2016.05.25 - NDR/Blabbermouth - Angus Young: Axl Rose 'Has Done A Great Job' Singing For AC/DC (& related articles)

Angus Young: Axl Rose 'Has Done A Great Job' Singing For AC/DC

AC/DC guitarist Angus Young says that no decisions have been made yet regarding the band's future after the completion of its current tour featuring Axl Rose on vocals.

The legendary Australian rock band postponed the last ten dates of its recent North American tour after doctors told singer Brian Johnson he faced "total hearing loss." AC/DC has since announced that it will use the GUNS N' ROSES frontman as a "guest vocalist" for all remaining shows this year, with Johnson apparently not returning to the band at all.

Speaking to Germany's NDR.de earlier this week, Angus stated about Axl's performance with AC/DC thus far: "He's doing very well, and it's very good that… I mean, under the situation that we had, it was very good that he volunteered and said, 'Hey, if I can help, let me try.' So he's been very good. And he had to learn a lot of songs very quickly, and he's done a great job."

Rose made his live debut with AC/DC on May 7 in Lisbon, Portugal, and by all accounts delivered a triumphant vocal performance as fill-in for Johnson even if he was still confined to a chair onstage due to the broken foot he suffered during a Guns show last month.

AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams told NDR.de: "[Axl has] done a fabulous job. And he's almost out of his chair now. He's mobile, and he's enjoying himself. It's been really good."

Added Angus: "His leg's repairing, so each show we've been doing he's been getting up and moving around a lot more. So it adds more to the show."

Asked about AC/DC's future plans beyond the current European tour and the upcoming North American dates, Angus said: "We were committed to finishing this tour, so that's been our main goal, and Axl helping us. I know he's very excited; he keeps saying, can he do more? But we don't really know at the end how we will [go from here]. But we wanna get this tour, which we were committed to doing, we wanna finish it."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/angus-young-axl-rose-has-done-a-great-job-singing-for-acdc

Another interview with Angus Young and Cliff Williams; Classic Rock/Blabbermouth, June 1, 2016:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



AC/DC has released a new video video interview with AC/DC guitarist Angus Young and bassist Cliff Williams in which they discuss the band's current European tour with Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose.

"The band energy is really up there," said Cliff. "It's doing really well. We've thrown some different songs in, which is kind of always good [and] interesting; it changes it up for us and the audience. But the band is playing great. It's a good feeling up there right now."

"With Axl, we've been able to mix up quite a few songs, do a few older ones and put them, which we haven't done in a number of years," added Angus. "We always used to kind of get a setlist, and that would be [it] for a tour. So now we've got a lot more adding and putting in different tracks, and the fun part is when we get there on the stage, and seeing it come to life in front of the audience and seeing the reaction."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/acdcs-angus-young-cliff-williams-talks-mixing-up-setist-band-energy-on-european-tour-video

Facebook/Ultimate Guitar, May 17, 2016:
-------------------------------------------------

AC/DC Drummer Chris Slade Shares Major Update on Band's Future: Retirement Is NOT an Option

Ever since the announcement of Axl Rose's temporary tenure with AC/DC, many fans have been wondering what the next step for the band is.

After all, once the current 'DC run is over, Axl has to return to Guns N' Roses, seemingly leaving the Aussie gang with a choice to either stop or continue with yet another replacement.

Drummer Chris Slade has now clarified that matter, saying that retirement is NOT an option.

Noting on Facebook that "we all miss" Brian Johnson, the drummer told a fan: "You are forgetting that Brian cannot do this, his health problems will not allow it."

Sharing the first concrete update on the state of 'DC after the Axl run, Chris stated: "Angus is definitely NOT thinking of retiring."

He added: "We all look forward to Axl not requiring the chair anymore. Shouldn't be too long now.

"It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the band in this form. Of course, everyone would like it to be Brian up there but unfortunately, due to his health problems, this is not possible.

"Axl is doing a wonderful job and the majority opinion now is that the band were right to finish the Rock or Bust tour with him. Fans have the opportunity to go to the shows or not, it is entirely their choice or indeed their loss."

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/acdc_drummer_chris_slade_shares_major_update_on_bands_future_retirement_is_not_an_option.html

Interview with former AC/DC drummer Simon Wright; Lucas H. Gordon Channel/Blabbermouth, May 24, 2016:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ex-AC/DC Drummer Simon Wright Says Axl Rose 'Seems To Be Doing Okay' Singing For The Band

Former AC/DC drummer Simon Wright has weighed in on the strange situation regarding AC/DC and singer Brian Johnson. The legendary Australian rock band postponed the last ten dates of its recent North American tour after doctors told Johnson he faced "total hearing loss." AC/DC has since announced that it will use Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist" for all remaining shows this year, with Johnson apparently not returning to the band at all.

Asked how he feels about the fact that Brian appears to be out of AC/DC, Simon told Argentinean rock journalist Lucas H. Gordon at this past Sunday's (May 22) "Ride For Ronnie" motorcycle rally and concert in Encino, California (see video below): "It was a little weird and strange how the news came out. For a moment, it seemed like [Brian had] been fired, and that seemed, to me, to be the strangest thing ever, if he'd been fired, but it wasn't true. So he's had a problem with his hearing."

He continued: "I'm just shocked. But it's like Brian said, we all get older, we get injuries and stuff and everything. Like he said, I'm just glad for him that he's not really, really badly injured and that he's doing okay and I wish him the best of luck. And Axl seems to be doing… I saw a couple of [clips online and] Axl seems to be doing okay. It seemed really weird at first, but when you watch it, he's giving it his all and he seems to have a big respect for the band and the fans and everything. So it seems to be going along…"

Wright added: "I don't know what they'll do after this run of dates — I don't really know — but I wish 'em all the luck in the world."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/ex-acdc-drummer-simon-wright-says-axl-rose-seems-to-be-doing-okay-singing-for-the-band

Spark TV/Blabbermouth, June 16, 2016:
------------------------------------------------

Udo Dirkschneider: Axl Rose Is Doing A Great Job' With AC/DC

Former Accept singer Udo Dirkschneider says that he can live with the fact that he wasn't asked to step in for Brian Johnson on AC/DC's just-completed European tour.

In a brand new interview with o Spark TV, which is part of the Czech monthly magazine Spark, Dirkschneider once again confirmed that he had not been approached by AC/DC to fill in for Johnson on any of the shows, but added about the Rose-AC/DC pairing: "I was a little surprised. Axl is doing a great job so far. And I think it was also a surprise for a lot of people. You know, everybody was, like, 'Axl Rose [singing for] AC/DC?' But in a way, it works, and, yeah, I think everybody is happy so far."

He continued: "I saw just one video clip from a festival in Portugal, and, yeah, it works. Everybody was a bit [unsure about it at first], but I think the sound is good. So I think it really works. But not forever."

Regarding the fact that he wasn't contacted about doing the AC/DC shows instead of Axl, Udo said: "Of course, a lot of people [are saying to me], 'Why aren't they asking you?' I said, 'I don't know. Ask AC/DC.' [Laughs] Nobody was asking me, nobody phoning, but I can live with that."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/udo-dirkschneider-axl-rose-is-doing-a-great-job-with-acdc

Story shared by "Lumikki" at mygnrforum, May 21, 2016:

What Mr. and Mrs. Young had to say about Axl...

Okay, like I mentioned in the Vienna concert thread, I met Angus Young and his wife 2 days ago and got to talk a bit to them. The topic of Axl also came up. Nothing particularly exciting was said, but I thought it was funny/interesting enough to share and some people in the Vienna thread wanted to hear about it. [...]

First of, to the people here who dislike and were complaining about Axl wearing so many hats and stuff: You can thank Angus' wife Ellen for Axl cutting down on that a bit recently. Ellen said she told Axl's assistant (I assume she meant Beta) to tell him to get rid of the hats and sunglasses, at least on stage. And that people want to see his eyes and face when he is up there.

The lady standing next to me thanked her for doing that because "Axl has such a cute smile and people should see it." :lol: Angus' wife actually agreed and said that Axl is very sweet and that he has been nothing but a pleasure to work with so far. She also said he was very funny and brought a lot of fun into the band again. She really seemed quite fond of him.

Then she went on and said that Axl came in well-prepared and he knew and would sing the songs exactly as they were on the albums. The guys in the band were confused at first, because they had been doing some of their own stuff "wrong" for so many years. But they checked and found out that Axl was right. And now they even had to re-program the teleprompters after all these years because of Axl!

As for Angus, asked whether AC/DC will continue after this tour and if he could imagine working together with Axl in the future, he said that right now their focus is just on finishing this tour and nothing is planned or decided yet. He said that they're going to sit down and think about what to do after the tour is done and when they hopefully know more about Brian's situation with his hearing. [...]

After the concert I also met Axl (I posted some pictures of that in the Axl/DC picture thread) and from what I saw, I have to agree with Ellen's assessment. I could tell he really wasn't thrilled about being surrounded by fans wanting pictures and autographs (he even seemed a bit grumpy at first), but he pulled himself together and was nothing but professional, patient and very polite for the most part. He even smiled and laughed a bit for pictures and at some of the things people were telling him. And walked out of his way to sign some guy's car.

Honestly, I don't know what it is about 2016, but it seems Axl is doing really well this year in all areas of his life and I'm very happy for him. Let's hope things keep going this way!

https://www.mygnrforum.com/topic/215245-what-mr-and-mrs-young-had-to-say-about-axl/

Interview with Angus Young, Rolling Stone, August 1, 2016:
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Axl is used to running his own ship. Did you have to talk to him about how you do things – like being on time?

He's been really good. He prepares himself, ready to go. We sit and chew the fat before we get on, work out what songs we want to do. It's gotta be fun for him, and for us. In the beginning, he was confined [with a foot injury] to that chair he borrowed from Dave Grohl. But as soon as he could, he was out and moving.

How did you get Axl to step in for Brian?

Axl contacted a production guy who had done stuff for us. He said, "I know these guys. They have a work ethic. They want to finish these dates." He volunteered. He came to a rehearsal place we set up in Atlanta, and he'd done his homework. He had a few songs like "Touch Too Much" [on 1979's Highway to Hell] – "Can you play this one?" "No, we never learned it." We had never attempted to play it live.

Does Axl sound more like Brian or the late Bon Scott?

He's more in the Bon style – the rock & roll character. And he's got his own folksy humor. He's pretty quick with a quip. Axl has different vocal ranges. You can hear him one way in a Bon song. Then he can flip and do Brian, the higher register.

Was Brian having hearing problems before you started the tour?

He was having problems when we were rehearsing for Coachella [in 2015]. He already had one bad ear. He damaged it in a car accident. The one good ear was rapidly dropping. We were in Australia, and he was seeing a specialist. Each show he did, he had to get monitored and treated. But it was becoming too hard for him.

Do you think Cliff's decision to retire is related to Brian leaving?

Cliff made it known before we'd even started touring – this would be his last. Besides myself, Cliff has been there the longest, since 1977. Cliff and Brian are in the same age bracket. They like to go out, hit the pubs. They had the bond.

What is it like touring without Malcolm on guitar? Is your nephew Stevie filling that hole for you?

Sometimes I do a double take. I hear the sound behind me and think, "That sounds so Mal." When Stevie was younger, he really focused on what Mal did. It's not an easy thing. You gotta be solid, confident. It looks simple. It is definitely not simple.

Malcolm's guitar-playing sounded a lot like his personality – forward and determined.

He was older than me – I always looked up to him. In the studio, I would fiddle about with guitar sounds – and fiddle my way right out of the ball field [laughs]. Malcolm would dial me in, a big, fat sound, and I'd go, "Oh, wow!"

Do you now wonder if it was time to quit when Malcolm couldn't continue – that you pushed the band too far?

That might be the case. But Malcolm was always one to battle through. He would look at me in times of crisis and go, "We'll just go in and do some work. We'll sit and write some songs." He had that drive, and I feel obligated to keep it going, maybe because I was there in the beginning with him.

Have you thought about your own future after the tour ends? You've never played in any other band.

That's true. At this point, I don't know. We were committed to finishing the tour. Who knows what I'll feel after? When you sign on and say, "I'm gonna do this and that," it's always good to say at the end of it, "I've done all I said I would do." That was always the idea, especially when we were younger – me, Malcolm, Bon. You had to show up and be on time. You'd be playing in a pub in the afternoon. Then late at night, you'd be playing a club. You got into that habit: "If we don't play, we don't eat."

Who else would you like to play with if you had the shot?

You'd have to resurrect a lot of people from the dead, I think [laughs]. I'd sit down with Keith Richards, do something. He's a rhythm guy like Mal.

AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams said he will "back off" touring and recording after the band finishes the final leg of its Rock or Bust tour.

https://web.archive.org/web/20161015103102/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/acdcs-angus-young-talks-retirement-malcolm-young-w432078

Loudwire Nights/Blabbermouth, June 3, 2016:
---------------------------------------------------

Disturbed Frontman Says Axl Rose Is 'Worthy Of Tremendous Praise' For Pulling Off AC/DC Gig

"Loudwire Nights" host Toni Gonzalez spoke with Disturbed's David Draiman and Dan Donegan at Rock On The Range about AC/DC's decision to use Axl Rose as the the lead singer of the band's current tour after Brian Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss."

Draiman was the first to offer his opinion, saying: "I think [Axl has] already proven that it's not only been an amazing thing, but that he's certainly up to the task.

"You know, look, my heart goes out to Brian. Hearing loss is an incredibly frightening thing to deal with, and I can't even imagine what he must be going through. And I can't imagine the frustration that the guys in AC/DC, losing their brother of so many years, must be going through."

He continued: "Everybody is very quick to point fingers and try to make somebody the bad guy. I don't think there's a bad guy in this situation. I think that they all have to deal with this unfortunate scenario that's been thrust upon them. And you know what? Axl has the chops. He's been showing it. He's been killing it with Guns N' Roses vocally; he's been killing it with AC/DC vocally; and doing it from Dave Grohl's borrowed throne, for God's sake, which is not easy, technique-wise. To execute all of that vocally from a sitting position is incredibly difficult; it takes tremendous precision and technique."

Draiman added: "If I was wearing a hat, it would be off to [Axl], because he was worthy before this, but certainly since the reunion and since the shows that have happened of late that I have been able to enjoy and watch online, he's worthy of tremendous praise and tremendous respect."

Donegan had a slightly different point of view, explaining that: "I agree that [Axl is] fully capable and he's fully talented and that. I think, from a fan perspective, I would have liked to have seen the smoke clear a little bit from the first initial news of Brian to let us digest the fact that he's no longer with the band. It just seemed really quick to have to not only accept that but then the band just immediately move on. I'm not knocking it — that's their opinion or their preference — but, I mean, it's like a marriage. If your wife dies and then immediately you're dating somebody next week, it's, like, 'Wait! Slow down for a minute. Let the kids digest the idea that they just lost their mother.' And it's that…. Like I said, coming as a fan, I would like to digest it a little bit more before I'm ready to accept somebody else jumping in that role.

"If they come through town and I get a chance to see it, I probably would go see it, 'cause I still think the band's talented, Axl's talented," he admitted. "But I would have preferred a little bit of downtime to digest the whole thing and accept that Brian was gone to begin with."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/disturbed-frontman-says-axl-rose-is-worthy-of-tremendous-praise-for-pulling-off-acdc-gig

105.7 The Eagle/Blabbermouth, July 17, 2016:
-------------------------------------------------------

Gene Simmons Praises Axl Rose-AC/DC Pairing: 'I Think It's Great'

Gene Simmons says that the pairing of Guns N' Roses singer and AC/DC is the "best thing that can happen to both bands." [...]

During an interview with the Montana radio station 105.7 The Eagle, the KISS bassist/vocalist gave his opinion on AC/DC's decision to hire Rose. He said (hear audio below): "I think it's great. I think Axl being with AC/DC — best thing that can happen to both bands. I don't know how long it's gonna last, but I hear the shows have been great, and I hear both Axl and AC/DC have been getting along fairly decently. In fact, KISS took out AC/DC on their first tour. The bands we've given first tour have included AC/DC, Rush, Cheap Trick, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden… I mean, the list is long."

AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams recently revealed that he will retire from recording and touring after finishing out the band's current world trek. Williams's decision follows a string of personnel changes for the group that started with co-founding guitarist Malcolm Young's departure in 2014 after he was diagnosed with dementia. Last year, drummer Phil Rudd was sentenced to house arrest after he was found guilty on a drug charge.

https://blabbermouth.net/news/gene-simmons-praises-axl-rose-acdc-pairing-i-think-its-great

Interview with then former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd; New Zealand Herald, August 31, 2016:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rudd said he would not rule out a return to AC/DC but said for now he was focusing on his own music with "Badge and Spence.''

"If Angus wanted me to play then that is up to him... but I don't really want to play with Axl Rose... I don't really rate him."

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/acdcs-phil-rudd-on-his-new-life-new-love-upcoming-tour/YNQNVMFJXHDPEC7UDRBT436CYQ/?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701697

Liquid Metal/Ultimate Guitar, November 3, 2016:
--------------------------------------------------------

Ozzy: How I Feel About Axl Singing for AC/DC

Black Sabbath icon Ozzy Osbourne sang praises of Axl Rose's involvement with AC/DC, saying that despite not being into the whole concept at first, it's undeniable that Rose has a "great voice."

Ozzy said on Liquid Metal radio show: "At first, I thought he was crazy, but then after seeing him do it - that guy's got a great voice! I've seen videos, I thought, 'How's he gonna get them Brian Johnson [something]?' He gets there! Everybody thought he's a whack job. I've never met him, but he seems to know what he wants to do and he's not afraid to say what he thinks."

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/ozzy_how_i_feel_about_axl_singing_for_acdc.html

Alice In Chains' singer William DuVall, Loudwire Podcast, Sept. 1, 2016:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alice In Chains frontman William DuVall has praised Axl Rose for "shutting people up" with his performances as the guest singer for AC/DC, explaining that the combination "just works."

Speaking to Loudwire, DuVall, who replaced the late Layne Staley as lead singer of Alice In Chains, admonished the fans for seemingly making up their minds without even giving Axl a chance to prove himself with AC/DC.

"Before anybody had even heard anything, the court of public opinion was very loud and resounding in their judgments… pre-judgments," he said. "And then [Axl] actually did his first shows [with AC/DC] and people started seeing things on YouTube or whatever, on videos, and most of them had to eat their words. And I was happy to see that a lot of the people were willing to say so in public, like, 'I was wrong.' You know what I mean? And [Axl] and I were joking about it. I was, like, 'Yeah, man, it was really cool to see you shut all these people up. It was really nice.' And I know a tiny bit about that."

He continued: "But it's cool, man. I mean, look… At the end of the day, bands are just these fragile organisms, and I can understand… to some degree, I understand both sides of a position [on it]. But when you get something that just works, it works. And you look at somebody like Axl, it works; I mean, it just does, to me. I get it — it's not Brian Johnson, and neither one of them are Bon Scott, but in terms of vocal range and stuff and in terms of attitude, there are not many more people who can conjure the pissed-off quality that Axl Rose can, man. You know what I mean? He's working some stuff out in those songs that we all know in GN'R, and so it's only natural that when he's gonna get to be in his favorite band, AC/DC, he's not gonna mess around. He knows what the chatter's gonna be, and he's gonna do everything in his power to shut everybody the fuck up. So I just dug it from that perspective.

"Again, from my own personal experience, it's very much a similar thing. It's, like, well, you can say what you want, man, but I'm coming at you — period, end of story. And I'll do it every night. And there's gonna be no stopping me. Period. So it's, like, I get it. And I liked seeing him walk that gauntlet and do it so well; it was awesome."

Joel O’Keeffe, singer of Airbourne; My Global Mind, Oct. 17, 2016:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert: Were you ever contacted about stepping in for Brian Johnson of AC/DC as I think you would have made a great replacement?

Joel O’Keeffe: Thanks, I wasn’t called up but saw a lot of stuff online about it. We were in the studio at the time and I was really humbled by the online stuff that came out with me as a good fit. If the call had come through, I would have done it. I think Axl Rose did a great job, sung all the songs really well, and put on a great show. He has Brian’s range and the Bon Scott’s unpredictability and charisma. It was Rock or Bust and it wasn’t bust.

Robert: How do you think you would have done if you were fronting AC/DC?

Joel O’Keeffe: I would have been as nervous as hell; I would have been scared shitless. But once you get in and get going I’d be alright. I know the songs.

http://myglobalmind.com/2016/10/17/joel-okeeffe-airbourne-want-rock/

Blackstar wrote:Interview with then former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd; New Zealand Herald, August 31, 2016:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rudd said he would not rule out a return to AC/DC but said for now he was focusing on his own music with "Badge and Spence.''

"If Angus wanted me to play then that is up to him... but I don't really want to play with Axl Rose... I don't really rate him."

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/acdcs-phil-rudd-on-his-new-life-new-love-upcoming-tour/YNQNVMFJXHDPEC7UDRBT436CYQ/?c_id=1501119&objectid=11701697

Phil Rudd would change his opinion; Music Radar, January 30, 2017:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A hell of a lot has changed in AC/DC since your last show with the band - Malcolm, Brian and Cliff have all departed the band, as well as yourself, of course. Have you had any contact with the band in that time?

Rudd: “I’ve spoken to a couple of the guys. I can’t say what’s on the horizon for AC/DC, I can’t really say. That’s not my thing to say. I have seen, though, that Guns N’ Roses are playing over here in Wellington soon and they have a big tour all over the world. I wonder whether Angus will be happy to see Guns N’ Roses going out on a big tour which means that AC/DC can’t go out on tour. We will see. You’d need a crystal ball to know what’s going to happen there.”

Have you seen any clips of the band with Axl?

Rudd: “I watched some clips the other day of Axl singing with the boys. I was surprised; it wasn’t too bad. I was quite surprised, I thought he did quite well and that’s not an easy gig, mate, it’s not an easy gig at all. AC/DC is a tough gig for everyone in the band. I saw Angus jamming with Guns N’ Roses as well. Apart from watching those clips though I don’t know what’s going to happen or what’s going on with the band.”

https://www.musicradar.com/news/drums/phil-rudd-talks-axl-dc-legal-troubles-and-his-new-lease-of-life-647718