Angus Young opened up about his brother Malcolm Young’s final days, struggling through tears to tell of the mixed emotions of the time.
Malcolm died in 2017 after dementia had forced him to retire from AC/DC. He was also suffering from other health problems.
“I think the hardest part was not so much in parting, because that was a kind of end, you know – the relief,” Angus told 60 Minutes Australia. “The decline, that’s the hard part, because you knew him, and then to see that was gone.”
After a heavy breath he continued: “Even to the end … if I was there, from here to here he had a big smile. And I think that was probably … for me, that always gave me a kind of joy, even though he was in that state. That was always the joy of it.”
Young added that his brother “always got a great kick if I played him guitar. He would try to tap his foot. But he always knew I was there. … I was with him toward the end.” He noted it was “important” to spend that time with Malcolm.
You can watch the interview below.
Both Angus and singer Brian Johnson, who was taking part in the interview from another studio, appeared visibly moved as they spoke. Asked about having lost a brother in Malcolm, Johnson said: “Very emotional when he went. It’s all too soon, isn’t it? Too quick and too soon.”
Johnson previously recalled that the genesis for the AC/DC reunion that led to the release of their new album Power Up took place at Malcolm’s funeral. “That was a lovely day,” he said. “The band members sat together and talked. I’m not a religious or spiritual kind of person, but it’s so obvious now that something happened.”
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