Original AC/DC Singer DAVE EVANS Would Have Stepped In For BRIAN JOHNSON

Original AC/DC singer Dave Evans says that he would have returned to the band if he had been asked to step in for Brian Johnson on the Australian group's recent European tour.

AC/DC postponed the last ten dates of its recent North American trek after doctors told Johnson he faced a total loss of hearing if he did not stop touring immediately. AC/DC has since resumed its tour with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist," with Johnson apparently not returning to the group.

Asked by Finland's Kaaos TV if he would have done the recent European shows with AC/DC if he had been asked to rejoin the group, Evans said (see video below): "Well, it depends how much they wanna pay me? [Laughs] You know, I'm busy. But, yeah, it depends on money, mate. If they wanted to pay me enough money, of course I'd do it. You'd do it too, if they asked you. But, yeah, of course."

Earlier in the year, Evans had kind words for Johnson, who admitted in a 2014 interview that his hearing loss wasn't due to playing loud rock music every night for a living but was the result of Johnson's other obsession: auto racing.

"A lot of people make jokes about going deaf from listening to loud music," Evans told The Sydney Morning Herald back in March. "It's never been a problem for me.

"I just thought it was sad news. It's your lifeblood as a singer, live performances are so personal, without the crowd and the adrenaline, it's going to be hard for him. Performances are the big highs in our lives."

Evans added that his return to AC/DC would probably never happen. But, he said, "it would be nice to do one guest performance. [Former members] were all part of the band no matters what era they were from."

Evans also said that he thought AC/DC could continue, even without Johnson. "So long as Angus [Young, guitar] is there in his uniform... it's a branding thing now, the name AC/DC is almost bigger than the [members of the] band itself. It's a massive thing all over the world."

Evans recorded AC/DC's first two singles, "Can I Sit Next To You Girl" and "Baby Please Don't Go", before leaving to join Newcastle glam rockers RABBIT.

Evans was replaced later in 1974 by Bon Scott, who sang on AC/DC's first six studio albums and became a legend himself after his death in 1980.

Evans said he "never had a problem with Bon," adding, "He had an opportunity to take my place and become the singer for AC/DC. I would have done the same thing. Bon was a rock and roller and as hard as me... He was quite a few years older than me but we grew up tough and did the hard knocks."

Evans told Wales Online that his former bandmates have not acknowledged his role in AC/DC's early history, saying, "They like to pretend in interviews that Bon Scott was there from the very beginning. The truth of the matter is that a lot went on before Bon became involved — in fact, the band had already got through two bass players, three drummers and a handful of managers by that point . . . all the stuff [Bon would] later do onstage with AC/DC, like taking off his shirt and carrying Angus around on his shoulders, was nicked off me."