AC/DC First Drummer Colin Burgess Dies at 77

Colin Burgess, the original drummer for the legendary rock band AC/DC, has died at 77, the band announces over the weekend. A cause of death has yet to be revealed.

Iconic rock band AC/DC announced on Saturday, December 16, that Colin Burgess, the group’s original drummer, had passed away. He was 77. A cause of death has yet to be disclosed.

“Very sad to hear of the passing of Colin Burgess. He was our first drummer and a very respected musician. Happy memories, rock in peace, Colin,” the band said in a post on their website and on social media.

A native of Australia, Colin Burgess was among the first group of AC/DC band members, alongside Dave Evans, Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Larry Van Kriedt. He joined the band in 1973 and left the following year, with Phil Rudd replacing him and becoming their best-known drummer. Burgess’ drumming can be heard on AC/DC’s debut single, “Can I Sit Next to You, Girl?”

Before joining the band, Burgess was a member of an Australian group called The Masters Apprentices, which had some chart hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1998. He later founded a hard rock band called His Majesty, and performed with another Australian group, Dead Singers.

Later in his career, Burgess and his brother Denny gained some media attention for surviving a harrowing car accident on the way to an album release party. Both fully recovered and resumed their careers; later, the pair were the subject of a documentary about their comeback, and performed in bands that included The Burgess Brothers band and Burgess Burgess.

Although Burgess was not among the members of AC/DC to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he was among the members of The Masters Apprentices to be honored in Australia’s ARIA Hall of Fame.