Back in black! AC/DC set to tour Australia later this year with Brian Johnson

It looks like AC/DC are gearing up to announce a world stadium tour with Brian Johnson, 72, resuming his position on vocals.

On Monday morning, Eddie McGuire dropped the news early on his Melbourne Triple M breakfast show. 

‘The greatest rock band in the history of Australian music, will be reforming and playing in Australia in October, November, this year!’ he announced. 

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AC/DC last toured Down Under in 2015-2016 for their Rock or Bust World Tour, in support of their sixteenth studio album Rock or Bust. 

Eddie said, with confidence: ‘My mail is, there will be a new album released by AC/DC February, March this year, but also that AC/DC will be touring Australia October, November 2020.

‘And after a lot of work and a lot of technical research they have been able to get a hearing aid for Brian Johnson who will be out front and even Phil Rudd might be back in the group either playing percussion or drums.

Brian’s hearing problems forced him to leave the band in 2016 mid-tour, and was temporarily replaced by Axl Rose to serve as vocalist for the remaining concerts.

Doctors had advised the former frontman to either quit performing live or face ‘total hearing loss’.

‘That was the darkest day of my professional life,’ Brian said of the diagnosis in a media statement in 2016.

Eddie McGuire also claimed that Angus Young, 64, would join the tour, as well as the possibility of drummer Phil Rudd, 65.

‘I’m hearing the album will be out February/March, and we’ll all be banging our heads like the old days,’ he said.

AC/DC was formed in Australia in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Following the death of lead singer Bon Scott from acute alcoholic poisoning at the age of 33 in 1980, Brian Johnson was hired to replace him. 

Since 2014 AC/DC has lost two of its members, 63-year-old guitarist Malcolm Young being diagnosed with dementia and retired to a Sydney nursing home.

Drummer Phil Rudd was arrested and charged with drug offences and sentenced to eight months’ home detention after he pleaded guilty to threatening to kill, and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis. 

Malcolm Young was replaced by his nephew Stevie. Former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade took on Rudd’s role in the band.

AC/DC has yet to formally announce or confirm news of a 2020 album or Australian tour.