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Brian Johnson
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist
Brian Johnson is an English singer, born in 1947 in Dunston near Newcastle. His father was a miner and a soldier; his mother came from Frascati in Italy. He started in small bands and from 1970 played in a cabaret and club band, from which the rock band Geordie emerged in Newcastle in 1971. With them he had hit singles in the early 1970s, including All Because of You in 1973. In 1978 Geordie broke up.
Music and breakthrough
The turning point came in 1980. After the death of Bon Scott on 19 February, the brothers Angus and Malcolm Young looked for a new singer for AC/DC. Scott had earlier heard Johnson sing in England and had praised him as a rock 'n' roller in the style of Little Richard. Johnson was allowed to audition in March, sang Nutbush City Limits among other songs, and got the job. His first album with the band, Back in Black, became one of the best-selling albums ever.
Influence
His voice is high, rasping and unmistakable, with a strong Geordie accent. In 2003 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with AC/DC. In 2016 he temporarily left the tour because of hearing problems, but he returned for the album Power Up. Johnson shows that a band can carry on after a loss without losing its sound.