Best known as AC/DC’s co-founder and rhythm guitarist, Australian musician Malcolm Young was born on January 6, 1953 in Scotland. According to Young himself, “All the males in our family played,” and this musical background led the brothers to indeed start careers in music later on in their lives.

Brothers Angus, George, and Malcolm were especially known to be engaged in music production and performance since early stages of their lives. It was at the age of 20 when Malcolm formed AC/DC with Angus, and the rest can easily be named history.

For instance, “Can I Sit Next To You” and “Girl and It’s a Long Way to the Top” garnered immediate attention from the blues- and rock-ridden audience in the mid-70s, and in less than a decade after forming the band — the Youngs were not even 30 then — AC/DC achieved international success with Highway to Hell. Afterwards, a Mojo article named AC/DC “the second generation of rising stars” along with Thin Lizzy, UFO, Scorpions, and Judas Priest. Back in Black led AC/DC into continued long-term success in terms of both critical and commercial aspects, as evidenced by the 200,000 people gathered over three sold-out shows in 2009 — 46 years after the band was founded. That is well over the lifetime of most other bands that have “rocked” the world.

Possibly lesser known facts about Malcolm Young include his quiet lifestyle, as testified by his neighbors during a posthumous visit by The Daily Mail. According to the UK newspaper, Malcolm Young was described as “just a normal person”, contrary to what rock star stereotypes that might prevail today. Having had neighbors come over to his house sometimes, Young was often heard making music in the attic during the very few times that he was actually at his home in Sydney.

Young’s three-year fight against dementia ended on November 18. With a series of condolence messages including tweets from Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and David Coverdale of Deep Purple — who are by themselves rock superstars, by the way — Young was once again remembered as one of the greatest rhythm guitarists in history. During the funeral on November 28, his guitar, nicknamed “The Beast”, accompanied him while guitar picks engraved with his birth and death dates were handed out to the mass commemorating his death.