Brian Johnson was born in Dunston, County Durham, England in 1947 and began his musical career as a youngster in 1962. After being a member of several bands in his teens, he rose to prominence as the frontman for Geordie, with whom he recorded four studio albums. However, after being recruited to join AC/DC in 1980, his life altered dramatically and he became a global rock sensation.
Bon Scott, the band’s original lead vocalist, died unexpectedly in the same year at 33. Johnson then passed the test and was hired as their new vocalist. His debut with the band was greater than he could have hoped for, as they not only created their best-selling album but also one of the best-selling albums of all time. “Back In Black” sold over 50 million copies worldwide.
Over the years, the musician spoke a lot about other bands and shared his thoughts on them. He enjoys music from the 1960s and 1970s and previously disclosed his favorite tune.
The song that Brian Johnson said is his favorite of all time
Brian Johnson had diverse musical tastes and, while having a loud voice, he was never in a band as heavy as AC/DC. As with every musician of his time, he was heavily affected by The Beatles, who were always one of his favorite bands.
So it’s no surprise when he confessed in a 2020 interview with Joe Walsh that the song “Get Back” is one of his all-time favorites. He stated, “(My favorite song) In the whole world? Jesus! Way of (the back of my head) the thing that makes me smile every time I hear it is ‘Get Back’”.
Brian Johnson said, “You know, and if you listen to Ringo‘s drumming on there. It’s sensational, it’s easy. I remember somebody said to be, ‘I could have wrote that’. And I said, ‘Well why didn’t you.”
“Get Back,” credited to Lennon and McCartney, was included on The Beatles’ last album, “Let It Be,” published in 1970. It included Billy Preston on Rhodes piano and Paul McCartney on vocals. When it was released as a single in 1969, the song was a number-one smash in various countries. Using the Billboard Hot 100 list in the United States from 1958 to 2018, the song was ranked 327th.
The first time Johnson met Paul McCartney he was “Tongue-Tied”
If music fans are frequently starstruck when they meet their musical idols, renowned musicians are often starstruck when they meet the people who inspired them. Brian Johnson experienced this when he got the opportunity to meet the famous Paul McCartney.
In an interview with Torg & Elliott in 2022, he recalled the meeting, “Yes, that has happened, and it was Paul McCartney. I didn’t know what to say to him. I mean, for the first time I was absolutely tongue-tied. Then Ringo Starr walked in beside him. It was Paul that spoke to me, ’cause he heard me talking to somebody.”
“He said, ‘Hello, Geordie.’ You know, because they call us Geordies, with the accent. I went, ‘Hello, Paul. Sir Paul. Your honor. Your majesty.’ I didn’t know what (to call him). (Laughs) I just came across like I was breaking a friend’s teeth in. I couldn’t speak.”
He added, “So it was hard. And then we became friends, which is even harder to describe. If you’re in a hotel and somebody like McCartney says, ‘Fancy a spot of lunch, kid?’ And you go, ‘Yes,’”
The admiration is mutual, as McCartney enjoys AC/DC. He may be seen enjoying the band’s performance during the 2015 Grammy Awards event. He was animated as they played the song “Rock or Bust.”
Brian may also be seen singing The Beatles’ “Love Me Do” on YouTube a few years back.