AC/DC Member Calls It Quits, Won’t Join Future Tours
via Drinks With Johnny / YouTube
AC/DC fans received surprising news as comedian and dedicated fan Dean Delray disclosed that bassist Cliff Williams won’t be gracing the stage in future tours of the band.
Delray, renowned for his insightful coverage of the band’s music and engaging interviews with its members, made the revelation on January 27.
In an online post, he shared:
“OK, last night I heard from a very reliable source that AC/DC will be touring with a new Bass Player this year. I’m not gonna say who it is. I’ll let AC/DC make that announcement, but I will say this: 3 years ago, I had Cliff Williams on my podcast, and he straight up said he would not be touring again, and I was surprised that the fans didn’t seem to pick up on that.”
Expressing gratitude for Williams’ remarkable contribution, Delray continued:
“I just want to take this time to thank Cliff for absolutely rocking us on the Bass for over 40 years. An absolute killer of Groove. I love you, brother.”
View this post on Instagram
Cliff Williams had initially declared his retirement at the conclusion of the ‘Rock Or Bust’ tour in 2015-2016.
Notably, this tour witnessed a change in vocalists, with Brian Johnson departing due to hearing problems and Axl Rose stepping in for the final 22 shows.
In a 2020 interview with Delray, Williams shed light on the connection between his decision to step down and Johnson’s departure:
“It was before then. I spoke to Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist] about it initially. I was at a point — and this is at the beginning of the ‘Rock Or Bust’ tour — that I just felt, for me, it was time to hang it up. I knew that I didn’t wanna keep doing these two-year tours, and I didn’t wanna hold them back, so I made them aware of the fact that this was gonna be my last go-round.”
Expressing his finality with touring
The bassist added:
“It was a tough tour to finish. God bless Axl for coming in and helping us out, finish it up. He did a great job. And at the end of that, I was definitely — that was it for me. Done — just done. That compounded the whole thing.”
The absence of Cliff Williams marks a significant change in the AC/DC lineup, leaving fans eager to discover who will step into the renowned bassist’s shoes for the upcoming tour. As the band navigates through this transition, AC/DC enthusiasts reflect on Williams’ four-decade-long groove legacy and express appreciation for his lasting impact on the iconic sound of the band.
