CHRIS SLADE Says AXL ROSE Was 'Very Professional' During AC/DC's 2016 Tour: 'He Was Never Late'

Former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade has once again praised Axl Rose's collaboration with the band, saying that the GUNS N' ROSES singer was "very professional" during AC/DC's 2016 tour.

AC/DC postponed the last ten dates of its North American tour eight years ago after doctors told singer Brian Johnson he faced a total loss of hearing if he did not stop touring immediately. AC/DC completed the tour in the summer of 2016, with Rose as a "guest vocalist."

"The thing with Axl, people went, like, 'Axl Rose. Do me a favor.' And I must admit, I was a little trepidatious, shall I say," Slade told the Appetite For Distortion podcast (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "But he said 'hello'. I shook his hand, and I thought, 'This guy's all right.' And he was telling jokes. And he was a great guy, actually. I know I've heard the horror stories, as we all have, but in my experience, he was great. Very professional. He was never late anywhere, anytime. And he used to warm up two hours before every show and warm down for two hours every show. I know that for a fact, because I was next to him [laughs]; I could hear him."

Chris went on to say that Axl treated the AC/DC gig with the utmost respect, since grew up loving the band. "He asked Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist] to learn a few songs, like five or six songs that he would love to do 'cause he'd been a fan," Slade recalled. "And we learned them. Well, we knew 'em before, but he wanted to do — I think we did things like 'Riff Raff' and things like that. I can't remember properly, to be very honest. But it was great. And I didn't know he had that voice, honestly. I'd only ever heard him in GUNS N' ROSES with that GUNS N' ROSES voice. It wasn't that at all. It was a fantastic voice, as far as I'm concerned, with full range."

Asked if there was any talk of Axl continuing with AC/DC beyond the 2016 tour, Chris said: "That was it, really. [I was told], 'This will be the tour.' And I didn't expect it to carry on after. I didn't know what Brian was doing. He didn't tell anybody. I think he just left at the time, or whatever the word is. And that was all I knew. I was told, 'Brian's not here.' 'Oh. Okay. Well, what are we doing?' 'Well, we're gonna get a replacement.' 'Oh. All right.' So we tried out quite a few people, six or seven people, I think. Some were unknowns, completely unknowns, and some weren't, but I'm not gonna say who."

Slade, who played drums for AC/DC's "Rock Or Bust" world tour after Phil Rudd was arrested for drug possession and threatening to kill an employee, told Eonmusic in a 2018 interview that Axl fronting AC/DC definitely re-energized the band. "Yes, absolutely," he said. "Angus was running around like a schoolboy, you know?! It did reinvigorate the band. Brian is great, as we all know; he's a great personality and a great guy. Axl brought his voice to it. Like, I couldn't believe the notes he hit; it was staggering. And I actually had no hope at all. When I heard that Axl was going to be in the band, I thought, 'Oh, what?!' Because I'd only ever heard that GUNS N' ROSES voice, but all great singers, they can change the timbre of their voice, and wow, he hit notes that dogs can only hear. It was unbelievable. I thought he did an amazing job. I could hear him very clearly because I use in-ear monitors, and it's the best I've ever heard the band."

Slade had previously served as AC/DC's drummer between 1989 and 1994, playing on the album "The Razor's Edge".

Slade originally followed Simon Wright in AC/DC's lineup. When Rudd returned in 1995, Slade was shown the door and harbored some bad feelings about that for a while.

AC/DC recruited Matt Laug to play drums with the Brian Johnson-fronted outfit at the Power Trip festival last October and for the upcoming summer 2024 European tour.