Phil Rudd

AC/DC’s drummer is unable to join his band on the road because he’s on probation, facing charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. He could get seven years in jail but plans to avoid any time behind bars.

 Rudd just entered a guilty plea at New Zealand’s Tauranga District Court, but his lawyer Craig Tuck told the judge that his client will apply for a discharge without conviction. Tuck’s later comments may indicate he plans to argue Rudd was the victim of pre-trial prejudice. 

The lead-up to Rudd’s arrest in November 2014 began when the drummer allegedly became angry over the way his first-ever solo album was handled that summer, and he has admitted to threatening an assistant. Prosecutors allege that in September, Rudd made a phone call to ask an associate to “take out”  the offending employee and later called the employee to say “I’m going to come and kill you”. This led to the November search of Rudd’s home, and the discovery of drugs on the property. Tuck feels the drug charges should be dismissed as the home search was based on an “angry phone call”.

If the charges aren’t bad enough, there’s been plenty of drama behind the scenes. Phil Rudd’s first lawyer abruptly withdrew from the case and Rudd was involved in a pair of violent incidents which brought him back to court to be reprimanded for breaching the terms of his bail.

AC/DC brought back former drummer Chris Slade to join them on tour this year,  although Phil has insisted that he wants his old job back.

He is out on bail until a sentencing hearing is held on June 26.