Cliff Williams, the bassist of AC/DC from 1977 to 2016, is rumoured to be rejoining the band for their much-discussed new album.
A newly-emerged picture shows Williams alongside the band’s frontman Brian Johnson with a personal trainer at a Vancouver Hotel in December, which prompted the speculation.
Williams left the band in 2016, the same year that Johnson was forced to quit the band and temporarily replaced by Guns ‘N Roses singer Axl Rose for a world tour. It left guitarist Angus Young as the only remaining member of the band’s so-called ‘classic’ line-up to play in the group.
Last year, it was reported that the rock icons were working on a new album that will feature the work of their late rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young on “every track”, according to “a reliable source inside the AC/DC camp”. The rhythm guitarist died in November 2017 after retiring from the band due to early onset dementia.
Vancouver is also where the band’s longstanding drummer Phil Rudd was pictured with Johnson last year. The drummer was initially ousted from the group in 2015 following his conviction last year for drug possession and making threats to kill a former employee,
In January, Johnson was said to have confirmed that he would be singing on the new record. American band Terrorizer reportedly confirmed the news, posting that Johnson had told them he was “sick of denying” the rumours.
Recommended
Speaking last year, a source close to the band said: “Turns out, five years prior to the ‘Black Ice’ LP, AC/DC’s 15th studio release, Angus and Malcolm Young lived to together [sic] where they literally wrote hundreds of songs, many were recorded and have been stashed away until now.
“Angus has decided to selected [sic] the best tracks from those recordings that Malcolm played on and is now back in the studio recording and mixing them with fellow band mates Phil Rudd, Cliff Williams and yes, Brian Johnson on vocals.”