Angus Young of AC/DC has always been a fierce defender of pure, unfiltered rock ‘n’ roll. Known for their raw power and no-frills style, AC/DC has earned praise even from tough critics like Keith Richards. But when it comes to Led Zeppelin, Young has mixed feelings. While he respects some of their early music, he strongly criticized their later performances for lacking energy and connection. Recalling one of their concerts, Young said the band played for three hours but failed to engage the crowd for most of it. “They bored the audience,” he recalled, only picking up momentum at the end with old-school rock numbers. To him, that kind of show felt forced and uninspired.
Young also accused Led Zeppelin of becoming imitations of the bands they once admired, like The Who, rather than continuing to push boundaries. He sees that as the moment they lost their edge. When Gene Simmons declared rock dead, Young dismissed the claim, saying such statements have been around since The Beatles arrived. His bandmate Brian Johnson agreed, pointing out that rock has been “killed off” many times but always comes back. For AC/DC, rock ‘n’ roll isn’t dead—it’s alive, powerful, and still shaking the world.
