Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen says that Angus Young should resist the urge to make a new AC/DC album with Axl Rose, insisting that the legendary hard rock band “has lots its integrity” through its recent lineup changes, reports blabbermouth.net.
Singer Angry Anderson of the veteran Australian act Rose Tatto said in a recent interview with The Rockpit that Angus told him he is at work on new AC/DC music and intends to have Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose — who took Johnson’s place on the road in 2016 — sing on the LP.
Asked in a recent interview with Forrest of the Boise radio station 96.9 The Eagle if Angus should record a new AC/DC album with Axl, Phil said: “No. I’m a huge AC/DC fan, and if the whole band’s left or gone… Malcolm [is] dead, obviously. Brian Johnson got kicked out. Cliff Williams retired and Phil Rudd got arrested. You’ve got one person [left], so it’s not really AC/DC. Maybe call it ‘A, With Axl Rose.’ It kind of loses its appeal. It becomes karaoke; it becomes something else, and it’s lost its integrity, really.”
He continued: “I wouldn’t do that, personally, if I was Angus. I thought Axl Rose [did] a great job, by the way. I thought he [did] amazing when he stood in for Brian Johnson. I thought he was amazing, actually. Full power to him — he’s done really, really good stuff. But I think as a band, if he was gonna do an album, it may sound good, but it’s not really the band anymore.”
Singer Brian Johnson was forced to leave the band mid-tour due to a dangerous level of hearing loss, while Rudd was dismissed following a drug arrest and Williams decided to retire at the end of the cycle.
Malcolm Young was diagnosed with dementia several years ago and bowed out before the sessions for Rock Or Bust began. He died this past November.
14 Responses
Maybe a whole lotta Axle
Seriously a lot bands that have very little original members Priest have Rob,Hill, and Scott some say without KK and Glenn it just Halford solo band
I like Foreigner but I would not go and see a band play with no original members.
I’m glad I saw Kiss during reunion tour because wouldn’t pay full price today for only half the band
I think time to say all she wrote for AC⚡️DC
Angus if wants to continue go solo
I just saw one of the best concert experiences I’ve ever had…it was in an auditorium with the right acoustics, I had the right seat; up in the balcony, and the band was Foreigner. No kidding, Kelly Hansen was perfect for that gig; he hit every note on the records, every single one…he had the right dramatic flair, the guy was awesome. He was also flanked by Jeff Pilson and some other very strong players and singers. They are doing a mini tour with an orchestra and the orchestra did this really cool interlude that segued into “Double Vision.” It was just fantastic. Mick Jones is their anchor for sure; what a unique player he is. I did not care that those guys weren’t on the records, but then, Foreigner is a different type of band that is more about the music than the personas. Those songs are just tremendous, and to hear them that way…and the auditorium is right across the street from where I live..lol…crazy.
I guess if Axl and Angus deliver a classic “AC/DC” record no is going to care, except maybe Phil Collen and a few others but even they would come around I bet if the album is this stone cold classic; i.e., beyond great.
…Axl Young…it’s right in front of you… 🙂
As a fan that has seen every tour since For Those About To Rock in 1982 EXCEPT the Axl tour, I think it’s pointless to record new music at this point. The nucleus of the songwriting, especially the classic prime stuff, was always YOUNG/YOUNG/SCOTT/JOHNSON, and well, two are deceased and one is no longer a band member, so it’s not really an AC/DC album without 3/4 of the creative engine missing. If you’re gonna do it Angus, get Brian back, coax Cliff out of retirement, bring Rudd back, Stevie Young on rhythm, and collaborate with Brian on the writing, get Mutt Lange on board to bring some gravitas and history to it, and do one last farewell album and tour it with those guys if Brian’s ear implants allow it. Then, like other bands, do a greatest hits tour every other summer until there’s no gas left in the tank and call it a day at some point within the next 10 years and go out with some class for Mal. Just my opinion.
Totally agree with Phil on this. If Angus wants to record some new music with Axl, I’m fine with that. But don’t call it AC/DC, because it’s not! AC/DC’s songwriting, since Brian came in the band, was Angus, Malcom, and Brian. You can’t take two members of the trio away from it, and it still be the same. AC/DC is dead, as hard as that is to accept. I, personally, would be very interested in new music from Angus. He should get together with some other talented musicians, write and record some new music, and put it out under his own name. He doesn’t need to use the AC/DC name to be successful. Without Brian and Malcom, and to a lesser extent Cliff and Phil, it just isn’t AC/DC. Angus going on as AC/DC would be no better than RATT only having Blotzer in the band! Let AC/DC die, Angus!
The show I saw in Philly was amazing. It may not have been truly AC/DC, but it was sure one hell of a great band. Also the best setlist. They did my 2 favorite songs (Live Wire and If You Want Blood) which I never thought I’d get to hear live.