Doctors Tell AC/DC Frontman Brian Johnson To Stop Touring Immediately

The longtime frontman of Oz-rock icons AC/DC, Brian Johnson, must cease touring with the band or run the risk of sending himself permanently deaf, the band have advised.

In a statement posted to their official website, AC/DC explained that Johnson had received doctors' orders to "stop touring immediately or risk total hearing loss". 

Despite the unfortunate news, the band have stopped short of outright cancelling the remainder of their planned US tour dates in honour of recent album Rock Or Bust; rather, they have announced that they will reschedule their shows to make good with ticketholders in the near future. With exactly half of their 20-show run knocked over, the next performance was to be at Atlanta's Philips Arena tonight (8 March), with additional performances in Fort Lauderdale, Greensboro, Washington DC, Detroit, Columbus, Cleveland, Buffalo, Philadelphia and New York, where they were to wrap up the jaunt at Madison Square Garden on 4 April.

read more: turns out ac/dc frontman had hearing issues over a year ago

Perhaps understanding the nebulous process that awaits them — i.e. how to replace Johnson, or if he can cheat deafness for just 10 more shows with massive earmuffs or something — the band have provided ticketholders the option to hang on to their tickets to use on a rescheduled date, or to cash them in for refunds at the point of purchase.

If nothing else, local fans can count themselves blessed they had the chance to see AC/DC on their monster of a tour late last year, because there's evidently no guarantee that Johnson will be able to belt out pub-rock classics too much longer.

But, hey, if Johnson can't tour any more, at least he can focus his energies on the Let There Be Rock Fund and the band's branded bourbon and cola. You never know — he might even unearth his own replacement in the process.