AC/DC Frontman Says Bono's Good Deeds Are Cheap

By PopEater Staff Posted Feb 3rd 2010 03:53PM

For a man who is barely coherent when he sings, Brian Johnson of AC/DC is making himself perfectly clear when it comes to outspoken do-gooders like Bono and Bob Geldof.

"When I was a working man I didn't want to go to a concert for some bastard to talk down to me that I should be thinking of some kid in Africa," he bluntly told the Herald Sun in Australia.

To be fair, Johnson is not railing against helping the less fortunate, it's the grand gestures like worldwide benefit concerts and glittery telethons that grate on him.

"I'm sorry mate, do it yourself, spend some of your own money and get it done," he added. "It just makes me angry. I become all tyrannical."

Johnson insisted he gives on occasion but there's one big difference between him and Bono: "I don't tell everybody I'm doing it," and better yet, "I don't tell everybody they should give money -- they can't afford it.

AC/DC famously turned down a slot at 1985's Live Aid, which he squarely calls a failure.

"Bob Geldof is a canny lad. He did what he thought was right at the time but it didn't work," he said, referring to the man behind Live Aid. "The money didn't go to poor people. It makes me mad when people try to use politics or charity for publicity."

Tags: acdc, bono, brian johnson

Comments

(97)

Wednesday 03 February

By jackie

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As usual it takes a man of metal to put these hollywood pansies in their place-feed the world? Lets start with help USA-everybody looks to US when their is a mother nature uprising-geez I feel sympathy for these people of third world countries when disasters occur but why do we always pay the bill-Sing another song to pay the bill?Holly crap- scratch a check,I hear your voices enough on radio or American karoke-better known as American Idol.

By laricee

let's see.... bono, one of the greatest humanitarians, singer for the most important band in history....brian johnson, singer for ac/dc since 1980, yet still not considered as good a frontman as the original singer bon scott. do the math people, it's just sour grapes for johnson.

Thursday 04 February

By Ivy

Good on him for saying this! People should donate money to charity if they want to, not because someone tells them to.

Friday 05 February

By Donna

I knew I just loved Johnson and ACDC. ACDC is the bomb and is my ultimate fave band of all time. Now I know why. They are real and don't believe the so called Hollywood WAY~~

By fattrucker

i buy a lot of music in thrift/second hand stores and I notice that there are a BOATLOAD of U2 albums and virtually NO ACDC! I can barely even get through one listening of Joshua Tree, U2 has always been so preachy.

By boz

raidrmik67 -- shut yer pie hole.

By Mike

"I'm hot and when I'm not I'm cold as ice, get out of my way, step aside or pay the price, what I like I take what I don't I break, and I don't like you, with a flick of my knife I can take your life, there's nothing you can do........."

Stick that in your fusebox!

By Erika

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Brian is a man after my heart! He said what I have been thinking for years. We don't go to concerts to hear about starvation and politics. We go to rock the hell out. Not that I would be caught dead at a U2 concert but if I was, I would yell "dance monkey!"
As Bon told us...'it's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll!"

By Paula

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY BONO IS ALWAYS BEING PRAISED FOR HIS "CHARITY WORK". JON BON JOVI & THE BAND BON JOVI HAVE DONE FAR MORE THAN ANY OTHER ENTERTAINER BUT NEVER RECEIVES THE CREDIT FOR IT. THEY BELIEVE TO START GIVING IN YOUR OWN TOWN, STATE OR COUNTRY & HAVE HELPED MANY PEOPLE. THEY DO NOT DO IT FOR PUBLICITY BUT JUST OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEARTS.

By coolfl33

When can we expect a telethon for the Unemployed American People?
The people of Haiti have been suffering for years, where was all of these dogooders before the earthquake? I mean they just had a riot over food in 2008. Why did it take an earthquake for these dogooders noticed the people of Haiti were going hungry, living in poor conditions.
There are tent cities all across America but I don't see the same love and support for the people living in tent cities in America. To me that makes it even worse because these same rich people walk right past those people and don't offer a dam thing. Oprah does a story on the people and with her being a billionaire you would think the people that appear in her stories would somehow benefit.
Nice to know there aren't any hungry, homeless people in America for these stars to help.

By pjgard64

im also sick of bono expecting the american people plus the us goverment to bail out every country . mabey if we stop giving hand outs these other countrys might start to figure out how to help them selves. first stop by having babys they cant afford. 51% of us tax dollars go to foreign aid. our on goverment helps in relief efforts but our on people cant get help. where still trying to rebuild after katrina plus all natural disasters in cali.people are sick of it.the us is always the first to help andgives the most. theres alot of people in this country that needs help!so all you stars out to see whose paying good money to see you perform and it isnt the countrys your so keen on asking money for. were not the richest people we once were.like i said 51% in foregn aid. we just cant afford it anymore.its time to help ourselves!stop foregn aid now! ask china to give theyle laugh in your face.

By Jan

South Park got it right with Bono as a big pile of steaming sh*t!

By ogbobbye

you got it right mate I am sick of all these stars in music and flims who think they know whats right and need to school me because I'm just to dumb to get it on my own.

By Nicole

I AGREE 100%... DO IT BECAUSE YOU CARE, NOT BECAUSE SOMEONE FAMOUS SAYS YOU SHOULD... IF YOU DO DONATE, PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO OUR FELLOW AMERICANS THAT ARE HOMELESS, HUNGRY, AND HAVE FAMILIES IN NEED...

By Vecture

LIKE IT OR NOT Bono is doing the right thing and the best he can. IF he and other NON PHONY activists gave all their money it would do a goddamned thing beyond 15 min of nation debt reduction. So many third world countries are suffering because of western government policies that bankrupt and hold hostage entire economies. HE IS TRYING TO BRING AWARENESS to an ill educated, video game obsessed, F everybody else generation of spolied brat jackasses. Bono has been doing this ever since he had a LITTLE success, well before George Clooney Sean Penn and other like morons jumped on the band wagon. IT has been his goal to try to help a suffering society. YES it does get a little annoying SOMETIME but it has to be done. WHY don't you haters grow up, get a little educated on the REAL FACTS of why these nations need help from real people. BUT you'll probably just sit in front of your xbox shoving hambugers and beer down your throats until you puke. Bono has gained NOTHING by doing this. In fact it has probably hurt him more socially because it is not popular to ask people to help others. You wanna talk about BALLS??? IT takes REAL BIG BALLS to do that.

By Czar

All you people are idiots. Bono/U2 have done so much in the name of charity. Bono wants to use his fame in a positive manner and DOES help millions of people every year. Look up one.org. Yes he is totally self absorbed and into himself but at least he does something, which is more then any of you or Brian (wish i was bon scott) could say.

Thursday 13 January

By mukami

right on! now i just love AC/DC more. am from Kenya, and i badly want to puke everytime i hear Clooney or Jolie is in Sudan or blah blah raising money for the alleviation of poverty...and all i hear is blah blah blah. If ur that serious about it, just go and do it and don't get all the cameras capturing you as you do your charity. and FYI, alot of us just find it sickening. urghh

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