AC/DC co-founder and guitarist Malcolm Young has died after battling dementia for several years, the band announced Saturday. He was 64.
Young died at home with his family at this bedside, the band said in a statement.
Young, along with his brother Angus, founded the legendary rock band in 1975 in Australia.
"Renowned for his musical prowess Malcolm was a songwriter, guitarist, performer, producer and visionary who inspired many," the statement said. "From the outset, he knew what he wanted to achieve and, along with his younger brother, took to the world stage giving their all at every show. Nothing less would do for their fans."
Angus Young, in a separate statementadded that Malcolm took "great pride in all that he endeavored."
"His loyalty to the fans was unsurpassed," he wrote. "As his brother it is hard to express in words what he has meant to me during my life, the bond we had was unique and very special. He leaves behind an enormous legacy that will live on forever."
AC/DC wasinducted in 2003 into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which described its sound as "scorched-earth, metallic hard rock which has rarely deviated from a template of headbanging-inducing guitar riffs, flashy drums and banshee-yell vocals."
"In the process, AC/DC have carved out a niche somewhere between hard rock and heavy metal that's been an inspiration to aspiring musicians -- and given us crank-up-the-volume radio staples 'Back In Black,' 'Highway to Hell' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long,'" the hall of fame notes on its website.
The band plans to create a memorial website at which fans can send messages to Malcolm Young's survivors, including his wife, O'Linda; children, Cara and Ross; son-in-law, Josh; three grandchildren; and his sister and brother. The family has also asked that in lieu of flowers, fans donate to The Salvation Army.
