Phil Rudd Is Open To Rejoining AC/DC, But Not While Axl Rose Is Around

Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd is currently doing the rounds plugging his solo project, and has used the opportunity to offer his thoughts on possibly returning to AC/DC and their current incarnation as an Axl Rose-fronted outfit.

Lo and behold, Rudd says he’s open to the idea of returning to AC/DC, like any sane human would be. That said, it’s not looking like an invitation will be coming any time soon, for many reasons — one being that Rudd ain’t no Axl Rose fan, as he tells The Bay Of Plenty Times.

“If Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist] wanted me to play, then that is up to him… but I don’t really want to play with Axl Rose [current AC/DC touring vocalist]… I don’t really rate him,” Rudd says.

Of course, on his own accord, Rudd will therefore continue to focus on his solo project, which he seems fairly proud of.

“Geoffrey [Spencer, guitarist] is a great guitarist, just as good as Malcolm [Young, retired AC/DC guitarist], [and even] better than [him], if you ask me,” he says, and yes he actually did say those words.

Rudd also reveals he recently survived a heart attack, having a stent inserted in his arm which probably makes him weaker than ever, but regardless he believes he’s “ready to rock”.

“I was just at home walking around at home, and I started feel, well, just funny,” he says. “You know how you can feel funny? I had a strange pain in my chest. So my housekeeper took me to the hospital, when they hooked me up and did all these tests turned out I had a big heart attack… my artery was all blocked up, and they said I had to stay in and have an operation.

“I sneaked out to the shop to get some cigarettes, then I realised I had no car, so I walked home to get the Ferrari, and drove back to the hospital.”

Rudd’s name rose to mass attention for the first time since 1993 when he left AC/DC after he was involved in a drug-fuelled smash that resulted in him threatening to kill someone. The 62-year-old recently decided to clean up his act, saying in a statement that his “hell-raising days are over”.

It remains to be seen how well that will tie in with promoting an album called Head Job. The record is the debut effort from Rudd’s solo project and was actually released in 2014. Now, it will be re-issued throughout Europe.

Listen: Phil Rudd – ‘Repo Man’