'What Do You Expect From Australians?': Roger Daltrey Is No Fan Of Axl's AC/DC

Veteran British musician and The Who co-founder Roger Daltrey has dismissed the Axl Rose-fronted iteration of legendary Oz-rock band AC/DC, accusing the band of being "curt" in announcing the departure of former long-time vocalist Brian Johnson before joking, "What do you expect from Australians?"

As Canada's London Free Press reports in an interview with the long-serving frontman, Daltrey expressed his sympathy for Johnson — a personal friend of Daltrey's for "40 odd years", according to the Brit — in the wake of his departure from AC/DC, which alternately saw claims from the band that he had left due to hearing damage, a friend claiming he had been dumped, and, finally, Johnson's own statement regarding the turn of events.

"I really feel bad for Brian," Daltrey told London Free Press. "It must be heartbreaking for him after all the service he's given that band over the years. I thought their farewell statement to the press and to Brian was fairly curt, to say the least. I felt for him. That must have hurt.

"I've spoken to Brian. He's got loads of other things he wants to do in his life. I think AC/DC will miss Brian much more than Brian will miss AC/DC. There you go. What do you expect from Australians?" [laughs]

As if his opinion about the situation wasn't already obvious, Daltrey doubled down on his disdain for AC/DC's new clothes by equating the band's revised line-up to the ancient art of karaoke.

"I mean, go and see karaoke with Axl Rose? Give me a break," he said.

Axl will join the remaining members of AC/DC for the final 12 shows of their Rock Or Bust world tour this May and June, kicking off at Portugal's Passeio Maritimo de Alges on Saturday 7 May.