For 10 years, AC/DC singer Brian Johnson has thought about the events that happened on Jan. 18, 1991, here in Salt Lake City.
Three concertgoers died after they were crushed by the audience, which was pushing its way to the stage during a general-admission AC/DC show in the Salt Palace.
"No matter how long ago it happened, you still think about it," Johnson said quietly during a phone call from Charlotte, S.C. "You hope and pray it never happens again."
Although the band has since settled numerous lawsuits with the families, Johnson said the shadow is still fresh in his mind. "That was an awful incident, and it hit us very hard. We couldn't really do anything about it. And we were told of the deaths afterwards.
"That type of thing never happened to us before. It was a terrible, terrible thing. And we will always be remembered for it."
When Brian Johnson joined AC/DC in 1979, he replaced former lead singer Bon Scott, who died from alcohol poisoning earlier that year. "It was very nerve-racking," Johnson said. "It was a dark time for the band after what happened, but they made it very comfortable for me. I knew I had to do my best to live up to the man and his memory. But I also met four of the nicest guys in me life."
AC/DC — Johnson, lead-guitarist Angus Young, rhythm-guitarist Malcolm Young, bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Phil Ruud — will return to Salt Lake City for an evening of blues-based rock 'n' roll at the E Center in West Valley on Thursday, April 12. The 7:30 p.m. show is sold out. Slash's Snakepit was originally slated to open for AC/DC, but Slash came down with pneumonia; a new opening act will be announced soon.
Since climbing on board with AC/DC, Johnson has recorded 10 albums with the band, who he says has become like family.
"To be part of this team is a very special to me," the singer said in his cockney accent. "And to this day, I feel like there was something there guiding us when we recorded 'Back in Black.' I don't want to even guess what it was. And I don't believe in the supernatural — I'm a cynic when it comes to that — but something was there helping us write and record that album."
"Back in Black" was, to some, AC/DC's definitive work. And for Johnson, it was his initiation into the politics of the music business.
"Angus and Malcolm started AC/DC as a rock band," explained Johnson, who cited Chuck Berry as his main musical influence, along with the Beatles and Little Richard. "And when bands like REO Speedwagon and Journey — both wonderful bands — were doing their beautiful ballads with those beautiful voices, the record companies were telling us that we should try that.
"But we didn't want to go there. We kept doing what we've always done, and the cycle caught up with us. And we're keeping on with that one thing, play rock music."
Johnson said there is nothing satanic or violent about AC/DC's music, although some music activists have said the band's name is an acronym for "Anti-Christ/Devil's Child."
"I don't believe in putting things in our music that don't need to be there," Johnson said. "I disagree with putting political and religious messages in music.
"Rock music is supposed to be rebellious and fun. If you want to save the rainforest, you should do it anonymously and feel good about it. But don't use audiences for your own purpose."
The band's new album, "Stiff Upper Lip," is the band's 17th, including the five-CD box-set "Bonfire," which was released in 1997. And like the other releases before, the music, to fans, is like slipping on a comfortable, worn pair of blue jeans.
"I'm glad we stuck to our guns," Johnson said. "It's the only thing we know how to do, and we don't like to let down our fans."
Johnson and the boys recruited the Young brothers' other sibling, George Young, to produce "Stiff Upper Lip."
"I had only worked with George one time before, back when we did the soundtrack to Stephen King's 'Maximum Overdrive,' " Johnson said. The last time George worked on a full-fledged AC/DC album was back in 1978, on the "Powerage" album.
"George is your best friend, your brother, your father, your uncle and mentor, if you're lucky enough to ever meet him," Johnson said. "He's a wonderful man, and he's a music man. If it sounds great, then he'll leave it in the mix.
"I told him my pronunciation was a bit off on one part, and he looked at me and said, 'Don't worry about it. If pronunciation never stopped Little Richard from recording a song, it shouldn't stop you.' "
For the past 25 years, AC/DC has been thrilling audiences all over the world. And for 21 of those years, Johnson has been a part of the action. "It's very gratifying to see three generations of fans in the audience looking back at you," he said. "You see the older ones who are 55 and 60, who told their children about us. Those children are now 35 and 40, and they even bring their children, who are in their teens, to our shows. It's nice to know people of all ages can dig what we do."
E-MAIL: scott@desnews.com