Malcolm Young farewelled in Sydney by fans, colleagues

All the disagreements, sackings and stony silences within the AC/DC camp were forgotten as past and present members arrived in Sydney to farewell their leader.

Angus, Brian, Cliff, Stevie and former rhythm section Phil Rudd and Mark Evans were on hand.

So were Jimmy Barnes, Angry Anderson, John and Rick Brewster of The Angels, as well as music execs as promoter Michael Chugg and Sony Chairman Denis Handlin.

Also, there were the fans whom Young cherished.

Once in Germany, a kid hitch-hiked to a sold-out AC/DC gig, hoping to talk himself in. He couldn’t, but Malcolm pulled out $500 from his pocket so he could fly home.

As mourners entered the St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, they were handed a service program and a guitar pick with his birth and death dates inscribed.

The funeral service was distinctly traditional with the singing of ‘Amazing Grace’, ‘The Lord Is My Shepherd and ‘Jerusalem’. His favourite Gretsch guitar, “The Beast”, lay atop the casket.

Alberts CEO David Albert, whose family was intertwined with that of the Youngs for over 50 years, provided a history of Malcolm.

“He was quiet and understated,” he was described, as well as a music mastermind and a catalyst for generations of black T-shirted kids to pick up the guitar.

He also nodded in tribute to Angus who lost two brothers within a space of weeks.

“Angus, your strength, courage and support has been truly remarkable,” he said.

Nephew Bradley Horsburgh recalled Malcolm’s many boating disasters (including sinking one, actually setting another on fire) and his passion for his family, soccer and dumb comedy movies, while longtime confidant and former Alberts GM Fifa Riccobono did a reading.

Afterwards, a pipe and drums band in Scottish regalia, played the solo from ‘It’s A Long Way’ as his body was being loaded into the hearse, following it up with ‘Waltzing Matilda and ‘Road To Gundagai’ as it drove off down College Street where the family would reunite at a private service.