Brian Johnson To Retire??
AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson (who looks like he’s about to sneeze in this photo!) says that he’s been considering retirement (he’s 61), but that the band won’t let him!
With the band just halfway through a 21-month Black Ice, he now says the band are even thinking of extending the tour into summer 2010, with outdoor shows in the UK.
“We were talking about the end of the tour and I said: ‘We’re finishing in May and that’s me done!’ But Malcolm [Young, rhythm guitarist] said: ‘What are you talkin’ about? We’re not gonna let you retire!’ And now they’re talking about next year. I’m going: ‘What do you mean next year? We’re finishing in May in Japan, I’ll be tired!’ And they said: ‘Well, we’ve been offered some festivals…’”
Johnson, whose autobiography, Rockers And Rollers, comes out in October, says he wants to devote more of his time to his auto racing. “The years are flashing past and I don’t wanna be sitting in hotel rooms. I wanna go racing again!”
But the huge success of the Black Ice tour has put these plans on hold. “We just keep selling tickets and I’m just going, Jesus Christ!”
Johnson says that he remains fully committed to AC/DC, but says: “It’s a tough one. It’s not me – it’s just my age. I try to keep myself fit, and I love it being in this band. But it’s not just me – Cliff [Williams, bassist] is knocking on a bit more than the others. The other lads are in their early 50s. I’m the old dog in the regiment.
“It’s a purely selfish thing. I don’t want to look a prat if I try to push it too far. I don’t want for people to see me on stage and say, ‘Oh, poor old f****r, the band’s carrying him!’”
But AC/DC fans don’t have anything to worry about at the moment. Right now, Johnson says he’s feeling as good as ever, and enjoying every moment on stage.
“We’ve been out on the road since September [2008], but it never gets boring. They’re just the best rock band, and just to listen to them every night, it gets me. Every time they kick in, you think, What the f***! You’re on again and you’re thinking, ‘This is ridiculous! I’m still grooving!’”
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