AC/DC Frontman Addresses Rumors About New Album 'PWR/UP'

Keavin Wiggins | 10-10-2020

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson explained how the band's forthcoming studio album, "PWR/UP", came about and addressed some of the rumors surrounding the effort during a recent radio interview.

Johnson spoke with Rock 100.5 in Atlanta and addressed the speculation that the new album will feature guitar tracks recorded by late guitarist Malcolm Young. Brian said, "There's a lot of [rumors] about Malcolm's guitar playing, well, of course, that's not true. But what is true is the fact that Angus and Malcolm had done riffs together all their life and really had a big box of them. And Angus said he basically just went through them all and he went, 'Oh, that's a good one. This is a good one.' And he brought them out.

"So, it really is true that Malcolm is on there, basically, in spirit and all of that. And he's such a strong character in life. And I think everybody in the band still felt, especially Angus, his brother, [that Malcolm] is in everything. We're always conscious of that, that he's watching over, 'You'd better do it right. You'd better do it AC/DC style or just not do it at all.'

"And the songs came in, Angus came in with 'em and all, and worked with Brendan O'Brien, the producer, and I went into just a regular little control room, and we just went for it. And we'd take it back, and Angus would have a listen and see if there was anything that needed changing... But there wasn't much."

Brian also explained how the new album came about and that the band members did not expect to make another record. He said, "It's something probably nobody thought would happen. It was about 2018, and Angus was contacted by the record company, who said, 'Do you fancy doing an album?'

"And Angus said, 'Well, let's ask the boys.' So he asked me and Cliff and Phil. And Stevie was there, obviously. And I think we all said 'yes' immediately; we just said, 'This would be great.' And, of course, we went off to Vancouver in about August." Check out the full interview below: