AC/DC guitarist and co-founder Angus Young talks about the power of the band’s live shows and the concert experience in general in a new video interview.
"For us, every show is a new kind of challenge,” says Young. "You're trying to communicate to the whole building. You're hoping that that sound gets to the very back of the hall, so that they're getting the same feeling as the people who are close.
“When everything's happening and it's all cooking and everything gels, it just seems like it's one thing and it all moves together. The ultimate feeling is when you've got the audiences joining in; you have a magic atmosphere and they just wanna rock along with you — they wanna ride that wave with you.”
Currently playing the final US dates of the band’s Rock Or Bust world tour wuth guest vocalist Axl Rose, the guitarist says it all starts with the songs.
"The music has a lot of power; that's also part of it too,” explains Young. “It's simple, but it's also kind of complex. Ozzy Osbourne calls us 'meat and potatoes' — it's as good a description as any.”
The 61-year-old rocker is in the spotlight leading AC/DC through every show with a seemingly endless supply of energy…and possibly more than players half his age.
"Over the years, you can pace yourself,” Angus says. “Maybe I'm lucky – I always kind of get a second and third wind. Sometimes I do not know where it comes from. Sometimes I look and I feel tired, and then, out of the blue, I play a bit of music and then I go, 'Oooh. What am I doing?' And I've moved from one end of the stage to the other.
"Once you are on stage, you go, 'I can't get off now.' The real world goes away, and you get to go into another world. You just get on and you get on and that's it."
Axl Rose and AC/DC will wrap up the fall shows in Philadelphia, PA on September 20.
See also:
VIDEO: Axl Rose and AC/DC rock New York City
VIDEO: Axl Rose and AC/DC rock Buffalo
VIDEO: Axl Rose and AC/DC rock Auburn Hills
VIDEO: Axl Rose and AC/DC rock Cleveland
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