Estranged AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has described his arrest as “a crock of shit” and says all he needs to get back in the band is “five minutes” alone with Angus Young.
The 61-year-old sticksman was replaced on the band’s Rock Or Bust world tour by Chris Slade after a court drama which saw him sentenced to eight months home arrest in New Zealand for threatening to kill and drug possession.
He denies the charges, saying he’d “never do that,” and is appealing the verdict. The November 2014 incident came after Rudd released his solo album Head Job.
At the weekend, Rudd said he was determined to get his job back and has since expanded on his desire to work with the band again and given more detail on the night of his arrest.
He tells Rolling Stone: “It came to a head at this woman’s party, which was badly organised. So I sacked all those guys on the spot. I wanted them to sit down and listen to the album, have a snack and a cup of tea. It just got worse from there. I wasn’t handling it very well. The whole thing was a little bit too much for me. But the threatening charge is just a complete crock of shit. I wouldn’t do that.”
Asked whether he’s still a member of AC/DC, Rudd says: “Me and everyone else says that, but that’s not what Angus says. I don’t want to upset Angus by saying the wrong thing. Me and Angus kicked serious ass and he knows if I was there, it would be better.
“I know he knows that, because I’ve proven it before. Just give me five minutes in a room with him and I’ll get my job back. I promise. I was doing hard personally and did some things I probably shouldn’t have done. We’ve all got our cross to bear.”
AC/DC return to New Zealand in December – but a band spokesman has said there’s no chance of Rudd playing with them.
