Mark Gable, singer with Australian band the Choirboys and friend of the AC/DC Young brothers, has insisted the band are not about to retire – although mainman Malcolm Young is likely to bow out.
He was responding to rumours that exploded yesterday, which suggested the band were set to announce their split as a result of one member’s illness.
Gable confirms the man in question is 61-year-old Malcolm. Noise11 reports him as saying: “It’s not just that he is unwell, it’s that it’s quite serious – it will constitute that he definitely won’t be able to perform live. He will probably not be able to record.”
The singer also said Malcolm had missed a handful of shows during AC/DC’s Black Ice world tour, and was replaced by nephew Stevie Young, with no one noticing the difference.
Noise11 also slammed the original rumour, stating it had come from an unsubstantiated email sent to a gossip columnist.
No official statement has been released by the band or their representatives, meaning all aspects of the rumours remain unconfirmed. The band’s six-week studio booking starting on May 1 in Canada is believed to remain in place.
