AC/DC singer Brian Johnson has said that his hearing loss was caused by a bout of flu, rather than solely by years of performing loud rock music. The disclosure adds personal context to the health issue that forced him to stop touring with the band in 2016.

Johnson’s hearing problems led AC/DC to bring in Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to complete that year’s tour. He later returned to performing after using specialised in-ear technology designed to help protect and manage his hearing.