Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan recalled how Axl Rose was nervous about auditioning to sing with AC/DC in 2016. McKagan described the moment as a touching and humorous memory from when Rose temporarily replaced Brian Johnson.
“Axl’s like, ‘Man, I’ve got this opportunity… a dream come true to go and sing with my favorite band.’ We’re like, ‘Go do it, man.’ Me and Slash jam with all kinds of people, you know?” McKagan said. “[H]e went… ‘I’m gonna go try out.’ … [We said,] ‘You think you’re gonna have to try out?’ I’m like, ‘Dude, you got the gig!’ So he flew to Atlanta and he tried out.”
“It was really kinda cute, you know? We knew he was gonna get the gig, of course,” he added.
Rose was never a permanent replacement for Johnson. The Guns N’ Roses frontman was brought in to finish the remaining dates of AC/DC’s Rock or Bust World Tour. Johnson was forced to step away on doctors’ orders due to the risk of permanent hearing loss. Rose reached out through shared contacts after learning about the situation. He offered to help one of his favorite bands keep going.
The singer made his debut with AC/DC on May 7, 2016, in Lisbon, Portugal. The performance marked the beginning of a brief but memorable chapter in the band’s history. Fans and critics alike watched closely to see how the iconic frontman would handle the legendary catalog.
Rose’s stint with the band lasted a total of 23 shows across the United States and Europe. He handled vocals for the remainder of the tour before returning to his commitments with Guns N’ Roses. Johnson later rejoined AC/DC for the band’s 2020 album Power Up. The move brought the band full circle after Rose’s temporary tenure.
