Phil Rudd
| Phil Rudd | |
|---|---|
Rudd live with AC/DC in 1982 at the Manchester Apollo
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Phillip Hugh Norman Witschke Rudzevecuis |
| Born |
19 May 1954 Melbourne, Australia |
| Genres | Hard rock, blues rock, rock and roll |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1972–1983, 1994–present |
| Associated acts |
Buster Brown AC/DC |
| Website | philruddmusic |
| Notable instruments | |
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Slingerland Drums Sonor Drums Paiste Cymbals |
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Phillip Hugh Norman "Phil" Rudd (born Phillip Hugh Norman Witschke Rudzevecuis, 19 May 1954) is a New Zealand-based Australian drummer, best known for his membership in Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1975 through 1983, and again from 1994 to 2015. Upon the 1977 departure of bass guitarist Mark Evans from AC/DC, Rudd became the only Australian-born member of the band. In 2003, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the other members of AC/DC. Due to ongoing legal problems in New Zealand, Rudd was unable to join the band for the 2015 Rock or Bust tour and was replaced by Chris Slade.
Born to Lithuanian parents on 19 May 1954, in Melbourne, Rudd began playing drums in his teens and became quite serious about pursuing a career in music. He 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 1974, before Rudd left to join the Coloured Balls with Lobby Loyde.
In 1974 Rudd was told about AC/DC's rhythm section auditions by his former Coloured Balls bandmate Trevor Young (no relation to AC/DC's Young brothers). Rudd asked Buster Brown bassist Geordie Leach to accompany him to the auditions, but Leach refused due to other commitments. Rudd auditioned and was hired immediately. Rudd's drumming style suited the band's style of music and became an integral part of AC/DC's sound from 1975 to 1983. The band relocated to the United Kingdom in 1976 and followed a heavy schedule of international touring and recording.
In 1980, AC/DC's vocalist Bon Scott died. The band continued on, recruiting new vocalist Brian Johnson and subsequently recording their most successful album, 1980's Back in Black. Good friends, Rudd took Scott's death badly, but continued on with AC/DC until he left the band during the recording of the Flick of the Switch album in 1983. Rudd had completed his contributions to the album, and although session drummer B.J. Wilson was recruited to help complete the recording, Wilson's drum parts were ultimately not used. Simon Wright was soon hired as Rudd's permanent replacement, and featured in the videos that accompanied the singles released from the album.
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