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The first musicians that come to mind when we talk about AC/DC’s unique sound are surely the brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Then, many fans might mention the vocalists Brian Johnson and Bon Scott, who were also essential to the band’s identity. But someone who often tends to be forgotten and overlooked is the band’s longtime drummer, Phil Rudd. He played on almost all of their most acclaimed albums and has been described by many of his peers as one of the most underrated drummers in the world. Over the decades, Angus Young has given his opinion on many of the artists he has played with, including Phil Rudd. What is Angus Young’s opinion on Phil Rudd as a drummer Often called the driving force behind AC/DC’s music, Phil Rudd is highly admired by Angus Young. The guitarist said that playing with him always makes him play even better. "Phil, he has a unique gift, it's a natural thing that he... Put it this way, the first time ever Phil ever got behind the drums and played, I said to Mal: 'When that guy starts driving and you're doing a guitar solo, man... You've gotta play harder." "I have to lift the game. I have to really belt into it, because I can't be heard once he starts cracking that (laughs). He's got a unique drive and he just seems to have a natural thing, you know. He says he looks to my little legs going (during the show) and he goes: 'I know what you're gonna do (laughs)' (...) I know him, going back from the early years and all the way through and it is that, he's just so natural," Angus Young told Let There Be Talk in 2020 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). A few decades ago, in 1995 when Phil returned to the band, Angus said a similar thing, explaining that Rudd could almost read his mind when they were playing together. "When he had other drummers, like Chris Slade (who's) a great drummer, they had to copy that style, what was said (in his playing). Phil Rudd does it so well, so it's good that he wanted to do it again. (He's got a) very natural style." Angus Young continued: "You can play a song and he automatically, it's like he is reading your mind. You don't have to arrange it or direct it. (I feel the difference) very much (playing with him) because you can play and (he will) pick up straight away. You don't (even) have to look (at him). For Rock and Roll is very good, because it's a groove, a rhythm," Angus Young said in an interview for French TV at the time (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). During the conversation with Let There Be Talk, Brian Johnson also talked about Phil and recalled a joke the drummer told him. "You know, he (Phil Rudd) said to me: 'You gotta watch out for them 'dental drummers'. I said: 'What's a dental drummer?' He said: 'You know, the kind they say how they'll fill it' (laughs). Because he's whole thing is just keeping the beat. I don't know what it is. He hits the beat, you think he's gonna fall from the stool before (he) just hits right where it's supposed to swing, you know, a roll, whatever you wanna call it. He's just natural and it gets you everytime. He's great, we love him," Brian Johnson said. Alongside AC/DC’s former bassist Mark Evans, Rudd is the only other Australian member of the band’s classic lineup. Angus, Malcolm, and Bon were actually born in Scotland and grew up in Australia, while Cliff Williams and Brian Johnson were born in England. He is also one of the tallest members the band has had, standing at 1.68 m (5'6"). Angus Young is the shortest, at 1.57 m (5'2"). What Angus Young said about Phil Rudd’s legal troubles Although he was not part of all the albums released by AC/DC and was out of the band for a couple of years twice, Rudd is the only classic member of the band who came back. He first joined the band in 1975, being part of all their classic albums until 1983, leaving after recording "Flick of the Switch". During that time, he was replaced by Simon Wright (1983 to 1989) and Chris Slade (1989 to 1994). The praised 1995 album "Ballbreaker" marked his return to the group and he since then he was part of all their releases. However, he didn't always toured with the band. Although he recorded the album "Rock or Bust" in 2014 with the band, he was replaced by Chris Slade during their tour and promotion. Because before the album was released he was arrested and charged with attempting to procure a murder, threatening to kill and possession of drugs in New Zealand, where he lives. At the time, Angus Young told Howard Stern that he was shocked to hear about what happened. But he also laughed at the situation. "Howard, with Rock drummers, they come with a safety belt and a straitjacket, you know what I mean (laughs). I fell out of bed, actually (When I heard about that). My wife woke me up. She said 'Hey, Phil's being up to no good' (laughs)," Angus Young said (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). The drummer was sentenced to 8 months of home detention and ordered to pay 120.000 New Zealand dollars. After AC/DC's hiatus because of Brian Johnson's hearing problems, when the band returned to the studio he was once again invited to join them. He was part of "Power Up", released in 2020. Phil Rudd said he wasn't invited to tour with AC/DC after "Power Up" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EWqTym2cQU&list=RD6EWqTym2cQU&start_radio=1&pp=ygURaWYgeW91IHdhbnQgYmxvb2SgBwE%3D Phil Rudd recorded "Power Up" with the band and was part of all the videoclips to promote the album. However, when they finally returned to the stage in 2023, he didn't take part in it. Although he didn't say directly it was the reason for his absence, he revealed to New Zealand’s Stuff in 2024 that his partner had terminal breast cancer. That led fans to believe that was the reason why he didn't take part in the tour. However, talking with the same New Zealand publication, in 2025, Rudd said that he wasn't invited by them to play. 'There was a time when I thought it was the end of my world. I only knew life with AC/DC. Those people I thought loved me like a brother, they haven’t even picked up the phone. But to me AC/DC was always Bon. My favourite album is Highway to Hell. My favourite song – his song Touch Too Much.' The interviewer says: “Rudd stops, choked up whenever he talks about (Bon)". Then the drummer continues: “When Bon died, even in AC/DC I felt alone. But I was never alone. The people who like the music, it always humbles me, but makes me happy too. People always ask me if I will play with AC/DC again. The only people I would do it for would be the fans. And for Bon. I would do it for Bon,” Phil Rudd said. During the same interview, Rudd talked about shows he was doing with the Auckland Philarmonia and the guitarist EJ Barnes. He praised her saying she was “way better than Angus“.The post Angus Young’s opinion on Phil Rudd as a drummer appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.

Elton John might be our most prominent ambassador for the magic of vinyl records. His personal collection is famously massive and his taste equally expansive—in a 2020 interview with Goldmine, he claimed to own "over 120,000 CDs and 15,000 pieces of vinyl." Not too shabby! But even if he owns thousands of albums, one particularly meaningful LP has never graced his shelf. Until now, anyway. On November 5, the singer-songwriter posted on social media about the lovely musical gift he received from Alex Rodriguez, the owner of L.A. shop Record Safari and the Vinyl Record Curator for the Coachella music festival. After coming across the "original acetates" from the first recordings of John’s blockbuster seventh album, 1973’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Rodriguez worked hard to make contact with the musician. (For clarity, as DJ and vinyl expert B-Pushr notes on Instagram, an acetate is a "one-off cut," made from aluminum with a lacquer coating, that allows artists to hear their work before it’s officially pressed.) See on Instagram A selfless act of kindness"Every so often, there are acts of kindness that remind you there are still a lot of good people in this world," John wrote, noting that the acetates are still in "beautiful condition," packaged in their original sleeves from Trident Studios, where the album was completed. He described them, accurately, as a "real piece of history.""Instead of selling them or keeping them for himself, Alex reached out and offered to return them to me personally," he continued. "While they’d be valuable to anyone, to me these recordings are truly priceless, and I am incredibly grateful for his kindness, generosity, and his love of music. Thank you, Alex. This is a gesture I’ll never forget."The post, which includes an excellent photo of John and Rodriguez posing with the acetates, drew the attention from thousands of musicians, record collectors, and others simply inspired by this selfless act of kindness. Rodriguez also added a sweet note in the comments section, saying it was "totally awesome" to return these discs to their proper owner. "Even when people doubted I could get it back to you, I believed!" he wrote. "My gut feeling told me you would want this back, mostly because I know you are a fellow record collector/aficionado! Thank you for the kind words, definitely one of the coolest memories to hold on to! I knew the future of this acetate lied beyond the yellow brick road!" - YouTube www.youtube.com Elton John's record-collecting roots go deepGenuinely heartwarming stuff—and clearly much appreciated by John, given his deep passion for physical media. In a 2017 video for Record Store Day, being honored by the brand as a "Legend," he talked about the roots of this love. "I remember [my mother] buying 'Heartbreak Hotel' by Elvis Presley, which changed my life," he said. From there, his collection steadily swelled until 1990, when he sold all his records to raise money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation."I sold the whole collection, singles and everything, to someone in St. Louis for about $250,000," he said. "I hated getting rid of it, but I had so much that I [didn’t have anywhere] to put it. Then I obviously started collecting CDs and cassettes, but it wasn’t the same, and then two years ago, there’s a store in Vegas called Wax Trax Records, and I started collecting vinyl—slowly—and replacing what I’d sold." These days, even just being in a record store puts him in a Zen-like state: "I can go into the record store in Vegas and spend three hours there," he said. "Just the smell of it and the looking at it and the wonder of it, the memories. Music has been my whole life. It’s been my crutch; it’s been my soulmate…It’s never lost its shine." - YouTube www.youtube.com

Generation X (those born from 1965-1980) grew up in the glory days of the shopping mall. Back then, it was *the* place to hang with friends, shop, and of course—indulge in food court classics.Today, while shopping malls still exist—Gen Xers know they don't come close to what they were when they were growing up. Over on Reddit in the subforum r/GenX, they reminisced about their once-favorite mall haunts, snacks, and meals.These are some of the most memorable stores and restaurants that Gen X misses from malls in the 1980s. - YouTube www.youtube.com "Orange Julius. One can of concentrated orange juice, one can of water, one package of instant vanilla pudding plus ice in a blender." - califachica, seeingeyefrog"My favorites were the old iron on T-shirt stores, and the arcades. I remember the T-shirt stores the most. The walls were completed paneled with the decals whatever. You'd pick out a shirt and a decal, and they'd iron it onto it right there. I still remember the smells. Got my first Star Wars and Kiss shirts that way." - this_is_Winston"I was Partial to Waldenbooks, The Jean Scene (my mom shopped there, I was like 8), Spencer's and Aladdin's Castle." - Rob1150"Free samples at Hickory Farms, poking around Spencer’s, prom dress shopping at 5-7-9." - Shesgonedownhill"I miss the mall around the holidays. the smell of the mall was unique, everyone would get their holiday scented stuff in which made this weird meta-smell in the whole mall that wasn't quite Christmas votive candle, but also not quite peppermint. the hickory farms pop up was great for the aunt who didn't want to gamble on a shirt size, so here ya go 9 year old nephew, welcome to summer sausage. the Santa village *was always pretty tight and whimsical, even as a filthy degenerate mallrat, you behave around Santa's village. especially if you're gonna buy weed from him later." - achmejedidad - YouTube www.youtube.com "Spencer's is still in business, just that it's a far cry from its 80's self. I miss KB toys, Sears, & the food court in general." - aogamerdude"Waldenbooks, Musicland & World Bazaar." - FrankenGretchen"I miss Sam Goody or Tower Records. Plus our mall had a cigar shop in it back in the day where we would occasionally sit and smoke." - single_dad2025"Going to Brookstone and playing with all the toys. I never spent a dime there, but it was one of my favorite places to hang out." - gravitydefiant"I loved B. Dalton’s so much. I bought each Sweet Valley Twin’s (middle school series :) book as soon as it was available, and finished it within a day. My conservative parents wouldn’t allow the Sweet Valley High series in our home. …and the bookstore was next to a fantastic Midwestern food court. Great memories." - ebi14312 @strombo Yeah. I slept in a mall. 80s and 90s were peak mall times. #IYKYK #genx but if you don’t let me take you back to a time of the Cineplex/Googolplex multiplex, Radio Shack, Mrs Fields days. Because a fella named Jacob Baldwin threw a little spotlight on the mall of my misspent youth. #80s #90s #canada_life?? #amusementpark "Contempo Casuals, free samples at See’s Candies, eating French fries at Bob’s Big Boy, the makeup counter at May Company, Waldenbooks." - frozen_charlotte"The candy stores! The ones that sold everything by the pound, I think ours was called Candyopolis. Loved them." Puzzleheaded-Sky3141"I remember when Gadzooks was a legit skateboard shop. But some stores I remember that are long gone now, Circus World Toys, Hastings Records, Gold Mine arcade, Babbages, Merry go round/Chess King to get them fresh Z.Cavarichi’s and Girboud’s lol." - chriscab"I thought Wicks n Sticks was magical." - SimpleVegetable5715"Miss the baked ziti from Sbarro." - bunkie18

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The elections that took place this week are a wake up call for Republicans. Millions of people elected far left radicals in a variety of states, including self-proclaimed Socialist Zohran Mamdani and the political violence tied Jay Jones. Generation Z, Millenials, and foreign-born Americans pushed Mamdani across the finish line. Young women were another key to victory for each of the Democrats’ successful candidates across the country. What does this mean for the future? Is there hope? Paul Kengor and Grace Reilly break it all down on this week’s episode of The Weekend Spectator. Watch the full episode to find out more: READ MORE: New Yorkers Elect ANOTHER Commie Mayor