Axl Rose doesn’t want to “disrespect” AC/DC’s Brian Johnson as his replacement on the ‘Rock or Bust Tour’.
The Guns N’ Roses frontman stepped in for the 68-year-old singer after he was advised by doctors to leave their world tour or risk suffering “total deafness”.
Axl, 54, has praised Brian and admits he’s finding learning the songs from the group’s 1980 album ‘Back in Black’ “challenging” to sing and he’s doing his best to ensure he does it “justice for the fans”.
Speaking to BBC Radio 6 Music, he said: “I’m happy and excited in one sense, but I think it would be inappropriate to be celebrating, in a certain way, at someone else’s expense.
“A lot of the ‘Black in Black’ stuff is really challenging. I’m not here in any way to disrespect Brian. I can’t take anything away from his singing at all.
“He’s a great singer and It’s really challenging to sing it. I’m just trying to do it justice for the fans.”
Meanwhile, the ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ hitmaker says he was the one who offered to step in for Brian and on the day of hearing the news, he jumped straight on the phone to the rest of the group, which comprises of Angus Young, Cliff Williams, Stevie Young and Chris Slade.
He said: “I called the day I read about it in the news, that there was a situation going on with Brian’s hearing.
“I wasn’t looking at it like, ‘I’m singing for AC/DC.’ I was looking at it like, you know, if I can, and they think I’m able able to do it.”
Around 7,000 fans have asked for their money back for the Belgium show of the ‘Rock or Bust Tour’ on May 16 after Brian pulled out. The band has offered to give full refunds to all those who had bought tickets and hoped to see Brian front AC/DC.
