Angus Young\u2019s riffs are instantly recognizable\u2014within a couple of notes, you know it\u2019s him. It\u2019s an accomplishment few musicians have achieved. While his guitar work may not always be the most intricate or varied, the sheer power of his riffs has made AC\/DC a staple in rock music. The band\u2019s timeless sound brings energy to a world that can often feel monotonous. Angus jokingly remarked, \u201cI\u2019m sick to death of people saying we\u2019ve made 11 albums that sound exactly the same.\u201d In fact, we\u2019ve produced 12 albums that sound identical.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nonetheless, they all sound the same because they sound like AC\/DC and nobody else. These albums were created to provide people with what they crave: boisterous, anthemic rock that is great for stadiums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Angus, this straightforward approach is what rock should be. \u201cWe\u2019re a rock group. We\u2019re noisy, rowdy, sensational and weird,\u201d he said. His frustration grows when bands venture into weird territory without purpose or merely recycle the same old blues riffs. This, for him, is where Eric Clapton falls short. While Clapton is hailed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, having been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times, Angus has no time for the praise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cClapton just sticks licks together that he has taken from other people \u2013 like BB King and the other old blues players \u2013 and puts them together in some mish-mashed fashion,\u201d Angus argues.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
This criticism isn\u2019t just about Clapton\u2019s technical skills but about his lack of innovation. While Clapton may have popularized the blues for rock audiences, Angus contends that Clapton\u2019s approach remains stagnant. \u201cDoes he really have the feel, soul and sincerity of Howlin\u2019 Wolf?\u201d Angus asks. \u201cNo,\u201d he concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Angus doesn\u2019t just critique Clapton\u2019s playing; he takes issue with his songwriting too. According to Young, Clapton\u2019s most significant work was the Blues Breakers album with John Mayall, and maybe a handful of tracks with Cream. But beyond that, Angus believes Clapton\u2019s reputation is largely built on repeating the same formula, lacking any major evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s not alone in this assessment. Rik Emmett, guitarist for Triumph, echoed similar thoughts on Clapton\u2019s style, calling his guitar playing \u201cnarrow\u201d compared to his contemporaries. \u201cHe might\u2019ve ended up being a better R&B singer,\u201d Emmett said, referencing Clapton\u2019s limits as a guitarist when compared to the broader palates of Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, both of whom came out of the Yardbirds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The contrast between Clapton\u2019s style and Angus Young\u2019s is telling. While Clapton may have remained comfortable in a limited range, Angus took his minimal tools and carved out something fresh, channeling the raw, immediate energy of rock and roll. Angus\u2019s sound may be simple, but it\u2019s still as electric as ever, while Clapton\u2019s approach can feel repetitive, relying on old tricks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Angus Young\u2019s riffs are instantly recognizable\u2014within a couple of notes, you know it\u2019s him. It\u2019s an accomplishment few…\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3165","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-musician"},"yoast_head":"\n
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