Axl Rose To Replace Brian Johnson As AC/DC Frontman

While AC/DC fans were surprised to learn that longtime singer Brian Johnson had to step down or risk going permanently deaf, they may be even more surprised to learn that former Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose will be replacing him as their touring singer.

According to AC/DC’s official website, frontman Brian Johnson was ordered off of the band’s tour by doctors or he could otherwise be deaf for life. However, that’s not the whole truth according to long-time AC/DC friend and fan, Jim Breuer, who says that AC/DC essentially kicked Johnson out of the band.

On March 22, Jim Breuer announced on his podcast that he talked to AC/DC’s frontman of almost 40 years, and Johnson stated that after getting a second opinion, he told the band his hearing was fine and he could finish out of the tour that has since been canceled. More to the point, Johnson said he didn’t quit, but that he simply told the band his health practitioners were worried and he needed another opinion before they moved forward.

According to Jim Breuer, Johnson said that just days after telling AC/DC he needed a second opinion, “all his luggage that he ever toured with showed up in his driveway” and that his longtime bandmates had yet to even check in on his condition. Apparently very depressed and disheartened, Johnson told Breuer he felt like, “I’ve been kicked to the curb.”

Brian Johnson stated that AC/DC creator and guitarist, Angus Young, wishes to keep the band rolling for at the very least one more album and a full world tour. Angus Young neither confirmed nor denied the rumors of Axl Rose replacing Brian Johnson.

Atlanta Radio 100.5 DJ Jason Bailey reported yesterday on his show, as transcribed by Alternative Nation, that “a very, very good source told him that Axl Rose will indeed be joining AC/DC to front the band for the rest of their tour. This is what I’m being told, Axl Rose was meeting with AC/DC, because it’s all but a done deal that Axl Rose will front AC/DC for the 10 remaining shows,” said Bailey.

“From what I was told, this was all kind of new inside information to me, Angus is a very black and white guy. He’s like, Brian, for health reasons, can’t continue fronting the band. He was supposed to retire after the last tour, so they wanted to continue going out on the road and continue making music, so if you can’t do it, we appreciate your services, but the show must go on. They’re in town, they were auditioning people for the job, and then they flew Axl Rose in, again, this is from my source.”

AC/DC announced on their website that the Atlanta shows would be rescheduled for a later date with a special guest vocalist. While preparing for his Guns N’ Roses reunion tour, Axl Rose has since been spotted in Atlanta doing rehearsals, but not for his band, GNRTruth. Axl Rose, along with Slash and Duff McKagan, Guns N’ Roses are set to headline a reunion lineup at this year’s Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival.

Axl Rose has since been touring off and on with Guns N’ Roses. The legendary singer from 80’s rock band Guns N’ Roses, was named “The Greatest Singer of All Time” by Rolling Stone and NME. Axl Rose was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 and received the Ronnie James Dio lifetime achievement award in 2014 by Revolver at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards.

But will Axl Rose appear on the next and possibly final AC/DC album as well? Only time will tell.