We're just listenin' to the rock
That's givin' too much noise
Are you deaf you wanna hear some more
We're just talking about the future
Forget about the past
It'll always be with us
It's never gonna die
Never gonna die
Rock 'n' roll ain't noise pollution
Dark clouds over the Highway to Hell today as the news arrived that AC/DC postpones the remaining 10 US gigs due to Brian Johnson's health issues. Some cars just need a good oil treatment and they're up for yet another thousands of miles on the road. But for Brian, cards seem to be shuffeled different this time. No, the ultimate Brian Johnson twin turbo 4 liter V8 hot rod engine isn't sputtering. Not at all! Brian is in excellent physical shape as all could witness in the past shows of the ongoing Rock or Bust world tour. It's his hearing that causes trouble. I'm sure it wasn't easy and pleasant for him to sync with the band in that condition.
One could discuss and speculate what's next. There is no news on the last and European leg of the tour, and we can
only hope that Brian can finish the Rock or Bust mission with his band.
We have seen Brian giving himself to the utmost in dodgy health
conditions more than once (Hammersmith 2003, Antwerp Belgium 2009), and surely he has the strong mental to continue if he wants. But Brian, first of all and most importantly:
get yourself fixed, give your ears a rest. You've already given all
you've got -and more than a hell of a lot- and taken it to the spot. You filled a Back in Black hole in the biggest rock band in the world for 36 years, you're irreplaceable, but put yourself and your family first now. Be well! We will see what's next and count on us to be ready to party ANY time AC/DC's back. We salute you!
In an interview with Howard Stern in 2014 (video below), Brian explains the origins of his hearing loss, which is surprisingly not related to every show night's firing canons: “I’ve got hearing loss in my left ear. I didn’t get it from music. I
got it from sitting in a racecar for too long without ear plugs. I heard my eardrum burst because I forgot to put my plugs in under my helmet. That’s how it happened. Music had nothing to do with it .. I was dizzy, my middle ear had
gone, and I took my helmet off and there was blood coming out and I’d
burst my eardrum.”
Brian talks about hearing loss as from minute 23.
