AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams announces his retirement

'It’s been what I’ve known for the past 40 years, but after this tour I’m backing off of touring and recording'

AC/DC's Cliff Williams playing at the Pepsi Center in Denver, USA (Rex Features)

AC/DC is a fast diminishing entity.

Bassist Cliff Williams has announced his imminent retirement, making him the fourth core member of the group to leave in the past two years. Speaking to Florida's Gulfshore News, Williams announced that he would be leaving the band after the current Rock or Bust tour concludes, having originally joined in 1978.

This follows the sad departure of guitarist Malcolm Young in September 2014, following news that he was suffering from dementia and had not played on the Rock or Bust album; followed by drummer Phil Rudd's leave after criminal charges in New Zealand saw him sentenced to home detention in November 2014. The pair were replaced by Malcolm's nephew, Stevie Young, and Chris Slade respectively.

Singer Brian Johnson left earlier this year after he was advised by doctors he could risk total hearing loss if he continued with the Rock or Bust tour; leading him to be controversially replaced by Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose for the remaining dates.

"It’s been what I’ve known for the past 40 years, but after this tour I’m backing off of touring and recording," Williams stated. "Losing Malcolm, the thing with Phil and now with Brian, it’s a changed animal. I feel in my gut it’s the right thing."

This now means that out of the 1980's line-up of the band, which continued on following Bon Scott's death, only lead guitarist Angus Young remains; a fact which will inevitably anger many fans, with Rose's joining of the band receiving a strong initial backlash.