Rumors of AC/DC’s imminent demise appear to be exaggerated.
Reports surfaced Monday in the band’s native Australia that the group was on the verge of announcing its retirement due to one band member’s (presumably guitarist Malcolm Young’s) serious illness. But insiders tell Billboard that there’s no truth to the rumor, though the group’s management and Columbia Records, its current label, have chosen not to comment on the matter.
Australia’s Noise11.com adds that the source of the retirement rumor was an email sent to Perth radio station 6PR from an anonymous tipster using the handle Thunderstruck. The station subsequently spread the word, setting off a flurry of reports first throughout Australia and then worldwide.
This is hardly the first time AC/DC has been rumored to be on the verge of retirement. Frontman Brian Johnson set off a furor in 2011 when he spoke of it, though he subsequently claimed to have been quoted out of context.
In fact, he told Billboard at the time that, “A journalist asked me once, ‘What do you think about retirement, Brian, seeing as you’re getting older?’ I said something honest and quite naive; I said, ‘Well, I’ll retire when I can’t do it anymore and as soon as I feel I can’t do it anymore, then I’ll retire.’ Next thing I now there’s a headline, ‘Brian Johnson’s gonna retire’ and I’m like, ‘Y’know, what a piece of shit that guy is.’ And it came out all wrong so you got to be careful what you say. Retirement is like anything… There’s a time when you have to call it quits. I don’t want to do it, and if we can get out and (do) the album and do another short little tour or something, have a bit of fun, I’m your man. I’ll be right there.”
In fact, the retirement speculation ran counter to yet another report that will likely please fans more. According to The Australian, AC/DC has booked six weeks of studio time in Vancouver, to work on a follow-up to 2008’s chart-topping, double-platinum “Black Ice, which was recorded there with producer Brendan O’Brien. Nobody in the band’s camp is commenting on that, either, but earlier this year Johnson predicted that AC/DC would indeed be working on a new album as well as playing a 40-date tour to commemorate the group’s 40th anniversary.
source: billboard.com
13 Responses
I just saw where an Australian radio guy with close ties to the band said that Malcolm suffered a stroke three weeks ago. I hope to God it isn’t true.
This would be the worst news possible if it were true. If this Ford dude who or whoever released this half cocked info is publishing incorrect news just to boost attention to himself in any way he ought be shot down in flames
Hope the ac dc camp confirms it soon weather a rumor.
Pretty tiny & frail even back when I met him 30+ years ago. Cigarettes and bad diet and no exercise are a highway to somewhere.
BLACK ICE was a good album and I hope that there is more where that came from. Now really is the twilight of so many of our favorite bands. This whole KISS HOF business really hit home on the fact that all of the great ones from the 1970s will be gone soon. Making up a stroke rumor about a musician (or anyone else of course) would be an awful thing to do.
Good point…in the next 10 years or so these bands will be gone or nothing more than shells of what they used to be….just imagine paying high $$ to see nickleback/justin beiber co-headlining tour lol…the music industry sucks nowadays…these new bands suck nowadays…we should be thankful we got to see these bands in their prime…and thankful for youtube..