AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd allegedly tried to have two men killed.
He appeared in the Tauranga District Court this afternoon, charged with attempting to procure a murder. According to the The Guardian, Rudd was also charged with threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis.
Rudd, 60, dressed in jeans and a grey sweater, said nothing during his short stint in the dock of the court, before being released on bail.
He entered no plea to the charges and will reappear in court in three weeks.
Media applied for permission to film and photograph Rudd in the dock.
His lawyer Tony Rickard-Simms argued against that saying the media just wanted to get photos of Rudd “at his worst.”
But Judge Bidois allowed filming of Rudd.
One of the alleged victims told Fairfax this afternoon he didn’t want to comment before speaking to his lawyer. He was with his children and not in a position to speak.
Rudd had been in custody since 7am when his house was raided by police.
In releasing Rudd on bail he ordered that he should have no contact with the man he allegedly tried to hire to carry out the murder.
According to the charges laid by police, Rudd had tried to get two men killed between the dates of September 25th and 26th – their names and that of the intended hitman were all suppressed by the judge.
Rudd was driven from court by a blonde woman in a silver Mercedes Kompressor convertible.
He refused to talk to gathered media.
Rudd’s arrest comes after police raided the drummer’s home on the Tauranga waterfront at Matua this morning.
He is also charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis and threatening to kill.
Michael Browning, AC/DC’s former manager, told the Daily Mail the situation was a “bit of a shock.”
Rudd is the only Australian-born member of the AC/DC band. In 2003, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the other members of AC/DC.
Rudd moved to New Zealand in 1983 after he was kicked out of the band
He re-joined the band in 1994 and has since been in and out of New Zealand while touring and recording.
He also opened a restaurant in Tauranga which attracted publicity when a group of staff took a case to the Employment Relations Authority.
AC/DC has a new album, Rock or Bust, due out on December 2nd.
The band has sold more than 200 million albums, feature at or near the top of highest grossing tour lists whenever they play live and were the standard bearers for Australian music years before the likes of INXS, Kylie Minogue or 5 Seconds of Summer.
The sound of pub rock, the defining mainstream sound of Australian music in the 1970s and ’80s, could be said to have emerged from the stages, and the studios AC/DC inhabited.
Picture of Phil Rudd in court:
sources: stuff.co.nz. Video: stuff.co.nz
57 Responses
I wonder who the two people where that Phil wanted offed are? Maybe their last names begin with the letter Y ?!
I am hoping this article is a rib (I know it’s not). Phil Rudd has always come across as a d-bag (not performing songs off albums he didn’t play on to claiming he is the greatest live drummer), but this?!! The fact is AC/DC does not sound the same without him. Go back and check out their ‘Flick of the Switch’ tour the drums sounded like the guy was pounding on dog s–t. Chris Slade did a good job and sped up the tempo, but couldn’t get the thump that Phil got. Does Angus have another nephew who can play drums?
The only song Phil Rudd will play live that he did not perform on the album is ‘Thunderstruck’. You think this murder accusation thing will get in the way of him touring? Vince Neil actually murdered two people and was sentenced to tour with Motley Crue. Hopefully, the same rock star status will catapult Phil Rudd above the law as well. Rock n’ Roll!!!
Vince tragicallly, accidentally killed one person, you f-ing inconsiderate d–che.
Being drunk and high on smack isn’t “accidentally”. Murder may be extreme, but it was definitely manslaughter. Regardless, Vince should had done time.
Jimi: F off, pal. Because of Vince’s idiocy, we lost the greatest rock and roll band of the 80’s, Hanoi Rocks. Razzle R.I.P.
Joe, all the more reason Vince should have done time. So I don’t see your gripe. And how come they don’t put curses on here anymore? This has become a PG-rated message board. I hope I can get away with ‘damn’. Yeech. Dreadful.
Jimi,
The reason I censor the posts (Eddie doesn’t) is because I was getting slammed for not cleaning up the comments. Quite a few posters felt it lowered the standards of the site. Also, I never remove the expletives, I just shorten them by either omitting letters and adding dashes or using initals.
Dana from ET.com š
What is Gene Simmons’ and Paul Stanley’s take on this? R.I.P. KISS ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME nonesense and welcome heavy metals own O.J. Simpson. And we thought Kottack, Criss and the out of shape Ward had issues. Talk about DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP. GUNS FOR HIRE? Seriously, this is aweful and his appearance does not help his cause and that interview posted on this site about 2 months ago now takes on a dark overtone. Bands like MOTLEY CRUE and heavier death metal acts may actually benefit from this type of publicity but not AC/DC. Remember Dave Holland? This is lowlife, despicable, dirtbag stuff if true and I wonder if this guy blew all of his money? They should replace him immediately and move forward. If the album is great and most of what AC/DC does is great, then no one will care.
Maybe Gene would say: I said so, rock is dead.
I agree. Although I do believe Phil is a great drummer, possibly one of the greatest, he has no business in this band anymore. I am quite sure there would be a long list of kick ass drummers that would die to tour with this band. Send him packing, make a few phone calls, and get back to rock and roll.
Another tragedy in a year of tragedy.This one totally by his own doing.Family emergency at home was the excuse for not doing the video shoot,being a drug f’ed paranoid crystal meth addict is the reason. Not only has he let himself down he has let down his bandmates and his fans,but also Malcolm and his family as well.That is unforgivable.
The AC/DC machine will roll on without Phil Rudd, if they do come to a city near you go along, and experience the best rock band ever, probably for the last time.Rock or Bust!
“Family emergency” was probably just a professionally designed term to hide the true thing going on.
POTENTIAL AC/DC drummer job applicants:
1.) Eric Frein,
2.) Guy in ISIS with English accent,
3.) Amanda Bynes,
4.) Barrack Obama,
5.) Tommy Thayer,
6.) Michael Vick,
7.) Gordon Ramsey ( guy is on 10 shows),
8.) A guy wearing an L.A. KISS helmet,
9.) Roger Goodell,
10.) Rosie O’donnell,
11.) Pete Rose,
12.) Jason Bay,
13.) Don Imus,
14.) Phil Spector,
15.) Robert Chambers,
16.) Drew Peterson,
17.) Bubba the love sponge,
18.) Chris MAD DOG Russo,
19.) Ian Zeirling,
20.) Miley Cyrus,
21.) Billy Ray Cyrus,
22.) Cousin Brucie,
23.) A.C. Cowlings,
24.) Kato Kaelin,
25.) Sharon Osbourne.
26) Bill Ward
14. The infamous wall of sound