Geordie

Geordie were a British rock band from Newcastle upon Tyne, England, most notably active in the 1970s.

Their first single, “Don’t Do That” broke into the UK Top 40 in December 1972. In March 1973, Geordie released their debut album, Hope You like It on EMI label.

Trying to compete with such British glam rock outfits as Slade and Sweet (Geordie supported the former on a UK tour, as well as the latter at a concert at the Rainbow Club, London in March 1973), they achieved U.K.

Top 10 status with “All Because Of You” (April 1973) and had a U.K. Top 20 hit with “Can You Do It” (July 1973).

They also had several appearances on BBC Television including 15 appearances on Top of the Pops, one of which was in November 1972.

After their 1976 album Save the World, frontman Johnson left for a solo project.

The band’s final album, No Good Woman, in 1978 consisted of three unreleased tracks with Johnson and new material recorded by Malcolm with future Dire Straits keyboardist Alan Clark, vocalist Dave Ditchburn, bassist Frank Gibbon, and drummer George Defty.

Johnson had meanwhile begun to perform as Geordie in a new line-up, sometimes also called Geordie II, in which he was the only original member.

In 1982, the original Geordie, but without Johnson, re-grouped as a quintet and went on to record an album titled No Sweat in 1983 with new singer Rob Turnbull and additional guitarist David Stephenson.

The album was released on heavy metal independent record label, Neat Records, Critically acclaimed but with no major success.

Malcolm left, and they later changed their name to Powerhouse, to release an eponymous album in 1986, before disbanding indefinitely.

Johnson married his first wife, Carol, in 1968. They divorced during the writing of The Razors Edge album.

They have two daughters: Joanne (born 1968), and Kala (born 1973). He resides in Sarasota, Florida.

He is also an avid supporter of Newcastle United, and was asked to make a substantial investment in the club around 1981/2 after being invited to meet the board by Jackie Milburn.

In September 2009, Johnson was diagnosed with Barrett syndrome.

This caused AC/DC to cancel several shows on their 2010 tour in support of Black Ice.

However, doctors were able to prevent the disease from developing into cancer.

According to The Sunday Times Rich List of British millionaires from the world of music, Johnson was worth £50 million in 2011.

And, years earlier, Scott himself had also praised Johnson’s singing to the rest of AC/DC after seeing Geordie play.

According to legend, this was the night Johnson was rushed to hospital after the show to have his appendix removed – which accounted for his writhing around on the stage.

Johnson’s first album with AC/DC, Back in Black, is now regarded as a landmark in rock recordings and cemented Brian’s position in the group.

He helped to push the band into a more heavy metal direction and the album went on to be the fifth best-selling ever.

But Brian never forgot Geordie and, despite living in Florida, he still makes regular trips back to the North-East to visit his two grown-up daughters.