Chris Slade, AC/DC’s drummer from 1989-1994, has returned to the band for their first public appearance this weekend at the Grammy Awards.
Speculation Slade had returned to AC/DC started during the week when the drummer cancelled all of his upcoming appearances a week ago.
Rumours were already circulating as Slade would replace troubled AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd, who is facing charges in New Zealand. Rudd was due to appear in court in New Zealand this coming Tuesday but has had the appearance postponed while he breaks in a new lawyer.
Rudd’s new court date has been set for April. Meantime he cannot leave New Zealand and will also miss the first of the US shows at Coachella in April leading to speculation that he is now unofficially out of the band.
Phil Rudd was first sacked by AC/DC is 1983. Simon Wright replaced Rudd and played on the albums ‘Fly On The Wall’ (1985), ‘Who Made Who’ (1986) and ‘Blow Up Your Video’ (1988).
Wright left in 1989 to join Dio. He was replaced by Slade who then played on ‘The Razors Edge’ (1990) and the hit ‘Thunderstruck’.
Rudd returned in 1994 to replace Slade. He had been with the band ever since, including the recent album ‘Rock Or Bust’. In November, Rudd was arrested for “attempting to procure a murder”.
Later that month Brian Johnson and Angus Young made it very clear to Howard Stern that circumstance would take care of Rudd’s future. “I don’t think we need do any firing,” he said. 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,” Brian told Stern.
AC/DC will perform at the Grammy Awards today (Sunday, February 8). They will also headline the Friday night editions of Coachella April 10 and 17.
Phil Rudd, the Noise11 interview
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