Elysa Gardner of USA Today reports:
AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was behaving erratically long before his arrest last week, according to his bandmates.
Speaking with USA Today on November 13th, guitarist Angus Young and bassist Cliff Williams said that Rudd — who initially faced a murder-for-hire charge, which was dropped, but still stands accused of possessing methamphetamine and marijuana — was elusive during the recording of the group’s album, Rock or Bust, due December 2nd.
While the musicians were in the studio “it was tough to get (Rudd) there in the first place,” says Williams.
“It put us in a difficult situation,” says Young. And he says this continued through subsequent video and photo shoots. “It put us in a spot where we couldn’t move forward. Does the guy show up? Is he reliable to do his job in good shape? We’ve always been a solid, reliable unit.”
AC/DC has indeed resolved to move forward; it’s planning to tour next year. Whether Rudd will join his bandmates remains in question.
“Phil created his own situation,” says Young. “It’s a hard thing to say about the guy. He’s a great drummer, and he’s done a lot of stuff for us. But he seems to have let himself go. He’s not the Phil we’ve known from the past.”
Young speculates that drugs could be involved — “when you get into that land, it’s very hard” — but adds, “I don’t know the exact situation. … I can only say, from our perspective, that the guy needs to sort himself out.”
[Ed’s note: Thank you to our very own Harry Taint for sending the link to this story. Thanks Harry.)] 🙂
source: usatoday.com
55 Responses
All this craziness supports my “drummers are nuts” theory.
It is really sad. I mean Malcolm is going through really bad health issues, and now this with Phil. I mean Phil can be replaced (as we have seen in the past), but Mal is the driving force in the band. It’s he and Angus that started with whole thing, and realistically replacing Mal with their nephew….I just don’t think that is smart.
If Phil is fired yes they could soldier on, but it will never be the same because Mal is not there. Fans can be VERY selfish and ONLY want the band to keep going until someone dies with their boots on. But honestly If Phil is fired who’s left? Brain, Cliff, and Angus. 3/5 of the band. The nephew is most likely very gifted, but he’s not Mal, nor can he replace his uncle.
I am being pragmatic here, and really want people to understand that I don’t hate the band at all. I am thinking in terms of all this drama. On top of that they are all getting up there in age, and probably won’t be doing this much longer anyway. They can’t just take a year or two off.
If they do keep this band going it will be some exec telling them to think of all that money lost, all the pissed off fans, etc. While no one person is bigger than a band, in this case 2 people might be enough to end it all.