List of AC/DC members

AC/DC band members

Current lineup (excluding Malcolm Young) performing on the Black Ice World Tour in 2009.

AC/DC are an Australian hard rock band formed by rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young in November 1973, who recruited drummer Colin Burgess, bassist Larry Van Kriedt, and lead vocalist Dave Evans. Young and Evans had been in the Australian band Velvet Underground together. One week later, Malcolm invited his younger brother Angus Young to join the band, following the breakup of his own band, Kentucky (some sources cite the spelling as Kentuckee).

After a number of lineup changes the band settled with Bon Scott on vocals, Mark Evans on bass guitar and Phil Rudd on drums, and released five albums (two limited to Australia) between 1975 and 1977. Due to continuing clashes with lead guitarist Angus Young, Evans was later fired from the band shortly after the release of Let There Be Rock, although "musical differences" was the official reason given for his departure. Cliff Williams was brought in as his replacement, and he remains with the band to this day.

After another two successful albums, as the band were due to start recording again frontman Bon Scott died in London on 19 February 1980 due to alcohol poisoning. The band briefly considered quitting, but later chose to carry on and hired Brian Johnson to take Scott's place as lead vocalist. The group's first album with Johnson was Back in Black in 1980, which is now the second best-selling album of all-time after Michael Jackson's Thriller. After the recording of Flick of the Switch in 1983, Phil Rudd quietly left the band due to problems with drug and alcohol abuse as well as a confrontation with rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young.

Simon Wright joined as Rudd's replacement, performing on the albums Fly on the Wall (1985), Who Made Who (1986) and Blow Up Your Video (1988) during his time in the band. He left the band in 1989, and later explained that he "began to get complacent about things", claiming that he "needed to expand on [his] drumming more". The next drummer to join AC/DC was Chris Slade, who despite being in the band for five years only performed on one studio album, The Razors Edge. In 1994 Slade departed from the band, due to the desire of the Young brothers to return to working with former drummer Rudd, who they said "demonstrated a 'groove' more fitting [to] their style of rock". The lineup of Johnson, Young, Young, Williams and Rudd remained from 1994 until 2014, and released the albums Ballbreaker (1995), Stiff Upper Lip (2000) and Black Ice (2008) in the process. On 24 September 2014, it was confirmed that Malcolm Young had officially departed from the band due to ill health, and would be replaced by his nephew Stevie Young.

Band members

Current members

• Angus Young – lead and rhythm guitar, occasional backing vocals (November 1973 – present); slide guitar (2008)
• Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals (May 1977 – present)
• Brian Johnson – lead vocals (April 1980 – present)
• Stevie Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (April 1988 – November 1988, January 2014 – present)
• Chris Slade – drums, percussion, occasional backing vocals (November 1989 – August 1994, February 2015 – present)

Former members

• Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (November 1973 – September 2014); lead guitar (November 1974); bass guitar (November 1974, January 1975 – March 1975)
• Colin Burgess – drums (November 1973 – February 1974, September 1975 – October 1975)
• Larry Van Kriedt – bass guitar (November 1973 – February 1974, January 1975); saxophone (November 1973 – February 1974)
• Dave Evans – lead vocals (November 1973 – September 1974)
• Ron Carpenter – drums (February 1974)
• Neil Smith – bass guitar (February 1974 – April 1974)
• Russell Coleman – drums (February 1974, January 1975)
• Noel Taylor – drums (February 1974 – April 1974)
• Peter Clack – drums (April 1974 – January 1975)
• Rob Bailey – bass guitar (April 1974 – January 1975)
• Bon Scott – lead vocals (September 1974 – February 1980); bagpipes (1975 – 1976); drums, backing vocals (September 1976)
• Phil Rudd – drums, percussion (February 1975 – May 1983, 1991, late 1993, August 1994 – February 2015); backing vocals (January 1976) Note: Some sources say Phil Rudd joined AC/DC in December 1974, and departed in April 1983.
• Paul Matters – bass guitar (February 1975 – March 1975)
• Mark Evans – bass guitar, occasional backing vocals (March 1975 – June 1977)
• Simon Wright – drums, percussion (May 1983 – November 1989) Note: Some sources say Simon Wright joined AC/DC in July 1983.

Substitute musicians

• Dennis Laughlin – lead vocals (1974)
• George Young – bass guitar (January 1975 – March 1975)
• Geordie Leach – bass guitar (February 1975)
• Bruce Howe – bass guitar (March 1975)
• Buzz Shearman – lead vocals (1980)
• Terry Slesser – lead vocals (1980)
• Noddy Holder – lead vocals (1980)
• Paul Greg – bass guitar (June 1991 – July 1991)
• Bob Richards – drums (October 2014)

Session musicians

• George Young – bass guitar (January 1974 – February 1974, November 1974, December 1975 – March 1976, January 1978 – March 1978); rhythm guitar, drums, backing vocals (November 1974)
• John Proud – drums (November 1974)
• Tony Currenti – drums (November 1974)
• Alex Young – bass guitar, lead vocals, guitar (September 1976)
• B. J. Wilson – drums (May 1983)

Current members

Angus Young

Active: 1973 – present

Regular instruments: lead guitar

Occasional instruments: rhythm guitar, backing vocals, slide guitar

Release contributions: all AC/DC releases

Cliff Williams

Active: June 1977 – present

Regular instruments: bass guitar, backing vocals

Release contributions: all AC/DC releases from Powerage (1978) to present

Brian Johnson

Active: April 1980 – present

Regular instruments: lead vocals

Release contributions: all AC/DC releases from Back in Black (1980) to present

Stevie Young

Active: April–November 1988, 2014 – present

Regular instruments: rhythm guitar, backing vocals (live only)

Release contributions: Rock or Bust (2014). Also replaced Malcolm Young for a US tour while he was recovering from health problems.

Chris Slade

Active: 1989-1994, 2015-present

Regular instruments: drums, percussion

Release contributions: The Razors Edge (1990)

Former members

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Malcolm Young	1973 – September 2014	rhythm guitar, backing vocals	All releases prior to Rock or Bust (2014)
	Dave Evans	December 1973 – September 1974	vocals	"Can I Sit Next to You Girl" (1974)
	Larry Van Kriedt	December 1973 – February 1974, January 1975	bass guitar, saxophone	Live performances only. Occasionally switched to saxophone during some gigs. Returned in January 1975 to fill in briefly after Rob Bailey was fired.
	Colin Burgess	December 1973 – February 1974, September 1975	drums	"Can I Sit Next to You Girl" (1974). Returned in September 1975 to replace Phil Rudd for a few gigs, as Rudd had injured his hand.
	Ron Carpenter	February 1974	drums	Live performances only.
	Neil Smith	February–April 1974	bass guitar	Live performances only.
	Noel Taylor	February–April 1974	drums	Live performances only.
	Peter Clack	April 1974 – January 1975	drums	High Voltage (1975)
	Rob Bailey	April 1974 – January 1975	bass guitar	High Voltage (1975)
	Bon Scott	September 1974 – February 1980	vocals	All AC/DC releases from High Voltage (1975) to Highway to Hell (1979)
	Russell Coleman	January 1975	drums	Performed at a small number of gigs during the first week of January 1975, immediately before Phil Rudd was hired.
	Paul Matters	February–March 1975	bass guitar	Recruited at George Young's suggestion, Matters was fired after 11 gigs.
	Mark Evans	March 1975 – June 1977	bass guitar	All AC/DC releases from T.N.T. (1975) to Let There Be Rock (1977)
	Simon Wright	July 1983 – November 1989	drums, percussion	Fly on the Wall (1985), Who Made Who (1986) and Blow Up Your Video (1988)
	Phil Rudd	1975-1983, 1994-2014	drums, percussion	from T.N.T. (1975) to Flick of the Switch (1983) and from "Ballbreaker" (1995) to "Rock Or Bust " (2014)

Session musicians and temporary replacements

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Dennis Laughlin	1974	vocals	Band manager who occasionally filled in for Dave Evans for live performances.
	George Young	1974, 1975	bass guitar, backing vocals, rhythm guitar, drums	Contributed various instruments, mainly bass guitar, on High Voltage (1975) and several subsequent albums, but was only credited as a producer. He often filled in on bass guitar at live shows during 1974–75.
	John Proud	1974	drums	Contributed to High Voltage (1975) as a session musician. Uncredited.
	Tony Currenti	1974	drums	Contributed to High Voltage (1975) and the "High Voltage" single as a session musician. Uncredited.
	B.J. Wilson	1983	drums	Was brought in to record tracks for the Flick of the Switch (1983) album following Phil Rudd's departure from the band. His contributions were ultimately not used on the album and Simon Wright joined the band shortly thereafter.
	Paul Greg	1991	bass guitar	Replaced Cliff Williams for a few shows on the US leg of the Razor's Edge tour, when Williams was ill.
	Bob Richards	3–4 October 2014	drums	Replaced Phil Rudd for the filming of the "Rock or Bust" and "Play Ball" videos in London as Rudd was unable to attend due to family emergency. Richards did not contribute musically.