Less than a month out from the November 13 arrival of AC/DC‘s seventeenth full-length album, “Power Up”, Angus Young and Brian Johnson make their first-ever podcast appearance on Dean Delray‘s “Let There Be Talk”. Among many highlights during the fascinating and far-reaching hour-long interview is talk about Brian‘s audition, the writing process, the stories behind classic songs, the power of Phil Rudd, memories of the late and great Malcolm Young, and the legend of Angus‘s signature Gibson SG used on every album.
Asked if he has ever had to undergo any surgeries as a result of performing in such a physical way during AC/DC‘s live concerts, Angus said (hear audio below): “None whatsoever. Being on stage, I might [get] the odd bruised ankle. I used to lose a lot of my nails on my feet. They used to go first, because [of the] wear and tear. I was guaranteed every tour, at least three or four times during a tour, I would lose a toenail or two. So that was always expected. But I’ve been pretty lucky.
“I’ve even gone through stages in my early years, because you had to use what the stage was in the building,” he continued. “Some buildings, they had an A stage and a B stage. I could always tell when we got the B stage, because I could guarantee my feet were gonna go through them.
“I’ve been lucky — I’ve been pretty lucky,” he repeated. “I think the worst I ever got was a thing with my finger one time — I had a splint. That lasted all of a second. That came off first thing, and I still had to play with a fractured finger. So I got through that.”
As for Brian, the singer said: “I’ve been lucky. I’ve never spent a night in hospital in my life — touch wood. Apart from the obvious, when my ears went and all that, but that’s invisible. So, thank God about that. Other than that, honestly, I’ve been as lucky as Angus in a way. We should have been hurt — me and Angus — many times, but we were always very lucky.”
Two weeks ago, AC/DC released “Shot In The Dark”, the first single from “Power Up”. The follow-up to 2014’s “Rock Or Bust” features AC/DC‘s reunited lineup of Angus, Brian (vocals), Phil Rudd (drums), Cliff Williams (bass) and Stevie Young (guitar).
“Power Up” will be available in multiple configurations, including digital, CD, and deluxe versions. The limited edition, one-of-a-kind deluxe “Power Up” box is the ultimate fan package. Hit the button on the side of the box and watch the flashing neon AC/DC logo light up while the opening bars of “Shot In The Dark” blast out of the built-in speaker. Inside the box is the full CD package in a soft-pack with a 20-page booklet that features exclusive photos and USB charging cable allowing the box to remain powered up and on display. The vinyl LP will be pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket. Limited-edition variants of the LP will be available at select retailers nationwide, as well as the band’s online store. The album will be available on all digital platforms.
