AC/DC's Angus Young says Bon Scott thought Brian Johnson was “incredible”

AC/DC‘s Angus Young has discussed what the band’s original frontman Bon Scott thought of Brian Johnson, the man who would go on to replace him on lead vocals.

Scott took over from short-lived founding singer Dave Evans in 1974, and performed with AC/DC until his death from acute alcohol poisoning in February 1980.

Johnson became the band’s next singer following a successful audition. Aside from a brief stint in which he was replaced by Guns N’ Roses‘ Axl Rose, he has remained their frontman ever since.

Speaking to 95.5 KLOS, Young discussed the time Scott supported Johnson’s pre-AC/DC band Geordie, following which he expressed admiration for his fellow singer.

“Bon had been in a band that had toured in Britain, and they were opening for the band Brian was in, which was a band called Geordie,” Young said.

“Anyhow, they were gigging away, and as Bon told the story, he was saying he was listening to Geordie performing and listening to Brian, and then he heard this screaming.

“He said it sounded like Little Richard was on the stage. He said this guy was howling and yelling. And then he said then he saw the guy on the floor. Bon thought it was great, it was the best act, the best singer he had seen in a long time.

“But what he didn’t know, afterwards he found out, Brian had an attack of appendicitis. But Bon thought it was part of the act. He thought, ‘This guy is incredible.’ ‘And he was still hitting these high notes.’”

Last week, meanwhile, Young shot down rumours that Scott helped to write several tracks on their seminal album ‘Back In Black’. The band released the record just months after Scott died, with Johnson on vocals.