AC/DC ready to rock on, says singer
BRIAN Johnson, the flamboyant frontman of the rock band AC/DC, has debunked rumours that the band are about to split up following concerns about the health of one of its members.
Instead, he revealed, the band were planning to get together and write material for a prospective new album.
“We are definitely getting together in May in Vancouver. We’re going to pick up some guitars, have a plonk and see if anybody has got any tunes or ideas. If anything happens, we’ll record it,” he said in an interview.
Johnson confirmed that one member of the band — thought to be rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, 61, the older brother of school-uniform-wearing lead guitarist Angus Young — had been suffering from ill health, but denied that this meant the end of the road for the band.
“One of the boys has a debilitating illness, but I don’t want to say too much about it. He is very proud and private, a wonderful chap. We’ve been pals for 35 years and I look up to him very much,” said Johnson.
It has been reported that AC/DC are planning a tour to mark their 40th anniversary, which will involve 40 concerts in 40 different venues. “That would be a wonderful way to say bye-bye,” said Johnson. “We would love to do it. But it’s all up in the air at the moment.
“AC/DC is such a tight family. We’ve stuck to our guns through the ’80s and ’90s, when people were saying we should change our clothes and our style. But we didn’t and people got it that we are the real deal.”
There were suggestions earlier that Young had suffered a stroke and the band has since confirmed that he is to take time out of the band “due to ill health”.
“After 40 years of life dedicated to AC/DC, guitarist and founding member Malcolm Young is taking a break from the band due to ill health. Malcolm would like to thank the group’s die-hard legions of fans worldwide for their neverending love and support. The band will continue to make music,” said a statement.
The band survived the death of its Scottish-born frontman, Bon Scott, who died in 1980 after a night of heavy drinking. He was replaced by Johnson.— © The