Interview: ACDC Singer Brian Johnson

We had the pleasure of catching up with Brian Johnson in between drives to talk about his car collection and his new album.

Have you ever wondered what a rock legend does with his spare time? Well in the case of Brian Johnson, that fast paced and loud lifestyle has carried on from the music. Brian is a keen Motorsport enthusiast and car collector and when not on stage or in the studio, he can be found behind the wheel of a powerful car be it on track or on the way to the shops.

The full one-hour interview is now available on our website, but these are some of the exciting stories he shared.

No stranger to danger, Brian shared many anecdotes of near death experiences, one in particular from his time on the track at Silverstone in 2017. With “a sphincter like a squirrels nose”, Brian rolled a Ford Popular as he entered a left hander too fast, sending him barreling. Despite being all smiles after the accident, Brian acknowledged his close encounter and described his mistake as “running out of talent”. Brian shared a whole host of racing stories including some of his best ever performances in our full length interview.

Perhaps more terrifying was Brian’s road traffic accident in Italy during the 1970s. On his way back from visiting his family, Brian aged 18, was a passenger in a near fatal collision on a winding road that left his friends Renault totalled. He described the horrifying moment that his friend (the driver) was rescued by the fire brigade but he was left trapped inside.

“They didn’t know I was in there … I tried to get out, but I couldn’t”.

“I thought to myself, bloody hell! I could smell the smoke and petrol”

Brian was eventually rescued by the fire brigade, but not before burning his hand on the exposed engine while trying to free himself.

It wasn’t all accidents and carnage though as we discussed Brian’s car collection new and old. From a 1928 4.2L Bentley called Thunder Guts to just about any Land or Range Rover on the market, Brian has an astonishing combination of cars.

He shared tales of driving his racing car collection and gave us a sneak peak into the cars in his American Garage in Florida where he now lives. We also learn that he has recently sold his Lola T70 Mk1 and is making room for a brand new Maserati MC20 that he has just purchased.

Brian has a love for all cars but none stronger than Bentley. He is always keen to show off his pride and joy – Thunder guts – but his collection doesn’t just stop there. Brian currently boasts over three different Bentley’s in his garage, all of which get a fair spin around town. Bentley is almost certainly his favourite manufacturer describing his fleet as “magical’.

His collection isn’t just fast and expensive cars though, as Brian is a lover of all things motoring, a strong believer in buying a car to drive and not to just show off. One of the most unexpected cars that he owns is possibly his Morris Minor that he drives around Florida for the laugh. He admitted raising a few eye brows as he flies about on three wheels and enjoys turning heads with all of his British classics on American roads.

Talking about the future of cars, Brian was quick to share his thoughts on electric engines. While he may be a fan of a hybrid motor, he did admit to not being keen on anything fully electric. He pokes fun at his friends who struggle with the range of a Tesla and is grateful to have the current freedom of driving whatever he wants, whenever. In Brians eyes, it might be less than 20 years before we face driving curfews for petrol powered motors.

Finally we spend time discussing Brian’s television work. Over the last 10 years he has been the host of a variety of shows focusing around Music, Rock legends and their cars. While Brian may prefer being in the driving seat when it comes to cars, he certainly seems at home being in the driving seat during interviews too. From Rock and Roll legends in the 70s with the likes of Roger Daltry to modern day rockers like Dave Grohl, Brian has had the pleasure of sitting down with them all to discuss their careers and their cars. While he shared many stories of his time on the TV set, be sure to check out Brian Johnson’s Cars that rock and Life on the road after our interview to hear more of Brian’s stories!

Image Credits: Martyn Schorr, CarGuyChronicles, Otto, MyCarQuest.com, Sothebys.com,

Special Thanks to Brian for giving up his time and to his manager Tarquin