Phil Rudd: AC/DC shut me out

Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd.

Phil Rudd says his AC/DC bandmates have been giving him the cold shoulder, even though he's reached out to guitarist Angus Young asking to rejoin the veteran rockers.

The 60-year-old drummer isn't playing with AC/DC on their world tour after he was charged last year of threatening to kill a contractor and for drug possession at his home in Tauranga .

Rudd, who initially denied all allegations, had a change of heart and pleaded guilty last month.

He says his current bail conditions would allow him to rejoin the band on the tour, but the group have ignored his pleas.

"They haven't called me. I wrote them a letter and I tried to get in touch with Angus but I have had no contact from anybody," Rudd told the Australian Nine Network's A Current Affair last night.

"I'm very disappointed, but that's life."

Angus Young responded to A Current Affair in a statement, explaining that Rudd had changed from the bandmate they originally knew.

"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," Young said.

AC/DC in February announced it had replaced Rudd with former drummer Chris Slade for its Rock or Bust tour.

Rudd told the programme he was "pretty stressed out" after releasing his cheekily-titled solo album, Head Job, as it didn't sell well.

He is hoping to avoid jail time since changing his plea.
"I've seen the error of my ways and it's onward and upward from here."

Melbourne-born Rudd is due back in court on June 26 while AC/DC will kick off their Australia and New Zealand tour on November 4.
AAP