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AC/DC Brian Johnson’s statue erected in Belgium — singer reacts to heartfelt tribute

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Singer Brian Johnson of AC/DC performs onstage during The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards at the at the STAPLES Center on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Although Brian Johnson is no longer a member of AC/DC, his statue has been unveiled in Namur, Belgium.

AC/DC made their live debut at Namur’s Palais Des Expositions nearly 43 years ago. A statue of Johnson was recently erected at the venue to commemorate the June 1980 concert.

The unveiling of Johnson’s statue was organized by local radio station RTBF, which welcomed fans who wanted to witness the presentation of the monument.

In response, Johnson posted a video message on the RTBF’s official Instagram page. He thanked everyone for their help and wanted to visit the “special place” soon.

He went on:

“It was the first night I sang with AC/DC, and I was a very nervous boy. So that memory will stay with me forever, and now that you’ve built this statue – honestly, I’m not worthy of it – I thank you, and I’ll take it in good grace,”

The RTBF website also posted photos from the unveiling event.

It took several years for Johnson to be scheduled to perform with AC/DC again. Axl Rose filled in for him in 2016; the band also dealt with heartbreak following the death of co-founder Malcolm Young in 2017.

AC/DC will first appear with Johnson at the upcoming Power Trip Festival. Tool, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, and Guns N’ Roses will also perform at the event.

Johnson has previously expressed his desire to rejoin the band years after he was “forced” to leave.

In his memoir “The Lives of Brian,” the musician revealed his despair after being forced to leave AC/DC in 2016 due to hearing issues. Rose filled in for the rest of the “Rock or Bust” tour, but Johnson reportedly couldn’t bear watching him lead the band for the first time in 35 years when someone else took over the stage.

Johnson compared Rose’s performance with AC/DC to “finding a stranger in your house, sitting in your favorite chair.”

Despite this, he said he held no grudges against his bandmates because they only did what they thought they had to do.

However, it reportedly surprised him when AC/DC issued a statement claiming he was leaving the tour when he had been there the entire time.

Years after his “exit,” Johnson reunited with AC/DC to record “Power Up.”