AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Arrested For Plotting A Murder [Breaking]
AC/DC drummer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Phil Rudd has been arrested for attempting to arrange a murder.
Rudd, whose signature sound helped skyrocket AC/DC to rock stardom upon joining the band in 1974, was reportedly arrested for both the murder plot and for drug possession after police raided his home in New Zealand. The drug charges filed against Rudd were in relation to methamphetamine and cannabis that were found in the raid.
Phil appeared in court earlier today and was released on bail, interestingly choosing not to seek name suppression. Name suppression, under NZ law, prohibits a suspect’s name or information from being published. However, the names and details of the supposed two men Rudd was attempting to kill were suppressed by the judge. Photos of Rudd in court appeared on Twitter.
Phil Rudd in court pic.twitter.com/GAYytLkfD9
— tony wall (@tonywalljourno) November 6, 2014
According to Stuff.co.nz, Rudd did not enter a plea for the charges. He will appear in court again later this month.
News of Phil’s arrest and the serious charges he faces comes not long after his legendary group announced Rock Or Bust, their first new album since 2008. While the album reportedly features Phil playing drums, the musician was mysteriously absent from the band’s new promotional photos as well as from two different music videos, causing speculation surrounding his current status in the group. Band members that appear in the photos and on the album include vocalist Brian Johnson, guitarist Angus Young, bassist Cliff Williams, and rhythm guitarist Stevie Young.
Phil Rudd’s legal troubles also come surrounding news that founding AC/DC member/rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young had taken leave from the band due to an ongoing battle with dementia. Stevie Young is the nephew of brothers Malcolm and Angus and will take his uncle’s place on the 2015 world tour in support of the release.
The band has yet to comment on Phil’s arrest, and there is no word on whether or not he will be participating in the tour. There has also not been a connection made between the scandal and Rudd’s absence from the band’s promotional campaign, though Johnson had initially said that this was due to a “family emergency.”
AC/DC was formed in 1973 and has sold upwards of 200 million albums worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. Phil was kicked out of the group in 1983 due to conflicts between he and his bandmates, though he rejoined in 1994.
[Image via Bing]
