AC/DC’S ANGUS YOUNG AND CLIFF WILLIAMS DISCUSS DRUMMER PHIL RUDD, YOUNG SAYS “THE GUY NEEDS TO SORT HIMSELF OUT”
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
Its devastating that malcom is sick . now the Phil problem…Live shows are going to suck without Phil. i seen AC/DC@ msg when malcom was not with them.i think LA guns opened up. Anyway after the first few chords i noticed Malcom wasn’t onstage.the sound and tone was gone.i read somewhere that on that tour malcoms absence was not noticed. Bullshit. Malcom and Phil are the foundation and engine of AC/DC.Good Luck guys. I’m glad i seen every tour since Powerage.
I’ve been an AC/DC fan for over 35 years. I loved it when Chris Slade was in the band and thought he brought so much more energy with his playing. You can very distinctly hear his different style of playing on Razor’s Edge and its awesome.. I know some people prefer Phil’s playing but I don’t and I was pretty disappointed when they got Phil back I think it was a terrible decision.. Chris is a better drummer, a better person and should never have been replaced. They need to get Slade back.
Smoke another bowl, Ed Parker. You are high. What the hell are you talking about?
No, wtf are you talking about?
Ed, don’t sweat it buddy. Harry is a hard guy to impress. Why just the other day he was telling me how he’d rather pick the corn out of his own bowel movement than listen to Chris Slade……..or maybe it was Sweet and Lynch. Anyways, I hear ya bro.
Please people…Peter Criss, Bun E. Carlos…I like both those guys but AC/DC is meat and potatoes 4 on the floor, tight, in the pocket drumming. Not to mention precise timing which Pete has never had.
Exactly, that’s why Mike Portnoy should drum for AC/DC.
Peter Criss…?-Please-he was/is one of the WORST f’ing drummers on planet earth….don’t believe me, play ANY song Peter Criss is on which does NOT have Paul, Gene or Ace on it….they are all unlistenable-just godawful. Peter Criss is a no-talent, bum-jackass jerk who has ridden off the coat-tails of Ace, Paul & Gene’s success and then turned around and blamed them for his sorrows. AC/DC will not have any trouble finding a great drummer if they tour.
peter criss worst drummer? dont think so ,he did his job well your a idiot keep listening to your boy george music
haha, Peter Criss should do a cover of “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?”
Those guys aren’t stupid. They’ve got too much at stake right now with such a highly anticipated album and tour to have to deal with a drummer that’s unreliable at best right now. They’ll tour without him, I’m positive about that. With the drug charges, he may not be allowed to tour anyway. He needs to get himself together. I feel sorry for him because it’s apparent that something has gone wrong in his life. I hope he gets his life back in order and gets clean and sober. But at the same time, I don’t blame Angus and the boys looking out for their best interest to.