In 2016, rock icon Brian Johnson was forced to make one of the toughest decisions of his life: step away from AC/DC’s ‘Rock or Bust’ tour due to serious hearing issues. As the legendary voice behind Back in Black, Johnson had no intention of quitting—but fate had other plans.
Recalling the difficult time in his memoir The Lives of Brian, Johnson reveals just how deeply the moment affected him. At the time, he had hoped that treatment would allow him to fulfill the tour’s obligations. But when doctors warned him that continuing to perform could result in total hearing loss, the reality hit hard.
“I called Tim, the tour manager, right there in the doctor’s office to say I couldn’t go on,” Johnson writes. “It was one of the hardest conversations I’ve ever had. What made it worse was watching the tour continue without me—it felt like falling off a cliff. Not stumbling—just free fall.”
With Johnson sidelined, Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose stepped in to front the band for the remaining shows. While many praised Rose’s performances, Johnson admits he couldn’t bring himself to watch. “It was like walking into your house and seeing a stranger sitting in your favorite chair,” he reflects. “But I hold no grudges.”
The emotional strain Johnson experienced wasn’t just about missing the stage—it cut much deeper. “It wasn’t depression,” he writes, “but something close to despair. I just didn’t care anymore.” He describes how, in his darkest moments, he thought about death—not actively wishing for it, but not fearing it either. “Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t want to die. But I wouldn’t have minded all that much.”
As time passed, hope returned. Thanks to groundbreaking hearing technology developed by a specialist, Johnson was able to regain enough hearing to perform again. In 2020, he officially rejoined AC/DC for their comeback album Power Up—a triumphant moment for fans around the world.
Though AC/DC hasn’t returned to live touring since that fateful 2016 run, Johnson’s resilience stands as a powerful reminder of perseverance, passion, and the price some rock legends pay to keep the music alive.
