Phil Rudd
Phil Rudd, drummer for AC/DC: February 1975 - May 1983, Summer 1994 - present
Background information
Birth name	Phillip Hugh Norman Witschke Rudzevecuis
Born	May 19, 1954 (1954-05-19) (age 53)
Origin	Melbourne, Australia
Genre(s)	Hard rock
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Drums
Years active	1970 - present
Label(s)	Sony
Associated acts	AC/DC Buster Brown Coloured Balls
Website	www.acdcrocks.com
Notable instrument(s)
SONOR drums Paiste cymbals

Phillip Hugh Norman Rudd (born Phillip Hugh Norman Witschke Rudzevecuis, on May 19, 1954) is an Australian drummer, best known for his membership in Australian rock band AC/DC. He held the position from 1975 until 1983, and again from 1994 to present. After the 1977 departure of bassist Mark Evans, he became the only Australian-born member of the band. He uses SONOR drums, Paiste cymbals, and Aquarian drumheads. Image File history File links Ac-dcphil-rudd. ... This article is about the band. ... is the 139th day of the year (140th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The City of Melbournes coat of arms The central business district of Melbourne, viewed from the north Alternate meanings: Melbourne (disambiguation) Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia, with a population of 52,117 in the Central... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hard Rock redirects here. ... “Instrumentalist” redirects here. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Sony Corporation ) is a Japanese multinational corporation and one of the worlds largest media conglomerates with revenue of $66. ... This article is about the band. ... SONOR is a German percussion manufacturer. ... A Paiste 2002 Sound Edge hi-hat. ... is the 139th day of the year (140th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A drum kit (or drum set or trap set) is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as a cowbell, wood block, chimes or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... This article is about the band. ... SONOR is a German percussion manufacturer. ... A Paiste 2002 Sound Edge hi-hat. ...

Biography

Rudd 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 1975 but Rudd left in 1974 for a brief spell in the Coloured Balls with Lobby Lloyde. During 1975 he was told about AC/DC's rhythm section auditions by his former Coloured Balls bandmate Trevor Young. He asked ex-Buster Brown bassist Geordie Leach to accompany him, but Leach refused. Rudd tried out and was hired immediately^[1]. He fitted in with the band very quickly and contributed his solid drumming style to great effect on the string of albums recorded from 1975 to 1983. The band relocated to the UK in 1976 and followed a heavy schedule of international touring and recording. Rose Tattoo is an Australian blues/hard rock band, led by Angry Anderson and slide guitarist Peter Wells. ... Angry Anderson (center) in the role of a Biker gang leader on the TV show Pizza Angry Anderson AM (born Gary Anderson, August 5, 1947, in Melbourne) is an Australian rock singer, television presenter/reporter and actor. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Lobby Loyde (May 18, 1941 – April 21, 2007) was an Australian rock music guitarist, songwriter and producer. ... Deon Rexroat of Anberlin. ...

Sacked from AC/DC

In 1980 vocalist Bon Scott died. The band regrouped with vocalist Brian Johnson and recorded their most successful album, Back in Black. Rudd took Scott's death badly, but continued with AC/DC until he was fired from the band during the recording of the Flick of the Switch album in 1983. He had completed his contribution to this album, and although session drummer B.J. Wilson was drafted in to help complete the recording, Wilson's drum parts were eventually not used. Ex-Tytan drummer, Simon Wright, replaced Rudd, and helped the band record videos for two of the album's ten songs, "Flick of the Switch", and "Nervous Shakedown". See also: Musical groups established in 1980 Record labels established in 1980 list of years in music // January 1 - The year starts off with a strong disco backlash, which causes the majority of musicians to abandon the use of real instruments in an attempt to distant themselves from anything associated... Ronald Belford Bon Scott (July 9, 1946 – February 19, 1980) was a British rock musician, most well-known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980. ... For other uses, see Brian Johnson (disambiguation). ... Singles from Back in Black Released: 1980 Released: 1981 Released: 1981 For other uses, see Back in Black (disambiguation). ... Flick of the Switch is an album by Australian band AC/DC, recorded shortly after their European Tour at the beginning of 1983. ... Barrie James Wilson (born March 18, 1947, died October 8, 1990) was the original drummer of Procol Harum, although he did not play on their classic single A Whiter Shade Of Pale; that was session drummer Bill Eyden. ... Simon Wright is also the name of the creator of Whirlpool. ... Flick Of The Switch is the third song on AC/DCs album Flick of the Switch, released in 1983. ...

Rudd's sacking from the band was partly a result of his own problems with alcohol, and also growing conflict between him and band leader Malcolm Young, which eventually became physical. After leaving AC/DC, Rudd retired to Tauranga, New Zealand where he purchased a helicopter charter company. Malcolm Mitchell Young (born January 6, 1953) is a British guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and co-songwriter for the Australian hard rock band, AC/DC. He has been with them since he co-founded the band in November 1973. ... Tauranga (population 109,100 — 2006 census) is the largest city of the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. ...

His decision to settle in New Zealand may have been due to his high profile. AC/DC fans began to regularly drive through streets Rudd had formerly lived on and approach people in an attempt to locate him.

On his period 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 studio.

Rejoining AC/DC

When AC/DC went touring in New Zealand in 1994, they called Rudd to see if he would like to "jam" with them. Rudd decided to accept their offer and was eventually rehired. A jam session is a musical act where musicians gather and play (or jam) without extensive preparation or predefined arrangements. ...

Since his return to the band, Rudd has contributed to AC/DC's Ballbreaker and Stiff Upper Lip albums. Ballbreaker is an album by the iconic hard rock band AC/DC, released in 1995. ... Stiff Upper Lip is a 2000 hard rock album by Australian band AC/DC. The album was recorded at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York City. ...

Compared to the artists who served in his absence, his style of drumming is deemed the most compatible with the style of the other band members. For this reason, they were glad to welcome him back following Chris Slade's term as drummer. It should be noted that there was no ill feeling as a result of Slade's departure. The band praised Slade for his performance and technical ability, but maintained that a certain sound had been missing from AC/DC's music since the altercation in 1983. AC/DC's former bassist Mark Evans was recently quoted comparing Rudd to the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, in that they were both "born to play" for their respective bands.^{[citation needed]} To see the American football player see Chris Slade (football player) Chris Slade (born Christopher Rees, 30 October 1946) is a British rock drummer who has enjoyed a long and varied career. ... Mark Whitmore Evans (born March 2, 1956) is an Australian bassist best known for his membership in Australian hard rock band AC/DC from March 1975-June 1977. ... This article is about the rock band. ... Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English guitarist, songwriter, singer and a founding member of The Rolling Stones in 1962. ...

Equipment

Rudd mainly uses SONOR drums, which he helped to develop, and Paiste cymbals.

References

• Walker, Clinton (1994), Highway to Hell: The Life and Times of AC/DC Legend Bon Scott, Verse Chorus Press, ISBN 0-283-06263-0
• Stenning, Paul; Johnstone, Rob (2005). AC/DC: Two Sides to Every Glory: The Complete Biography. Chrome Dreams. ISBN 1842403087. 
• "Metal Hammer & Classic Rock present AC/DC", Metal Hammer magazine special, 2005

1. ^ Engleheart, Murray AC/DC - Maximum Rock N Roll 2006 ISBN 0 7322 8383 3

Clinton Walker is a leading historian of Australian popular music. ... Metal Hammer (sometimes MetalHammer) is a monthly heavy metal magazine in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in Germany, Austria, Spain, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Switzerland, Serbia and Montenegro by a different publisher. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• AC/DC official website
• AC/DC profile page by Albert Music
• AC/DC profile page by Atlantic Records
• Phil Rudd at the Internet Movie Database