AC/DC bandmates joke about Rudd's law run-in

AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd. Photo / BPT

AC/DC bandmates Angus Young and Brian Johnson have joked about Phil Rudd's recent run-in with the law with US radio host Howard Stern.

Young said he fell out of bed when he heard the AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd had been charged with hiring a hitman.

"My wife woke me up and said 'Phil's been up to no good"', Young told Howard Stern. "Someone said 'who was he trying to hit. It was his drug dealer."

Johnson said he was getting ready to fly home to the States and I had a cup of coffee in my hand when he saw the news on TV.

"There was this guy getting led out of a car with no shoes on looking like he was f***ing drugged and his head was on backwards," Johnson said. Police in New Zealand had initially accused Rudd of trying to arrange a hit man to carry out two killings and charge him with attmepting to procure muder. That charge has since been dropped.

Rudd, who has been with the band on and off for nearly three decades, is expected to appear in court in New Zealand on November 27 on charges of threatening to kill and possessing methamphetamine and marijuana.

Stern asked if Rudd was a still a member of AC/DC. "We've got to resolve that," Young said. Johnson suggested Rudd would not be back in the band. "I don't think we need to do any firing." "The situation will take care of itself. He has gotten himself into a pickle.

There is nothing we can do about it. We are talking about criminal charges here. We are talking about judges, we are talking about juries. We are going to go on tour. Nothing is going to stop us," Johnson said.

One thing is for sure, AC/DC will not break up because of Rudd.

"In the past we have had good drummers who have worked with us," Young said.

- AAP