AC/DC tribute singer recalls when he auditioned for the band in 2016

AC/DC Lee Robinson Angus Young

During AC/DC “Rock or Bust” tour Brian Johnson left the band due to hearing issues (But some say he was fired) and was replaced for the rest of the dates by Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose. However, the group tried some other singers before and one of them was tribute band singer Lee Robinson (Thunderstruck from Raleigh, North Carolina). He was one of four known vocalists that almost became the “new” singer. Robinson revealed the story in an interview with Beyond The Thunder podcast.

He was found on Youtube by bassist Cliff Williams and was invited to audition and got fired as a commercial HVAC technician by his supervisor after leaving for this opportunity of a lifetime.

Lee Robinson said about when he auditioned for AC/DC in 2016:

“I said, it’s worth losing my job at this point.” He spent “about two days in the wood shed going over vocals and a whole lot of not sleeping.” When the time arrived he went to the Atlanta studio and met was told to warm up singing “Back In Black” and “Touch Too Much” playing with the crew before the band arrived.

“And I actually could barely sing. I was so nervous and so uptight. I couldn’t get anything out.” The tech crew stopped playing they they remained dead silent. Then Robinson asked “Have I wasted anybody’s time yet?”

When the band arrived he performed “Hells Bells” with Chris Slade, Cliff Williams, Stevie Young and Angus Young.  He smiled when Stevie Young looked over with approval and said, “Now that’s the way it supposed to sound!” Angus Young also said: “you’ve got a hell of a voice”.

Watch Lee Robinson singing:

New album

Rumors about the production of a new AC/DC album have been circulating for months on the Internet. Sound engineer Mike Fraser, who recorded and mixed five of the group’s albums, including the latest, Rock Of Bust, from 2014 confirmed that the guys were reunited in the studio.

Rafael Polcaro: I'm a Brazilian journalist who always loved Classic Rock and Heavy Metal music. That passion inspired me to create Rock and Roll Garage over 6 years ago. Music has always been a part of my life, helping me through tough times and being a support to celebrate the good ones. When I became a journalist, I knew I wanted to write about my passions. After graduating in journalism from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, I pursued a postgraduate degree in digital communication at the same institution. The studies and experience in the field helped me improve the website and always bring the best of classic rock to the world! MTB: 0021377/MG