What better gift for Australia Day than a confirmation from legendary Aussie rockband AC/DC that they plan on returning to the studio later this year to begin work on a follow-up to 2008′s Black Ice.

Speaking to Mike “Cowhead” Calta on his radio show in the US, lead singer Johnson spoke about how the band hopes to return to the studio later this year but revealed that health issues are currently holding them back.

“One of the boys is a little sick and I can’t say anything, but he’s getting better,” Johnson told the radio audience. “He’s doing wonderful. Full recovery fully expected.”

During the interview the ‘Back In Black’ vocalist also spoke about what it’s like inside the rehearsal or recording studio with the rest of the band saying “It’s a wonderful thing when we get in a room. Whenever the boys get back together, I get all excited.”

“The boys, after a while, pick the guitars up, Phil [Rudd] will make his way to the drums, Cliff [Williams] will pull his bass out and then all of a sudden this noise comes out and I sit there with just this big old grin on my face.”

AC/DC’s last studio LP ‘Black Ice’ debuted at number 1 in over 29 countries and has sold 6 million copies so far worldwide. The album was also the first time the band had toped the Billbaord 200 albums charts since their 1981 release ‘For Those About to Rock We Salute You’.

You can listen to the full interview below

Brian Johnson of AC/DC on The Cowhead Show by mrcowhead