Colin Burgess, the drummer for The Masters Apprentices and first drummer for AC/DC, has died at the age of 77.
In November 1973, he was recruited for the formation of hard rockers AC/DC. He joined Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar, his brother Angus on lead guitar, Dave Evans on lead vocals and Larry Van Kriedt on bass guitar. Burgess was sacked in February 1974 for being drunk on stage; he later claimed that someone had spiked his drink. He was replaced by a succession of drummers before Phil Rudd joined in February–March 1975. When Rudd injured his hand in a fight in Melbourne in September 1975, Burgess was recalled as his replacement for a few weeks. In a twist of fate, Burgess was at The Music Factory in London on the night Bon Scott died in February 1980, and was one of the last people to speak with him before he left the club.
AC/DC posted about his passing on Instagram: