Thursday, April 21, 2016

AC/DC auditioned second tribute band singer before hiring Axl Rose


AC/DC tribute band Thunderstruck

A second AC/DC tribute band singer has stepped forward to report that he auditioned for the Australian rock legends before they hired Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to replace Brian Johnson on their Rock Or Bust world tour.

Following news that Daren Caperna of the Dallas, TX-based tribute band Back In Black was flown to Atlanta for an audition last month, Lee Robinson of Raleigh, NC-based Thunderstruck is now sharing details of his encounter with the group.

“I didn’t sleep for like 3 days,” explains Robinson after receiving the audition call. “I was studying the songs.”

On March 14, the singer hooked up with AC/DC at their Atlanta rehearsal studio and learned it was bassist Cliff Williams who discovered the Thunderstruck singer and suggested him as an option. “He hung with me the whole time,” says Robinson. “Cliff found us on YouTube!”

Like Caperna, Robinson sang four songs before running through the full Rock Or Bust setlist, minus two songs.

Once finished, guitarist Angus Young offered some words of encouragement to the singer.

“‘Whatever happens,’ he told me, ‘you’ve got a helluva voice,’” said Robinson, still in awe of the moment.

The singer returned to North Carolina the next day and waited for word from the band, with whom he had a gentleman’s agreement - until we say something, you don’t say anything.

On April 16, Rose was officially announced as Johnson’s replacement for the remainder of the Rock Or Bust tour, and Young joined Guns N’ Roses for a pair of vintage AC/DC tracks at Coachella later that night.



See also:

Brian Johnson releases statement regarding status with AC/DC
AC/DC auditioned tribute band singer before hiring Axl Rose
VIDEO: AC/DC guitarist Angus Young joins Guns N’ Roses at Coachella
Axl Rose confirmed to join AC/DC for 2016 tour
Search AC/DC at hennemusic