Brian Johnson- best known as the second vocalist of the great Australian hard rock band AC/DC was born in Dunston England on the 5th October 1947. Johnson grew up, the son of a British Seargeant Major and an Italian mother. As a youngster, Johnson would sing and perform in various shows as part of the Boy Scouts as well as appearing in a play that was on television.

Prior to joining AC/DC in 1980, Brian Johnson was a founding member of the glam rock band Geordie. He was their lead singer until the band split in 1978 despite releasing a number of hit singles. Geordie reformed in 1980 after a new record deal was signed but this was jettisoned after Johnson was asked to audition as the replacement singer for AC/DC after the death of previous singer Bon Scott from alcohol-poisoning.

It was only a few days after auditioning that Johnson was told he would be offered the position replacing the deceased Scott as the lead singer of AC/DC. He started off with a bang- his first album with AC/DC was Back in Black which to this day is still the band’s biggest selling album.

Like Angus Young with his school uniform, Johnson has his own trademark whilst on stage. He likes to wear a cap, originally he would wear a flat cap in deference to his native hometown, but these days this has often been replaced with a standard baseball cap.

For the decade from 1980 to 1990, Johnson co-wrote all of AC/DC’s songs with the Young brothers, Angus and Malcolm. In 1990, because of personal problems, Johnson was not able to help with writing The Razor’s Edge and since then the Young brothers have written all the material. Johnson has come back on board to help write the lyrics for the bands new album which is due to be released in 2008.

Johnson has been working on a side project since April 2003. He has been composing a musical version of Helen of Troy with renowned Sarasota Ballet choreographer, Robert de Warren. In a departure from the music of AC/DC, this musical is to be in the style of Les Miserables- rousing anthems, tender ballads and minimal dialogue. It is said that Johnson conceived the idea for a musical after seeing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats, and not enjoying it.

Johnson currently lives in Sarasota Florida with his wife Brenda.