Is bassist Cliff Williams out of retirement and back in AC/DC?
Picture emerges online showing Cliff Williams together with Brian Johnson in Vancouver
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The AC/DC rumour mill has been in full swing since August last year.
First, estranged members Brian Johnson and Phil Rudd were photographed together outside the Vancouver studio where the band recorded their last three albums. Then, they were snapped with AC/DC’s longtime engineer and mixer Mike Fraser.
All had been quiet since then… until last month, when Los Angeles outfit Terrorizer bumped into Johnson at an airport, where the vocalist apparently confirmed his return to the band.
But with Johnson, Rudd, Angus and Stevie Young rumoured to be back together – the one question has been, “Who’s on bass?”
Cliff Williams announced his retirement from AC/DC following the conclusion of their Rock Or Bust world tour, saying: “I need family time now, just chill out and not do this. I’m all good – I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
But a picture has emerged online from December last year, showing Williams and Johnson together at Vancouver’s Shangri-La Hotel. Could it just be coincidence? We shall see.
Last week, US radio host Eddie Trunk reported on his podcast that he had heard from a “very, very, very well-placed” source that AC/DC had completed work on a new album, and that’ll it will contain material recorded by the late Malcolm Young.
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Brian Johnson & Cliff Williams - AC/DC Scott Frinskie
A photo posted by @24eltoro on Dec 14, 2018 at 2:31pm PST

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.
