AC/DC's Brian Johnson Explains Not Touring Due to Hearing Loss: 'I Will Not Disappoint Our Fans'

Rest assured that AC/DC is still trucking on the highway to hell but lead singer Brian Johnson is taking a pit stop.

In March, the band rescheduled 10 U.S. shows after doctors cautioned Johnson that he faced “total hearing loss” if he continued to perform live. This past weekend during the Guns N’ Roses show at Coachella, Axl Rose covered a few AC/DC songs with guitarist Angus Young. The stunt served as proof that Rose would in fact be taking over for Johnson as lead singer, at least for live events. Tuesday morning, Johnson released a statement, saying: “for the near future, I will be unable to perform on stage at arena and stadium size venues where the sound levels are beyond my current tolerance.”

He added that he was “personally crushed” by this decision but that he made it, in part, to honor his fans. He explained: “I was not able to hear the other musicians clearly, I feared the quality of my performance could be compromised…this was something I could not in good conscience allow.”

The singer didn’t mention Axl Rose at any point but did thank his bandmates Cliff Williams and Angus Young for their support. Thankfully for fans, he confirmed that it remains safe for him to record in the studio, paving the way for potential new AC/DC material with Johnson still behind the mic.

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