Phil Rudd

Biography

Born to Lithuanian parents on 19 May 1954, in Melbourne, Rudd began playing drums in his teens and became quite serious about pursuing a career in music. He played in several bands in Melbourne before joining Buster Brown with future Rose Tattoo vocalist Angry Anderson. They went on to release one album, Something To Say, in 1974, before Rudd left to join the Coloured Balls with Lobby Loyde.

In 1974 Rudd was told about AC/DC's rhythm section auditions by his former Coloured Balls bandmate Trevor Young (no relation to AC/DC's Young brothers). Rudd asked Buster Brown bassist Geordie Leach to accompany him to the auditions, but Leach refused due to other commitments. Rudd auditioned and was hired immediately. Rudd's drumming style suited the band's style of music and became an integral part of AC/DC's sound from 1975 to 1983. The band relocated to the United Kingdom in 1976 and followed a heavy schedule of international touring and recording.

Leaving AC/DC

In 1980, AC/DC's vocalist Bon Scott died. The band continued on, recruiting new vocalist Brian Johnson and subsequently recording their most successful album, 1980's Back in Black. Good friends, Rudd took Scott's death badly, but continued on with AC/DC until he left the band during the recording of the Flick of the Switch album in 1983. Rudd had completed his contributions to the album, and although session drummer B.J. Wilson was recruited to help complete the recording, Wilson's drum parts were ultimately not used. Simon Wright was soon hired as Rudd's permanent replacement, and featured in the videos that accompanied the singles released from the album.

Rudd's 1983 sacking from AC/DC was partly the result of his own personal problems as well as a conflict with the band's rhythm guitarist and founder Malcolm Young, which allegedly escalated to become physical. Following his firing, Rudd retired to Tauranga, New Zealand where he purchased a helicopter company. Rudd's departure from AC/DC didn't become widely known until the eve of their North American tour in 1983. In the last few pages of Circus Magazine's October 1983 edition it stated "Phil Rudd exits AC/DC"..."to spend more time with his family and his cars". Guitarist Angus Young was quoted in the same article as saying "We're a rowdy bunch, but we don't fight with each other". Vocalist Brian Johnson added in a Hit Parader interview from the same period that "You couldn't find a more solid person or drummer than Phil Rudd. None of us would have to work if we didn't want to....Phil chose that option".

On his years away from AC/DC, Rudd has said, "I raced cars, flew helicopters, became a farmer and planted some crops. I lived in New Zealand which was great; nice and quiet with nobody bothering me." Rudd also continued to play drums, "when I wanted to rather than when I had to", and built his own recording studio.

He married a New Zealand woman named Lisa O'Brien, with whom he has five children; the pair separated in 2006.

Rejoining AC/DC

When AC/DC toured New Zealand in 1991 in support of their Razors Edge album, they called Rudd to see if he would be interested in joining them for a casual jam session. Rudd accepted their offer. Though there was no discussion of him rejoining the group at the time, Rudd would be invited to permanently rejoin AC/DC in late 1993 following the recording of the Big Gun single for the Last Action Hero movie soundtrack.

AC/DC welcomed Rudd back following Chris Slade's term as the band's drummer. The band praised Slade for his performance and technical ability, but maintained that a certain groove had been missing from AC/DC's music since Rudd's departure in 1983. Since rejoining the band, he has performed on four AC/DC studio albums, Ballbreaker, Stiff Upper Lip, Black Ice, and Rock or Bust, with Black Ice being the band's biggest hit on the charts since For Those About to Rock We Salute You in 1981.

Solo album

Rudd's first solo album, Head Job, was released on 29 August 2014.

Drug conviction and appeal

On 1 December 2010, Rudd was convicted of possessing 25g of marijuana on his boat in Tauranga, New Zealand, but later had his cannabis conviction quashed on the grounds that it would have stopped him from continuing to tour with AC/DC.

Restaurant

On 30 July 2011, it was announced that the drummer had purchased and would open a marina restaurant at Bridge Marina in Tauranga, where he resides. He named it "Phil's Place", and planned on selling seafood and top-quality steak. The restaurant closed temporarily in July 2012, and was scheduled to reopen before the end of the year. It was still closed at end of March 2013, but reopened on 10 April. In 2014 Rudd was ordered to pay more than $70,000 to three former employees for unjustified dismissal.

Threatening to kill and drug charges

On 6 November 2014 Rudd was arrested and charged with attempting to procure a murder, threatening to kill, possession of methamphetamine and possession of cannabis, following a police raid on his home. The charge of attempting to procure a murder was withdrawn the following day, but the other charges remained.

AC/DC released a statement clarifying that the tour promoting Rock or Bust would continue, but did not say whether or not Rudd would participate, or if he was still a member of the band. In an interview on 13 November 2014, Angus Young stated that the band had experienced problems with Rudd earlier in the year when recording Rock or Bust, and that his situation had taken the band by surprise. Rudd had also missed video and photo shoots, and with reference to Rudd's future in the band, Young added, "So, at this stage, it's a pretty tough call for us." He also said the band would continue: "He's got to sort himself out I think... At this point it's kind of a question mark. But if we're touring, there will be a drummer in place, put it that way." In the same interview, Young also said, "Phil created his own situation. 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."

On 27 November 2014, Rudd arrived late for a scheduled bail hearing at the Tauranga High Court, prompting Justice Timothy Brewer to issue an arrest warrant. This was withdrawn when Rudd appeared a few minutes later. Because of the reduced seriousness of the charges, the case was referred back to the Tauranga District Court. Several reporters referred to his "bizarre" behaviour during and after the hearing. The following week Rudd's lawyer Paul Mabey filed not guilty pleas on his behalf; a hearing date was set for 10 February 2015, with indications that a judge-only trial was likely. Rudd said that he would fight the charges, describing them as "ludicrous", and expressed a desire to rejoin the band. However, at his next appearance on 21 April he changed his pleas on the remaining charges to guilty, with the exception of one of the two "threatening to kill" charges, which was dropped. His ongoing legal problems led to the recruitment of AC/DC's former drummer Chris Slade in time for the band's Rock or Bust World Tour. In May 2015, Rudd stated that he hoped to return but claimed to have had no contact from the band, adding, "I'm sure they're having a great old time. I'm sure they're really enjoying playing. I'm sure it really sounds great." He also said, "I've seen the error of my ways... It's onward and upward from here."

On 9 July, 2015, Rudd's appeal to be discharged without conviction was rejected, and he was sentenced to eight months' home detention and ordered to pay NZ$120,000 in reparation. A subsequent appeal of the sentence to the High Court was dismissed. On 18 July, 2015, Rudd was charged with breaching his home detention conditions by possessing alcohol. On 23 October he pleaded guilty to this charge, and was released on a good behaviour bond without further penalty.

Equipment

In the past, Phil Rudd used Slingerland drums. He became an endorser of Sonor in 1977. Rudd uses Sonor drums, Paiste cymbals, Evans drumheads and Easton Ahead drumsticks.

Tour kit (2008–2010)

On their earlier albums, notably Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Rudd occasionally used a ride cymbal, but quit using one later in his career.

His Back in Black Touring kit: