AC/DC Singer Talks Next Studio Album, Possible New World Tour

On June 5, AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson was interviewed by Lamont and Sully of the "Lamont And Tonelli Show", which airs on the Bay Area rock station 107.7 The Bone. You can listen to the chat using the audio player below.

When asked about when fans can expect to hear a new studio album from AC/DC, Johnson said, "I'll be getting together with [AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young] in a couple of weeks, and then we're going to London to meet up with Angus [Young, Malcolm's brother and AC/DC lead guitarist], hopefully. And that's usually how we'll start. We're just a bunch of pals from the projects, still. Even though we've done well, we still have the same roots that we stick by that we did when we had nothing, basically. And that's the work ethic. And it has to be right for the boys to do anything. When we're sitting down and [we're talking about], 'Can we do this? We're not gonna be a pale shadow of our former selves?' We'll talk about it and make sure that we've all got it. We're just five pieces of a card, and if one of us is not really [able to perform at 100 percent], the whole thing would just collapse, I think."

Regarding AC/DC's plans to tour in support of the upcoming CD, Brian said, "Well, I think it wouldn't be like the last one. That was two years. I mean, that was just nuts. We were just fragged when we finshed [that one]. I mean, it took about three weeks to get over it. But it was so much fun, though. For guys our age at the time, to tour the world to sellout audiences everywhere, it gives you a good feeling. And the great thing was to look out into the audiences and have a look at the generations of people… I mean, it was unbelievable… Kids there that were 7-8 [years old], teenagers…"

Interview (audio):

Malcolm Young recently confirmed to Classic Rock magazine that AC/DC is working on the follow-up to 2008's "Black Ice". But he said fans will likely have to wait longer than expected, after singer Brian Johnson suggested there would be new material next year.

"You know what Brian's like. He just says things and then walks away," Malcolm said. "It'll be a little while — a year or two anyway.

He added, "I've been doing some jamming on some song ideas but I do that all the time, as do the rest of the band. We are still working. But we had a long rest between 'Stiff Upper Lip' and 'Black Ice', so I think we need a couple of years to recuperate and work on it a bit more."

During a January 2012 appearance on "The Cowhead Show", the American radio program hosted by Mike "Cowhead" Calta, Johnson revealed that health issues were affecting one of his bandmates, which may have put new album plans temporarily on hold. "One of the boys is a little sick and I can't say anything, but he's getting better," Brian said. "He's doing wonderful. Full recovery fully expected."