ROCKER Brian Johnson regularly performs for tens of thousands of long-haired fans as front man with heavy metal legends AC/DC - but he has just been forced to cancel a North-East gig after selling only 71 tickets.

The Tyneside-born millionaire has returned to his native England after two decades living in America and touring the world with the band.

Johnson grasped his chance for fame and auditioned for the band after beginning his career playing the workingmen's clubs of the North-East with his band Geordie.

And as part of a homecoming tour of his old haunts of the 1970s with Geordie II, he might have expected a hero's welcome.

But after selling only a handful of tickets for last night's gig at the 250-seat Stanley Central Club, in County Durham, he cancelled the show.

Staff at the club were dismayed that he had dropped the show.

One said: "We can't believe he just cancelled like that. He came in and said it was off because he'd just played another North-East gig in front of 63 people and the atmosphere was embarrassing.

"It's hard to believe he could fill 80,000-seater stadiums with AC/DC but he can only sell a handful in Stanley. I wouldn't mind, but most usually pay on the door."

AC/DC are best known for their hits Highway to Hell and For Those About to Rock as they stormed their way to stardom in the 1970s.

Geordie had four top 40 hits, the biggest, All Because of You, reached number six in 1973.

The line-up for the band's comeback tour is the same that toured the country from 1977 to 1980 - Dek Rootham, Brian Johnson, Dave Whitaker and Dave Robson.

Geordie II recently did a benefit gig at Newcastle's Opera House for the victims of the terrorist attacks in America.