'We never know what comes tomorrow': AC/DC on overcoming loss, health struggles for new album 'Power Up'

AC/DC have been on the highway to hell and back.

In 2016, longtime vocalist Brian Johnson was forced to leave the band midtour after suffering severe hearing loss, which doctors warned could lead to total deafness. Then bassist Cliff Williams announced he was quitting, citing a much-needed break. This was all after drummer Phil Rudd bowed out in 2015 due to myriad legal problems, and founding member Malcolm Young retired in 2014 due to a dementia diagnosis. He died of effects of the disease in 2017 at age 64.

After so much sadness and strife, lead guitarist Angus Young had doubts AC/DC would ever reunite.

"The world's always an unknown thing. We never know what comes tomorrow," Young tells USA TODAY. "You think, 'Maybe one day we'll all get back together, get an album and strum on that stage.'"

'I think he would be proud': AC/DC on comeback single, paying tribute to late Malcolm Young

Although live music is largely on hold due to COVID-19, the Australian hard-rock icons did manage two of those three things. The band's 17th studio album, "Power Up," is out now, marking their first original effort since 2014's "Rock or Bust." The rollicking new music reassembles Young, Johnson, Rudd and Williams, along with rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, who stepped in for his uncle Malcolm six years ago.

The idea for "Power Up" came about in 2018, when AC/DC's management approached Angus Young about doing another album. He and Malcolm had written but never recorded a number of songs, which he wanted to dust off as a tribute to his late older brother.

"We always thought, 'Well, we'll get these on the next album,' but never (did)," says Young, 65. "So I thought, 'This is probably a good time to get some of them, see if they need any vamping up and put them out there.'"

Luckily, it didn't take much convincing to get the band back together. Thanks to some revolutionary hearing aid technology, which Johnson can't speak about due to a nondisclosure agreement, the singer was able to safely rejoin and record with the group.

"We've pretty much got it licked with this new equipment," Johnson, 73, says of his hearing loss. "Angus and management phoned and said, 'You fancy getting together?' I just grabbed it with both hands and said, 'Absolutely, I'd love a shot at doing that.' You don't realize sometimes how much you miss things. I missed the boys, and the way the boys make music. So it didn't take much to get me. I was on board straight away."

Williams, 70, was equally eager to come back into the fold after his sudden departure in 2016.

"I had a couple of medical issues and that would've been a tough tour to finish, quite frankly. At the end of it, I was kind of done," he says. "So when this came about, I definitely wanted to do it. I was happy for the opportunity to be involved."

Raucous opening track "Realize" was the first song they recorded for the 12-track effort, which was made in Vancouver in late 2018 and early 2019. The album was preceded by cheeky lead single "Shot in the Dark" last month, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard mainstream rock songs chart this week (their first to top the chart since 2008's "Rock N Roll Train").

Johnson says they're "busting" to get back out in front of a live audience to play "Power Up" for the fans. While that's all pandemic-dependent, Young has no intention of slowing down or retiring any time soon.

"I just keep going. I'd like to keep making music, so I never really think of that," Young says. He points to his brother Malcolm, a "practical guy" who encouraged him to power through the toughest or most improbable situations.

"I could always dream up stuff to do off the top of my head, but he would always do the best to make it practical," Young says. "He was always one to try and get through a show. He'd always say, 'Try and finish what you're doing.' That basically kept me going."

"Power Up" comes 40 years after the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers released their breakthrough, 1980's "Back in Black." The album was the first without late lead singer Bon Scott, who died of alcohol poisoning earlier that year. Along with the title track, it included head-banging signature songs such as "You Shook Me All Night Long," "Hells Bells" and "Shoot to Thrill."

"'Back in Black' was really a tribute to Bon," Young recalls. "Brian was our new front man and vocalist, and we really didn't know how it would be received. It was good that it became well-received and it's still a very popular album that's lasted through the last 40 years."

"I was working with the lads for the first time, so for me, it was just fantastic," Johnson adds. "Every time I hear them, those songs still sound fresh. It's unbelievable."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AC/DC talk reuniting after health scares, loss: 'I missed the boys'