Well now the news is official about Axl’s involvement in AC/DC, at least to fill in for these remaining shows. If you heard my podcast this is what Axl and I discussed at the Vegas show last weekend and he asked me not to speak about until it was officially out. Needless to say for Axl this is a moment for him to play with his heroes. He told me how excited he was to have the chance to do this and said he would do an interview with me about it if I didn’t say anything until official word comes out. So hopefully that is coming! You also no doubt know Angus jammed with GnR last night at Coachella to make it official. The clips on YouTube sounded cool and clearly vocally Axl can handle the gig. But there are way more questions than that. The release from AC/DC made it pretty clear they are done with Brian Johnson. What really happened with Brian is anyone’s guess. But nobody is buying the hearing thing that I know. My sources tell me Brian was slowing down and didn’t want to work as hard as Angus (who is younger) did. I also know that on the latest tour Brian only wanted to do 2-3 shows max a week. Something that is expensive for a band when off that much on the road (Aerosmith has to do this with Tyler). It comes with age and guys slowing. I suspect it reached a breaking point and that was that. I can not believe it was a sudden hearing issue. Maybe it played a small role, but no way is it the real story in full. I can’t believe after 36 years AC/DC would say goodbye to their singer and not find a work around. MANY have hearing issues and find a way to make it work in rock. And until Brian speaks, we will never know. Brian is a total class act. So very possible he takes the high road here. But it still blows me away how so many fans are not demanding a real answer on Brian and are so quick to move on.
But none of this has anything to do with Axl who will be a kid in a candy store! What a story for him. He has Guns back to mega stadium level, and is joining a band of heroes about to do stadiums in Europe! Hopefully his leg is mended so he can move some. Also note the remaining AC/DC dates all already fall in a window GnR was off. So this doesn’t impact them at all. AC/DC needed a massive name to keep people from returning these already sold tickets for the remaining dates. They certainly got that with Axl. But that doesn’t answer their long term issue of a singer IF they want to go on beyond this. I doubt Axl can do both gigs full time? If this is a victory lap for AC/DC then cool. Finish up and say goodbye. If they want to go for another 10 years, and that may have been they very issue with Brian, then they need a new younger singer they can build with. I also wouldn’t be shocked if Axl/DC leans a bit more on Bon era material since that really fits him slightly more. Will this work? Will they mesh personality wise? Axl will have to go on at a normal time. Does that work? I think Axl will do everything to kick ass in this gig. It is a major dream for him. He knows he’s having a fun fling here and that while Guns is very much his band, AC/DC is just filling in and doing something he never believed as a kid he would do. It will be another very interesting chapter to watch for sure!
I will take calls on this tomorrow on my SiriusXM show live 6-10P ET on channel 39. I will also have Bret Michaels on at 7P ET with an exclusive announcement on a major event in S CA, and Rudy from Scorpions on live at 8P ET. See you tomorrow for TRUNKNation.
48 Responses
“But it still blows me away how so many fans are not demanding a real answer on Brian and are so quick to move on.”
Have you not read the wealth of negative comments on the band’s own Facebook page?
Have you not seen the vast amount of angry or aggrieved discussion on the AC/DC fans forum?
Are you unaware that as a consequence of recent events at least one major AC/DC website have now announced it will no longer be updating?
Look around, Eddie. Fans ARE questioning recent events.
wow,i have been wanting brains side of the story,thanks for the story eddie??waite hes not taken your calls.love me some brian Johnson,and I’m never waiting till midnight to se axl,even if hes in ac/dc.just gunna listen to my recordings of brian,so long angus
Yeah! Whatever he ^ said! 😉
I just have to wonder how this would be playing out if Malcolm were still there.
I understand that people are upset with Brian leaving, but I think we all should take a deep breath and refrain from responding in a hasty emotional way, filled with anger and hurt emotions.
Whatever the real story is behind this, we as fans will either know or not, and given the nature of the band, I could see this being kept as a private issue for now until it is all sorted out. Maybe it’s not our right to know either.
I think Axl was being asked to step in because Angus wanted to fulfill his commitment to the already scheduled shows that had been promised to be played. I remember reading somewhere is the AC/DC folklore that Mal and Angus would follow through on the shows of the tour because the ‘kids already bought their tickets’, and he didn’t want to disappoint them.
While I am personally not sure what to make of Axl joining AC/DC, being a lifelong fan, I have to give respect and credit to Angus for doing what he thought was a way to solve this issue on his own and be loyal to the fans. Before people jump to conclusions, I think it is best to try to be calm and open to what the future of the band may be.
For me in all honesty, the band ‘died’ and changed chapters when Mal had to retire, but as heartbroken as I was, I kept an open mind to Stevie as he filled in on “Rock or Bust”, and I was pleasantly surprised.
In my view, the true essence of the band and what they have stood for has been to always overcome change and hardship by doing it through the power and remedy of rock and roll. Looking back on their history, and as we will do the same about this issue in time, I hope that fans will remember AC/DC’s endurance and not so quickly abandon ship.
AC/DC has been there for us always, and it is now more than ever when they need the support of a loyal fandom to celebrate this new incarnation. By keeping a positive perspective and being adaptable to change, I think in the grand scheme of things, AC/DC and its fans will be alright. I give today’s touring musicians of a certain age much credit for being able to keep the burning embers of a rock and roll dream of youth alive for the kids of today to remember.
To Brian, if this really is goodbye forever, though I hope not, all I can simply say is thank you.
To Angus, Stevie, Cliff, and Chris, (and Axl) I wish you the very best for the upcoming tour, and I salute you all.
I agree with most of that, but after 36 years you can’t just ride off into the sunset and disappear into the clouds without your fans wanting to hear something, a least more than what we’ve heard so far. Especially when it’s so abruptly, we want to hear what BJ has to say because we care. Of course BJ & AC/DC have a right to their privacy, absolutely, but when you’ve been 1 of the biggest bands in the world for as long as they have, and have been a big part of people’s lives for so long, you can’t help but to be at least a little curious as to what exactly happened here. Maybe we “Better Call Saul?” 😉 LOL! Whatever the case, wish you all the best Brian, and the whole AC/DC family!
Say what? are you on prozac? this is a metal site, metal, and music in general is visceral, so, to not react emotionally is the unnatural act in this context. Funny, that your very restrained, rational (zzzzz…)…that must have taken so much effort..
Hearing issues do not cancel the final 10 dates of a tour…technology is such today, that Brian could put ear monitors in and won’t kill the ears, while still hearing. Ask Pete Townsend, as he has had that issue for over 25 years. I think BJ has to keep quiet to keep a paycheck. Angus wanting to carry on is a disgrace. Carry on Angus, while trading stadiums for clubs at best…why can’t Angus continue as a different band but to call this ACDC, if they are continuing with a different singer is laughable and no one will care
No, you are incorrect. Stadium tour volumes are enormous on the stage, even with in-ear monitors, and you can absolutely have complete hearing loss. Who knows what level of hearing loss Townsend experienced, but it’s important to note that people are different, and people’s body’s react differently to trauma.
Brian just said today that he has had difficulty hearing properly on the stage, which makes it difficult to sing, and knew something had to change.
Thank you for the analysis Dr. Coredrum. Perhaps you should give Brian your number.