AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd will release a solo album called Head Job which will be released on August 29th through Universal Music Australia.
Rudd had released a lyric video for the song Repo Man. Watch it below.
Over the past 20 years or so amidst spending time drumming for Australia’s favorite rock export AC/DC, running a studio and a restaurant, racing cars, flying helicopters and a bit of farming in the land of the long white cloud; Melbourne-born drummer Phil Rudd has been quietly writing an album worth of songs which will see the light of day next month.
From the rollicking first single Repo Man, a gentle reminder about karma; to the rocking title track Head Job, which does not have intimate connotations but is a play on words about going to the pub to commiserate with your mates about someone doing your head in… from the upbeat dirgy groove of Bad Move to the relationship-driven Crazy; Rudd has delivered a very personal album “about the shit that goes on,” as the great man himself said.
Perhaps with the exception of 40 Days & 40 Nights, these songs were more inspired by everyday personal experiences in life rather than being about touring the globe with the world’s biggest rock band.
Citing influences ranging from Ringo Starr and Free/Bad Company’s Simon Kirke, to Moutain’s Leslie West and AC/DC bandmates Malcolm and Angus Young, these songs and lyrics are all very special to Rudd and when talking about the release of this album which has had such a long gestation, he said, “I’m very happy for it to finally make its way out there and for people to hear it!”
The songs were penned primarily by Rudd with the assistance of Allan Badger and Geoffrey Martin — musicians Phil met on the local scene, which he says “turned out to be a great musical partnership.” “Badge” and Martin also perform vocals, guitars and bass on the album, with Rudd sitting in the producer’s seat. The tracks came together over a period of time recorded at several locations including the studio that Rudd built himself not far from his restaurant Phil’s Place in Tauranga, New Zealand.
“I hope everyone thinks this is a great album from start to finish because that’s the idea,” Rudd told Triple M (hear audio below). “We didn’t put anything on there that we didn’t like. There’s no filler. There’s plenty of Phil, but no filler.”
Rudd also commented on the new AC/DC album which the band recently finished recording at Bryan Adams’ studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
“We’re happy to have it done and it’s all very good, by the way,” he said. “There’s no comparisons between the two [the new AC/DC album and Head Job], but they’re both very good.”
Rudd joined AC/DC in 1974. He had previously played with Angry Anderson in Buster Brown and left that band to join the Coloured Balls with Lobby Loyde.
When AC/DC bassist Mark Evans left the band in 1977, Rudd became the only Australian-born member of AC/DC.
Rudd exited AC/DC in 1983 and was replaced by Simon Wright, then Chris Slade. When Slade left in 1993, Rudd rejoined the band.
13 Responses
sounds good, like a cross between ac/dc and motorhead
Simple, crunchy rock and roll. It’s not the greatest song I’ve ever heard but it’s not bad either. I’ve heard a HELL of a lot worse recently (Sorry Uncle Ted). I do like that simple, crunchy old school guitar tone. And, as always, Phil’s solid, no excessive fills and rolls, meat and potatoes drumming is great. Give ’em Hell Phil!
I just got a head job on my ’79 Mustang…..I guess I’ll get the album. Any country have it on vinyl?
I think these guys were runner-ups at my high schools’ battle of the bands in 1983…..I’m gonna wait for the expensive “deluxe” package to be be released with all the un-polished, stripped down, basic demo versions of these songs….oh, ummmm…..nevermind….
Really good, way to go Phil…