2016.05.05 - BBC Radio 6 - Interview with Axl and AC/DC

BBC article with excerpts:
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Axl Rose says AC/DC shows will be ‘respectful’

By Matt Everitt
BBC 6 Music News

Axl Rose says he means "no disrespect" to AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson, whom he is replacing on the band's Rock or Bust World Tour.

In his first interview in five years, the Guns N' Roses star told BBC 6 Music he was huge fan of Johnson's singing and "wants to do it justice".

Rose was drafted in after Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss".

He makes his debut with the band in Lisbon, Portugal, on Saturday 7 May.

"I'm happy and excited in one sense, but I think it would be inappropriate to be celebrating, in a certain way, at someone else's expense," he said.

"That's not what I'm here to do. It's an unfortunate situation."

'Crushed'

Some fans have been unhappy with Rose's hiring, with several thousand requesting ticket refunds for some of the European shows - although these have now all been re-sold.

Johnson, 68, from Gateshead, has been lead singer with AC/DC since 1980.

In a statement last month, he said he was "crushed" by his inability to fulfil the remaining tour dates.

There have been rumours the split was acrimonious, but guitarist Angus Young explained he had spoken to Johnson extensively before he decided to leave the group.

"In his heart he wanted to finish [the tour] but because of that hearing factor he had to make the decision," he told the BBC.

"It's a hard thing to do, and he'd had the problem since we kicked off touring. It was his call. It was a shock to us too."

"The last thing you want to do is walk away from something, but you don't want someone in a tragic situation; being deaf, or any other affliction."

Young said the band had "seen our fair share of tragedies", including the departure of his brother, guitarist Malcolm Young, after he developed dementia, and the death of original singer Bon Scott in 1980.

"After that you're doubly careful," he said. "You want [band members] to be leaving in full body shape, not in a tragic way."

'Really challenging'

Rose also confirmed it was his idea to approach AC/DC about helping them complete the last 12 dates of their world tour.

"I called the day I read about it in the news, that there was a situation going on with Brian's hearing," he said.

"I called a guy who's their production manager right now... because I knew there was going to be a problem with having dates on sale and dates sold and stuff like that. So if I could help, and if I was able to do it, and they were interested, I'd love to help. And that's how it started.

"I wasn't looking at it like, 'I'm singing for AC/DC.' I was looking at it like, 'y'know, if I can, and if they think I'm able to do it."

Rose also said he didn't know whether he would be able to sing some of the songs in the set.

"A lot of the Back In Black stuff is really challenging. I'm not here in any way out of any disrespect to Brian. I can't take anything away from his singing at all," he said.

"He's a great singer and it's really challenging to sing it. I'm just trying to do it justice for the fans."

AC/DC are due to play London's Olympic Stadium on 4 June and Manchester's Etihad Stadium five days later.

Rose will be alternating between shows with the Australian band and Guns N' Roses, who are on tour with original guitarist Slash for the first time since the 1990s.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36203834

More excerpts from Blabbermouth:
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Axl Rose says that he is willing to continue with AC/DC after he has completed playing the European and U.S. shows with the legendary Australian rock band.

The Guns N' Roses frontman was recruited for twelve European dates and ten North American concerts after AC/DC singer Brian Johnson was forced off tour by hearing loss.

AC/DC will kick off its European tour in Lisbon on May 7, with the North American shows likely taking place later this year, after Rose completes his summer tour with the reunited lineup of Guns N' Roses.

During an interview with BBC 6 Music's Matt Everitt, Rose stated about his plans with AC/DC after the European shows (hear audio below): "There's makeup dates in the States, and if I don't get throw out before then, I'm looking forward to doing [them].

"I think after that, it's about what they wanna do. I'm in if they want me in, and we'll sort it out, but right now that's getting ahead of ourselves with everything else that's on the table." [...]

For the Libson show, Rose will likely still be confined to a throne after snapping his metatarsal bone while singing during Guns N' Roses' Troubadour reunion show on April 1. It is the same custom throne Dave Grohl used last year for Foo Fighters concerts after breaking a leg.

Asked how his recovery is going, Axl told BBC 6 Music: "I think we're about halfway there. I feel good. I've only started walking on a little bit on it the last few days, and now I'm starting to put weight on the front. It's inconvenient, but it's also helped me focus on the singing in another way. Other people are, like, 'How do you do that sitting down?' And I'm, like, 'It's a lot easier than standing up.' But I feel like an idiot; I do. I mean, I've done Guns shows and I feel like a moron sitting there. But I have to ignore that and just get into the songs and do my best on the songs."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/axl-rose-says-he-is-willing-to-carry-on-with-acdc-after-european-u-s-shows