Brian Johnson has issued a statement following the death of AC/DC‘s guitarist and co-founder Malcolm Young.

Johnson, who joined the band in 1980 and retired from performing live in 2016, has released a statement on his official website, describing himself as “saddened†by the news and saying: “He has left a legacy that I don’t think many can matchâ€.

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“I am proud to have known him and call him a friend, and I’m going to miss him so much,†Johnson added.

Read his statement in full below:

“I am saddened by the passing of my friend Malcolm Young, I can’t believe he’s gone. We had such great times on the road.

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I was always aware that he was a genius on guitar, his riffs have become legend, as has he.

I send out my love and sympathy to his wife Linda, his children Cara and Ross, and Angus, who will all be devastated…. as we all are.

He has left a legacy that I don’t think many can match. He never liked the celebrity side of fame, he was too humble for that. He was the man who created AC/DC because he said “there was no Rock,n,Roll†out there.

I am proud to have known him and call him a friend, and I’m going to miss him so much.

I salute you, Malcolm Young.â€

The January 2018 issue of Uncut is now on sale in the UK – with Bruce Springsteen on the cover. We also celebrate the best of the last 12 months with our Ultimate Review Of 2017 – featuring the best albums, reissues, films and books of the year. Elsewhere in the issue, there are new interviews with LCD Soundsystem, Bjork, The Weather Station, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Mavis Staples and more. Our free 15 track-CD celebrates the best music from 2017.