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15th Apr 2014

Hells Bells: Could AC/DC be on the verge of retirement?

For those about to rock, we sympathise with you as one of the biggest bands in the history of rock music could be on the verge of retirement.

Conor Heneghan

For those about to rock, we sympathise with you as one of the biggest bands in the history of rock music could be on the verge of retirement.

Australian rock band AC/DC, one of the most popular and successful rock bands of all-time, could have rocked out for the last time following rumours in Australia that they are on the verge of hanging up their electric guitars for good.

According to The Guardian, talk of the band’s imminent retirement came about after a Perth radio station reported having received an e-mail from a correspondent identifying themselves only as ‘Thunderstruck’ detailing that due to the ill health of one of the band’s members (believed to be guitarist Malcolm Young), they were considering calling it a day.

“I have extremely good contacts in Europe that are very close to AC/DC,” the e-mail read.

“I have it on very good authority that one of the band members is quite ill and has returned to Australia with his family. AC/DC members have previously made a pact that no band members will be replaced should someone need to leave the band. No more is currently being said, however the particularly ill member of AC/DC’s son has stated that AC/DC may well be over.”

While AC/DC fans will no doubt be thunderstruck by the news, a recent report in The Australian newspaper appears to contradict the retirement rumours, as it was suggested that they had booked six weeks in a Vancouver recording studio starting from May 1 with a view to recording new material.

Singer Brian Johnson recently told a Florida radio station that they were reluctant to reveal their future plans because one of the band had been unwell, but at the same time also spoke of the plans to get back in the studio next month.

“One of our boys was pretty ill, so we didn’t like to say anything, and we’re very private about things like this, so we didn’t wanna say anything,” Johnson said, before adding: “But I think we’ll be going in the studio in May in Vancouver. Which means, we should be getting ready.”

Having originally taken the long way to the top AC/DC have remained there for the best part of their 41-year career to date and their most hardcore fans will be on something of a metaphorical highway to hell, for a brief period at least, if the retirement rumours end up being confirmed.

Whether they end up actually being true or just a whole lot of rosie remains to be seen, but we should soon know for sure if the Australian rock legends will end up back in black ever again.

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Topics:

AC/DC,Music