play the guitar proficiently, yet denying any pretentious or elevated status as a "guitar hero". This underscores his focus on the music itself rather than personal accolades, emphasizing the raw passion and pure enjoyment that drive him.

"We didn't invent heavy metal - we happened."

This quote by Angus Young, a founding member of AC/DC, suggests that while they are often associated with the creation and popularization of heavy metal music, they did not actually invent the genre. Instead, they were part of its natural evolution and became a significant force within it. The phrase "we happened" implies both accidental occurrence and unparalleled impact on the music scene. It serves as a humble acknowledgement of their role in shaping heavy metal while also emphasizing that they are one among many who contributed to its development over time.

"Rock and roll should be about having fun."

The quote by Angus Young, "Rock and roll should be about having fun," emphasizes the joyous and carefree spirit inherent in the genre of rock music. It suggests that at its core, the essence of rock is to create an atmosphere where individuals can let loose, express themselves freely, and partake in a shared experience of entertainment. This perspective highlights the importance of enjoyment and camaraderie over technical proficiency or conformity to strict musical conventions.

"The rhythm is what gets you. It's the pulse of the song."

The quote by Angus Young highlights the essential role rhythm plays in music. He suggests that it serves as the heartbeat, or pulse, of a song - driving its tempo and providing the foundation for other musical elements like melody and harmony to coalesce harmoniously. In essence, he underscores rhythm's importance in creating the overall impact and feeling of a piece of music.

"Music has always been a big part of my life, from when I was a kid listening to Elvis Presley to now."

This quote by Angus Young highlights the enduring role of music in his life, spanning from childhood memories of being captivated by Elvis Presley, to the present day. It suggests that music is not just a passing interest or trend for him, but an integral part of who he is and how he experiences the world. This profound connection with music over such a long period underscores its transformative power and ability to touch individuals deeply, transcending temporal boundaries.

Blues is a big part of rock and roll. The best rock and roll got its birth in the blues. You hear it in Little Richard and Chuck Berry.

- Angus Young

Big, Richard, Big Part, Berry

I think that's what it is with rock music. It helps you hang tough, I guess.

- Angus Young

Rock, Think, Hang, Rock Music

I never bothered with cars. I was probably one of the few kids in school who didn't run around with hot-rod magazines. As I would be at home fiddling with my guitar, they would be fiddling with a car engine.

- Angus Young

Run, Around, Bothered, Fiddling

We came out in the midst of the hippie hangover. All this mellow music.

- Angus Young

Music, Mellow, Came, Hippie

The misunderstanding out there is that we are a 'hard rock' band or a 'heavy metal' band. We've only ever been a rock n' roll band.

- Angus Young

Been, Metal, Roll, Hard Rock

In our hands, even the straightest lyric sounded shady.

- Angus Young

Hands, Even, Lyric, Shady

Hearing a lot of early rock n' roll records from a very young age was a huge influence.

- Angus Young

Young, Records, Very, Huge Influence

Yes, we're still five little people with a noisy attitude.

- Angus Young

Yes, Still, Little People, Noisy

We're a rock group. we're noisy, rowdy, sensational and weird.

- Angus Young

Weird, Rock, Sensational, Noisy

I think the '60s was a great time for music, especially for rock and roll. It was the era of The Beatles, of The Stones, and then later on The Who and Zeppelin. But at one point in the '70s, it just kind of became... mellow.

- Angus Young

I Think, Mellow, Became, The Who

Key to longevity... drinking embalming fluid every year.

- Angus Young

Year, Drinking, Fluid, Longevity

You'd be playing in a pub in the afternoon. Then late at night, you'd be playing a club. You got into that habit: 'If we don't play, we don't eat.'

- Angus Young

Night, Play, Then, Pub

I plug into a lot of old rock & roll. Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis - I love all that stuff.

- Angus Young

Love, Richard, Berry, Lewis

I saw Deep Purple live once and I paid money for it and I thought, 'Geez, this is ridiculous.' You just see through all that sort of stuff. I never liked those Deep Purples or those sort of things. I always hated it. I always thought it was a poor man's Led Zeppelin.

- Angus Young

Deep, Thought, Through, Led Zeppelin

I found that pedals were too much to fool around with. You'd be halfway through a solo, and the batteries would go dead and conk out. And if you tread on the lead going to the pedal, something would always go wrong. Or some crazy kid would pull the lead out just at the moment when you're about to do your big number on it.

- Angus Young

Big, Through, Some, Tread

The biggest tragedy we had early on was when Bon Scott died.

- Angus Young

Tragedy, Had, Biggest, Scott

By the way he carried himself, you really thought that Bon Scott was immortal.

- Angus Young

Thought, Himself, Carried, Scott

I'm constantly surprised when people say, 'But you haven't changed!' It's like saying, 'You've got a wheel. Now why don't you make it a square?'

- Angus Young

Wheel, Why, Like, Changed

From the first album, we've had songs like 'The Jack' that are blues based. We also did it in 'Ride On,' where we went into the blues.

- Angus Young

Album, Like, Based, Jack

A lot of people say, 'AC/DC - that's the band with the little guy who runs around in school shorts!'

- Angus Young

People, Say, Guy, Runs

I honestly believe that you have to be able to play the guitar hard if you want to be able to get the whole spectrum of tones out of it. Since I normally play so hard, when I start picking a bit softer my tone changes completely, and that's really useful sometimes for creating a more laid-back feel.

- Angus Young

Play, Sometimes, Tone, Tones

When I was young, and I would see bands playing, I would dig the rock & roll and get excited, but when they would start to take the pace down, my attention span would start going.

- Angus Young

Young, Excited, Dig, Attention Span

A good record is one where I can tap my toes. I always say let your feet do the thinking.

- Angus Young

Feet, Always, Tap, Good Record

That's usually what happens with AC/DC: you make an album, and then you're on the road flat out. And the only time you ever get near a studio is generally after you've done a year of touring.

- Angus Young

Year, Album, Studio, Only Time

Because we grew up in Australia, to find information about a lot of blues guys, I used to go to the library and find the jazz magazines. They didn't even sell them at the time in news agents and stuff.

- Angus Young

News, Jazz, Sell, Agents

I never thought we'd be put into any sort of historical thing. When we started as a band, it was a day-to-day thing. You sort of played a gig, you got your money and thought, 'OK, where's tomorrow's gig?' You never thought you'd get past a summer.

- Angus Young

Thought, Gig, Historical, OK

I always liked the double cutaway. It looked like two horns. It's like a red devil. So I went to the guitar shop, saw an SG that was sitting there looking rather lonely, and said, 'Hey, that's for me.'

- Angus Young

Devil, Rather, Shop, Hey

The hardcore fans have hung with us because they go, 'Hey, they don't disappoint.' And we stick to that style.

- Angus Young

Hardcore, Disappoint, Hung, Hey

I've been shocked for a long time in a lot of circumstances. I get shocked when they say, 'Hey, we're paying ya.'

- Angus Young

Circumstances, Been, Ya, Hey

I have the Internet, but the first that happens with it is my machine will crash. I get by when it's operating. What would I know about updating?

- Angus Young

Will, About, Crash, Updating

The places we'd play were full of bikers, brawlers, and drinkers coming off a day of work looking for a good time, and all these guys would be looking at me like Hannibal Lecter looking at his next victim.

- Angus Young

Good, Play, Next, Hannibal

If you know what you do well and stick to that, I think you can appeal to the different generations. You can strike a chord with them. I've got the brain of a teenager anyway.

- Angus Young

Think, Generations, I Think, Teenager

I tried a Les Paul when I was a lot younger. I tried the Les Paul, and because of the weight of the thing, it nearly dislocated my hip.

- Angus Young

Younger, Weight, Nearly, Les

When I'm on stage the savage in me is released. It's like going back to being a cave man. It takes me six hours to come down after a show.

- Angus Young

Cave, Hours, Six, Savage

Every guitarist I would cross paths with would tell me that I should have a flashy guitar, whatever the latest fashion model was, and I used to say, 'Why? Mine works, doesn't it? It's a piece of wood and six strings, and it works.'

- Angus Young

Why, Tell, Works, Wood

I don't know how many bands I saw who would try to wreck a hotel room, but I never wrecked a hotel room in my life! If I'm gonna sit there and throw a TV out the window... if it's a good TV, maybe I should just take it home.

- Angus Young

My Life, Maybe, TV, Sit

For myself, I keep writing. I've got to do something. I can't sit on my hands and do nothing.

- Angus Young

Myself, Hands, Keep, Sit

We've always been quite clear about how we want the songs to sound. If we can imagine the song being played at a party, and it gets people tapping their feet, then it's in.

- Angus Young

Song, Feet, Always, Party

A lot of times you'll hear bands and it's a different sound coming out than what's on stage. Because you can clean it up through a PA and make it sound completely different than what they really sound like.

- Angus Young

Sound, Through, Like, Pa

We don't go around the world counting ticket and record sales, nor do we glue our ears to the radio to hear what's trendy at the moment - we're not that type of band.

- Angus Young

Glue, Ticket, Counting, Record Sales

Riffs are a repeating thing. They come back to you. Some of the things on 'Back in Black' were ideas we had knocked around on tracks before that: 'That bit - maybe we should take a chunk of that and slug it in here.'

- Angus Young

Here, Some, Before, Repeating

With guitar riffs, we always look for something that 's a little bit special. We've always found that it is harder to come up with something that's nice and simple without getting something that's hard but easy.

- Angus Young

Simple, Always, Come, Riffs

There's nothing worse than trying to patch something or make do. If there wasn't something there in the beginning, it won't be there at the end.

- Angus Young

Beginning, Nothing, Worse, Patch

We just stuck to what we did best. Maybe that's why people plug into us and go 'They never change.' We're reliable. A bit like old shoes.

- Angus Young

Old, Like, Maybe, Stuck

For the two hours I climb on stage, I become the schoolboy. But as soon as it is over, I get off stage and go home and get told to wipe my feet before I come in.

- Angus Young

Feet, Over, Go Home, Wipe

If I heard a noise at night, I'd think there was a burglar sneaking around; the first thing I'd do was check on my guitar.

- Angus Young

Night, Think, Check, Burglar

I don't regard myself as a soloist. It's a color; I put it in for excitement. It's not great loss if a solo has to go. We've made songs without solos.

- Angus Young

Myself, Color, Made, Excitement

With seven boys and one sister, there was always a lot of music in the house. A few of my brothers were playing instruments, so it was from hearing that, coupled with discovering early rock, which triggered me to pick up a guitar and try to pick out the notes.

- Angus Young

Seven, Notes, Brothers, Hearing

When we were younger and first starting out in Australia, we found that we sold more records by word of mouth because we were playing the bars, clubs, and small places and building a following. And as we got bigger, we still relied a lot on word of mouth.

- Angus Young

Small, Records, Got, Starting

Most people can do what I do - they can do guitar solos - but they can't do a good, hard rhythm guitar and be dedicated to it.

- Angus Young

Hard, Most, Dedicated, Solos

'Rock Or Bust' is a thing we've always done.

- Angus Young

Rock, Always, Thing, Bust

We've been in front of really big audiences, and people have said there's a couple of hundred thousand people out there, but I've never really noticed.

- Angus Young

Big, Been, Couple, Front

When we were younger, playing a bar or a club, we did what we did to get as many people to like what we were doing. I wanted the person in the back of the room to like it as much as the ones in the front. That's how I've always looked at it.

- Angus Young

Doing, Back, How, Front

It doesn't take much for anyone to pick up anything I play - it's quite simple. I go for a good song. And if you hear a good song, you don't dissect it - you just listen, and every bit seems right.

- Angus Young

Simple, Play, Good Song, Hear

Actually, because I'm so small, when I strike an open A chord I get physically thrown to the left, and when I play an open G chord I go right. That's how hard I play, and that's how a lot of my stage act has come about. I just go where the guitar takes me.

- Angus Young

Small, Play, About, Chord

What we admit to is being a rock n' roll band. From day one, I was a big Chuck Berry fan.

- Angus Young

Big, Berry, Chuck Berry, Chuck

Go back to the very beginning, when we first started playing in local pubs. We used to play Chuck Berry covers. Every now and then, we'd slip in one of our own songs, and we found that we were getting away with it - nobody seemed to know these were original tracks.

- Angus Young

Play, Very, Berry, Chuck

The mainstream media tend to lump everything together. To them, there's no difference between Madonna, the Rolling Stones, or whatever.

- Angus Young

Mainstream, Them, Madonna, Rolling Stones

Soloing was pretty easy for me because it was probably the first thing I've ever done.

- Angus Young

Done, Easy, Pretty, The First Thing

My part in AC/DC is just adding the color on top.

- Angus Young

Color, Top, Part, Adding

To me, meeting Buddy Guy was like meeting a piece of history.

- Angus Young

Me, Like, Piece, Meeting

We never go overboard and above people's heads. We strive to retain that energy, that spirit we've always had. We feel the more simple and original something is, the better.

- Angus Young

Original, More, Always, Heads

In the studio, my brother and I have always used a lot of Marshall amps. We like to keep it pretty basic. We just use a couple of cabinets each - sometimes just one, if we think that's enough. We mainly go for 100-watt and 50-watt heads.

- Angus Young

Studio, Use, Couple, Heads

With AC/DC, we've always started with rock, and we've just kept it going. The critic's view is always, 'They just made an album and it's the same as the last one.' I'll have fifteen of them, anytime.

- Angus Young

Always, Fifteen, Last, Anytime

The media, being what it is, is always looking for the next new thing. There are still bands out there playing, no matter what the new thing is. The Stones go out there, and people go see them without records or even airplay.

- Angus Young

New, Next, Always, Stones

You've got to love what you do. You've got to like doing it, because it is a lot of your life.

- Angus Young

Love, Doing, Lot, To Love

I remember one of the first gigs I played with that amp was at a local church. They wanted someone to fill in with the guitar and my friend say, 'Ah, he can play.' And so I dragged the amplifier down and started playing and everybody started yelling 'turn it down!'

- Angus Young

Play, I Remember, Everybody, Amp

The playing is great. The traveling is tough. It's a hard thing.

- Angus Young

Hard, Playing, Traveling, Hard Thing

I've always been someone who thought it didn't matter where you were playing. I always shot for the best you could get. It never bothered me if it was small or it was big.

- Angus Young

Small, Big, Always, Bothered

I can't deny that Eric Clapton's and Eddie Van Halen's lead stuff has influenced a stack of people, but for me, it's the rhythm thing that's way more impressive and important to a band.

- Angus Young

Van, Deny, Stack, Eric

I'm sick to death of people saying we've made 11 albums that sounds exactly the same, Infact, we've made 12 albums that sound exactly the same.

- Angus Young

Death, Made, Albums, Saying

Over the years, the critics have said, 'They never change.' Maybe the little guy's got a new color of school uniform. I always thought, 'Well, what were we going to change into?' A jazz band? A keyboard band?

- Angus Young

Color, Thought, Maybe, Jazz Band

We knew when we started we wouldn't be accepted overnight, that it was going to be a long haul.

- Angus Young

Overnight, Going, Knew, Haul

I think what AC/DC does best is play live. That's when everything comes together. Even after you make a studio album, when you go out and play live, that's when you learn what being in a band is all about.

- Angus Young

Play, I Think, Studio, Band

I never thought of us as a punk band, a metal band, or a new wave band. Just as a band band.

- Angus Young

Thought, New, Never, Band

There's more to playing the guitar than being able to split your legs.

- Angus Young

More, Able, Than, Split

I have this theory about us. When we started writing our own songs, we were 17 years old. When you're 17, you write songs for other 17-year-olds. We stopped growing musically when we were 17. We still write songs for 17-year-olds.

- Angus Young

Other, Still, Stopped, Musically

Nothing happened overnight. Every country we went into, we started at the bottom. We knew that because the music we were playing and the attitude we had, we knew we'd be at the bottom and have to work our way up.

- Angus Young

Work, Country, Bottom, Happened

I just go where the guitar takes me.

- Angus Young

Me, Go, Where, Guitar

I used to run home from school, pick up my guitar, and lock myself in my room and play.

- Angus Young

Myself, Play, Run, Guitar

For me, New York has always been a city of unpredictability. You can never guess what's going to happen next.

- Angus Young

New, Next, Always, York

The guitar can go at a scream. It can yell at you.

- Angus Young

Go, Scream, Yell, Guitar

My ambition was just to be able to play guitar.

- Angus Young

Ambition, Play, Able, Guitar

The school suit allows me to be an extrovert. Basically, I'm the opposite of what I am on stage.

- Angus Young

I Am, School, Stage, Extrovert

We played by feel. We felt as though you could put us on any stage, and we would find a way to win that crowd over. We had that attitude: We can't fail. You might not like it right now, but you will.

- Angus Young

Crowd, Feel, Had, Played

I've heard people say all our music sounds the same, but it's usually just the people who don't like us who say it.

- Angus Young

People, Say, Like, Heard

We're not the prettiest bunch of animals in the world.

- Angus Young

World, Animals, Bunch, Prettiest

We've been involved in a lot of albums that were really rushed at the end.

- Angus Young

Been, Lot, Albums, Involved

There are all sorts of cute puppy dogs, but it doesn't stop people from going out and buying Dobermans.

- Angus Young

Pet, Cute, Going, Buying

I think we're just one of those bands that we know what we do best.

- Angus Young

Think, I Think, Just One, Bands

I wouldn't know any newer bands. We're past the pimple stage.

- Angus Young

Past, Know, Stage, Bands

In the real world, people just get on with their lives. And that's where AC/DC come in.

- Angus Young

Real, Come, Lives, The Real World

We always try to get new songs. That's what AC/DC has always been about. You can listen to what we do, and you can go, 'Well, it's AC/DC, but it's a new song.' So that's what we've always tried to achieve. So we've always got that style.

- Angus Young

Song, New, Always, Listen

When we play live, it's always been a do or die effort. And everything we've ever done has always had that approach.

- Angus Young

Play, Die, Always, Effort

Australia is the place I know best.

- Angus Young

Best, Place, Know, Australia

When we grew up, Australia was the land of opportunity; it really was.

- Angus Young

Opportunity, Land, Up, Australia

When you sign on and say, 'I'm gonna do this and that,' it's always good to say at the end of it, 'I've done all I said I would do.'

- Angus Young

Say, Always, Sign, Gonna

You have to put a market value on what you do.

- Angus Young

Value, You, Put, Market

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