Brian Johnson on AC/DC: ‘The Way I Look At It, I Had a Great Run’
AC/DC's tour cycle for Rock or Bust saw several key changes within the band's lineup, the most surprising of which was when vocalist Brian Johnson had to step down due to significant issues with his hearing; the band famously replaced him with Axl Rose . Speaking with The Sunday Times's "Driving" section -- he's famously enthusiastic about cars -- Johnson also took a few moments to address his exit from the band.
He explained, "Onstage it was getting harder and harder to hear the guitars, even hear the keys, and I was basically going on muscle memory. And I'm not the kind of guy who likes to cheat." He went on to add, "The way I look at it, I had a great run."
Johnson was one of several changes within the lineup. Drummer Phil Rudd's legal issues forced him out of action, with Chris Slade returning to the band to keep the beat. Guitarist Malcolm Young exited the band prior to recording for Rock or Bust while dealing with dementia, with his and Angus Young's nephew Stevie Young replaced him. And at the end of the run, bassist Cliff Williams announced he was retiring, leaving guitarist Angus Young as the lone member left from the band's glory days. Young has yet to reveal if he intends on keeping AC/DC going.
While Johnson has been back onstage since his exit from AC/DC, he's been focusing his energies of late on hosting the TV show Cars That Rock. He's long had a fascination with automobiles and has competed in celebrity races. In the piece for the Sunday Times, Johnson reveals that his dream car is a Pagani Zonda.
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