Brian Johnson's memoir, The Lives of Brian, was just published this week and it ends with him joining AC/DC and the recording and touring with ‘Back in Black’ in 1980.
Brian made it clear in his book that despite what has been said over the years that he, not the late Bon Scott, wrote the lyrics for the album.
Johnson told Rolling Stone, "There was one particular journalist — a writer in Australia [Jesse Fink] — who just wouldn’t let go of this thing. And of course, Malcolm and Angus were like, 'What a load of [crap].' And I said, 'I wish you would tell him.' And their attitude was always, 'Just leave it. Just let them talk himself into an early grave.'
He added, "And of course, it became more and more obvious by the day that Bon hadn’t, because the riffs weren’t written then. The boys were still doing it. So we didn’t say anything because otherwise it would have given him more fame...But I thought it was awful I had to explain myself and that’s why in the book, I went, once and for all, I want to put this baby to bed."
Johnson wrote: “It was me at the end of the pen, writing every night and every morning, with only the title to work with. That’s what happened. That’s the truth and I really hope that settles it.”
Bon did get to hear some of the music the Young brothers were working up, including the intro for "Hell's Bells" and "Have a Drink on Me” before he passed away. The album was a tribute to Bon who died from alcohol poisoning on February 19th, 1980 in London.
Talking about the album’s title song, Johnson said, “Without thinking, I just opened my mouth and screamed, ‘Back in black!’ the air exploding out of my lungs, ‘I hit the sack!’”
Back in Black is the second best-selling album of all-time behind Michael Jackson's Thriller.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]