GayC/DC are on the hunt for their new “Malcolm Young” – formidable rhythm chops essential, ability to pun welcome
The all-gay AC/DC tribute act are looking to replace the irreplaceable following the death of guitarist Clint Yeager earlier in the year
GayC/DC are looking for a new member and they know exactly what they want. You need to live in Los Angeles. You need to be male. You need to be gay. You need to be “capable and flamboyant”. And here comes the tough part: you need a metronomic right hand and you need to be able to play guitar like Malcolm Young.
It’s a big ask – Young was only the greatest rhythm guitarist of all time – but the long-running AC/DC tribute band are hopeful that an open invitation will help them recruit a new full-time player following the death of their rhythm guitarist, Clint Yeager, who died on August 15, aged 53. And they have officially put out the call for video auditions, with prospective guitarists welcomed to film themselves playing an AC/DC classic or two of their choice.
Yeager’s spot in the band had been occupied by old friends and GayC/DC alumni. Now they want to find someone permanent, someone who can turn the electric guitar into an engine for the band.
“GayC/DC would like to thank everyone for their well-wishes after the sudden passing of our guitarist Clint on August 15th,” wrote the band in a statement.
“We truly appreciate your support. We would also like to thank our original guitarist Karl Rumpf, guitarist Chris Ganser and ex-Pansy Division and Dirty Power guitarist Patrick Goodwin for filling in so that we could keep our remaining live commitments this year.
“After long deliberations and sensitive considerations, GayC/DC are now opening up for auditions for a capable and flamboyant guitarist who embodies AC/DC’s driving guitar force, Malcolm Young.”
Besides rhythm skills, and flamboyance, applicants with a gift for creating a pun will stand themselves in good stead. Like AC/DC, GayC/DC have a Mozart-esque grasp of the double entendre.
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Some songs need little work to be interpreted for the GayC/DC audience. Tracks like Big Balls have something for everyone no matter your orientation. Others require a little reworking a la Dirty Dudes (Done Dirt Cheap).
Musically, the set is AC/DC but with feather boas, more leather, more pink, and liberally applied makeup, so keep all this in mind when you shoot your audition. Remember: dress for the job you want, not the one you have.
Yeager's will be a tough spot to fill. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, GayC/DC lead vocalist Chris Freeman described Yeager as a confidante whose death came as a shock to the band.
“You could completely relax around him and feel like you could say anything,” Freeman said. “Everything happened so quickly. By the time we found out, it was like – wait a minute, he was going to be at rehearsal.”
Applicants can send their video to GayC/DC Guitarist Auditions.
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Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to publications including Guitar World, MusicRadar and Total Guitar. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.
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