‘Back In Black’: The riff Angus Young still can’t play correctly
The goal of any rock and roll band is to make it look like no one could mess with you. Even when The Beatles were in their prime, they knew that they could still rely on their chops after soldiering through the trial by fire that came with playing in Hamburg, Germany, when they were cutting their teeth. Angus Young normally didn’t have to worry about such things when duckwalking across the stage in AC/DC, but he still thinks that this classic riff gives him some trouble whenever he plays.
But most of AC/DC’s greatest shows aren’t about being scared. Some people may still be delusional and argue that they are willing to bring about the apocalypse with their demonic imagery, but if there’s anything that’s going to spread throughout the youth whenever they see the Australian rockers, it’s more than likely a bad hangover or a stiff neck from all of the headbanging.
Because that had always been what AC/DC was about. Even in their prime, they wanted to come off like the ultimate bar band that the world had ever seen, and that meant singing about life on the road, swigging booze straight out of the bottle, and putting out as much energy as they could with a guitarist that managed to fit in the smallest pants imaginable.
When someone is first starting out with that kind of attitude, it’s easy for some people not to understand it, either. Most people were looking to listen to the hits of the day and have a good time, but by the time Bon Scott got behind the microphone, everyone collectively had a friend in the group who could be a drinking partner whenever they hit up the pubs and a brawling mate whenever someone tried to smash their teeth in.
Once Scott was forever silenced, Angus and Malcolm Young started work on Back in Black and had to deal with one of their musical brothers leaving. While Malcolm found the way forward when writing the basis of the title track, Angus said that he was still thrown for a loop whenever he tried to tackle the tune like his older brother.
Despite being able to play anything that he got his hands on, Angus still thought that his version of the riff was only half as good as what his brother could play, saying, “In fact, I was never able to do it exactly the way he had it on that tape. To my ears, I still don’t play the thing right!” Then again, to understand Malcolm’s playing very much comes from his own signature touch on guitar.
Compared to most other rhythm players, Malcolm never was known for subtlety, and hearing his guitar leap out of the speaker on those early AC/DC records is what gives them that signature snarl. Many guitarists have tried to match him, but the minute that his distorted guitar comes screaming out on ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’, for instance, he sounds like a monster from down under.
But even if Angus doesn’t mention the ins and outs of Malcolm’s sound, it all comes back to groove when talking about his playing. Anyone could easily pick up those few chords and try to play an AC/DC tune to the best of their ability, but if it doesn’t swing the same Malcolm used to do, what’s the point in trying?
