Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan discussed Axl Rose’s unorthodox AC/DC audition process on a recent edition of Joey Diaz’s podcast. Alternative Nation reporter Mike Mazzarone transcribed the comments of Diaz and Duff, including a story about Axl asking Slash and Duff permission to audition to replace Brian Johnson in AC/DC on tour in 2016.
Duff: The way Axl Rose did that was amazing, he’s like: “If you guys don’t mind, I’m gonna go try out [for AC/DC], they need a hand here”. I was like: “yeah, we know.” Like, Bon Scott is his all-time [favorite] and it’s like: “dude, you don’t have to try out for AC/DC.” Yet, Axl was really nervous.
Duff continues:
Duff: Axl goes: “I’m gonna go try and out and just see if they got a couple of months. It fits in with Guns N’ Roses’ touring schedule perfectly”. Slash and I are like: “you got the gig!” but he went to Atlanta and “tried out” and got the gig. I saw him twice on that tour, flew to London to see him, flew to Cleveland to see that [as well]
Diaz: Was he phenomenal?
Duff: Axl was great.
Diaz: Phenomenal AC/DC.
Duff: I just think what it did for him, you know, we got to know Angus [Young] through that. Angus came out and played with us a bunch of times and that was I think that thing when you’re fourteen or fifteen when Axl was that age, like: “man, if I ever got to be in AC/DC!” You know, you’re singing with a broom and he finally got to do it.
