How A Hoover Advert Led To Brian Johnson Becoming AC/DC's New Singer
In 1980, things were looking shaky for AC/DC. The band had been rocked by the tragic death of their larger-than-life lead singer, Bon Scott, just as they were riding high on the success of their album Highway to Hell. For a while, the future seemed uncertain. The Young brothers, Angus and Malcolm, even considered calling it quits. But by April, they had decided to regroup and see if they could create something new. That meant finding someone big enough to fill Bon Scott’s shoes, no small task. And so, the hunt for a new frontman began.
Among the first names floated was Noddy Holder of Slade fame. A powerhouse vocalist with a personality to match, he seemed like a natural fit. But Holder turned them down—he was of the belief that Slade still had some gas in the tank. For AC/DC, that might have been a blessing in disguise, because as fate would have it, a certain Geordie singer was about to step into the picture in the most unexpected way.
Enter Brian Johnson. At the time, Brian was at home in Newcastle, far removed from the glitzy world of rock stardom. Little did he know, destiny was about to come knocking—in the form of a mysterious German-accented phone call. Brian shared the “definitive story” of his joining AC/DC in a candid video on his YouTube channel, Brian Johnson TV, offering his version of events.
“The phone rang, and I picked it up and it was this lady with a German accent,” Brian said. “She was going (puts on German accent) ‘Iz ziss Brian Johnson?’ I said, ‘It is. Who is this?’
“And she said, ‘Ziss I cannot say. We are wanting you to come to London and to sing with the band to audition.’ I said, ‘Which band?’ She said, ‘Ziss I cannot say also.'”
Brian continued: “I said ‘well, I’m not coming down to London. I’ve already been bitten by the music bug with Geordie.’ Three years in Geordie and I came away with not a penny in my pocket. I said, ‘I’m not going to do it again.’”
Even though the lady let slip that the band in question was AC/DC, brassic Brian still wasn’t interested, adding: “I said ‘Y’know what, no. They’re a great band and all that but I’m too old. I’m 32, I’m past my sell by date. They’ll not be interested. It will be a waste of time.’”
It seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime might pass him by. But then, fate stepped in. Not long after that mysterious call, Brian received another one—this time from André Jacquemin, inviting him to record a TV advert for Hoover in London. The gig came with a tempting payday of £350 (a tidy sum back then, equivalent to about £1,500 today). Brian couldn’t resist. With the Hoover ad lined up, he called the German lady back and arranged to slot the AC/DC audition into his London trip.
The audition itself is the stuff of legend, the Young brothers knew they had found their man. He wasn’t just a replacement; he was a fresh spark for the band. What followed was the recording of Back in Black, an album that not only solidified AC/DC’s place in rock history but became one of the best-selling records of all time.
Looking back, it’s almost surreal to think that Brian nearly turned it all down. As he said in his video, the series of events was “a bit mad,” but it all worked out in the end. If you’re curious to hear Brian recount the story himself—complete with his take on German and Cockney accents—you can watch the full clip on his YouTube channel.