#WhatsHappening for April 19, 2016

Man oh man, is my head killing me. Damn you, pollen. And getting old.

I swear, when I was a kid, I can't recall being allergic to anything. Anything.

I was outside constantly. I rolled in the grass. I played. I did all the normal shit kids do (well, kids back then, anyway). 

Then, I got old. And I'm allergic to pretty much every damned thing. Except animal dander. Go figure. 

Anyway...

It's official- Axl Rose is (temporarily) the lead singer for AC/DC, and will fill in for the band as they wrap up their current tour- just in time to hit the road again with the newly re-formed Guns N' Roses.

Brian Johnson says he's not retiring, though. In a statement released today, Johnson said that "after a series of examinations by leading physicians in the field of hearing loss" he was told he risked "total deafness" if he continued playing large venues.

"While I was horrified at the reality of the news that day, I had for a time become aware that my partial hearing loss was beginning to interfere with my performance on stage," Johnson said. "I was having difficulty hearing the guitars on stage and because I was not able to hear the other musicians clearly, I feared the quality of my performance could be compromised. In all honesty this was something I could not in good conscience allow.  Our fans deserve my performance to be at the highest level, and if for any reason I can't deliver that level of performance I will not disappoint our fans or embarrass the other members of AC/DC. I am not a quitter and I like to finish what I start, nevertheless, the doctors made it clear to me and my bandmates that I had no choice but to stop performing on stage for the remaining shows and possibly beyond. That was the darkest day of my professional life." 

Johnson said he was "personally crushed by this development more than anyone could ever imagine. The emotional experience I feel now is worse than anything I have ever in my life felt before. Being part of AC/DC, making records and performing for the millions of devoted fans this past 36 years has been my life's work. I cannot imagine going forward without being part of that, but for now I have no choice. The one thing for certain is that I will always be with AC/DC at every show in spirit, if not in person."

"Finally, I wish to assure our fans that I am not retiring. My doctors have told me that I can continue to record in studios and I intend to do that. For the moment, my entire focus is to continue medical treatment to improve my hearing. I am hoping that in time my hearing will improve and allow me to return to live concert performances. While the outcome is uncertain, my attitude is optimistic. Only time will tell."

Boston and Pearl Jam are the latest groups to cancel their North Carolina shows in protest of the state's "bathroom" bill. 

You know what my big problem is with North Carolinians? That there are so damned many of their license plates on the cars of people doing the absolutely most fucktarded things on I85 during my commute every day.

Speaking of things that make me say "fuck you"...

So, when it's a really busy night, things fall through the cracks. Or the door opens and the slips fly all over the place. Shit happens, right?

When something like that does happen and someone points it out, I do my best to "fix" it. At the same time, if it's a busy night and you forget to turn in your slip- that's your problem. And bitching at me about it isn't going to help. 

And being a dick to me will do even less for your cause.

And here's another thing- if you're in a bar, you're going to hear profanity. It's a fact. Get over it. 

Birthdays today include:  Rod Morgenstein of Winger; Mark Volman of The Turtles; Bernie Worrell of Funkadelic; Eve Graham of the New Seekers; and Alan Price of the Animals. #MusicalBirthdays