Brian Johnson said he’s been told not to discuss AC/DC’s future and accused SiriusXM host Eddie Trunk of “getting tabloidy” when the question was pursued.

The singer was forced to bow out of the band’s Rock or Bust tour in 2016, although he returned to appear on the 2020 album Power Up. He’s been working with hearing experts on a technological solution to his health problems in recent years.

“I’m not answering that – why should I?” Johnson said when Trunk asked if AC/DC would play live again. “First of all, there’s five members in this band, and to ask one member isn’t fair.” Asked about his feelings on reuniting onstage, Johnson responded, “I cannot answer that. I’ve been told not to by everybody. It’s the official line.”

Trunk tried again, asking if another album was a possibility. “It’s getting tabloidy here. You’re getting tabloidy,” the singer replied. “If I say one thing, it’ll be blown out of all proportion. You just can’t afford to talk now. There’s too much blabber on the internet. And I’m not on any kind of … social media at all – never have been. It’s just gossip.”

In the same interview, Johnson offered his account of his duet with Justin Hawkins during the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in London in September. While he agreed the moment seemed “awkward,” he added, “I think [Justin Hawkins] chickened out halfway through, and I forgot the fucking words! But the worst thing was he got so excited, he came out and he forgot to bring a microphone with him. So that’s why it looked so awkward, trying to sing with one microphone. And he’s, like, six-foot-fucking-two or something.”

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