Phil Rudd's next court date, which was scheduled for the week following the Grammys, has been pushed back to April. According to Blabbermouth, the AC/DC drummer switched up his legal representation, which is why the review of the charges against him has been postponed. He was arrested in November on charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. A murder-for-hire charge was dropped. Former drummer Chris Slade has been rumored to step in for the percussionist this weekend at the awards ceremony.
Rudd is currently out on bail and was due back in court Tuesday, Feb. 7, but the percussionist was given some extra time after attorney Paul Mabey decided to quit the case. Craig Tuck will take over as Rudd's legal counsel.
"It's just a professional decision that we have made," Mabey said.
AC/DC is scheduled to perform at the Grammys without Rudd this weekend. While the band recruited Bob Richards to sit in for the drummer during the video shoots for "Play Ball" and the title track from Rock or Bust, rumors are starting to surface that Slade, who played for the band briefly in the 1990s, will take over drumming duties.
He canceled an event recently and the host wrote on Facebook, "There's actually big news regarding Slade and his career coming in next several days which is why he had to reschedule this event."
The televised performance with be the group's first on prime time. Their last notable TV gig occurred in 2000 when they performed on Saturday Night Live. Whether Slade will be a permanent or temporary replacement remains to be seen. Rudd plans to return to the band once his legal issues get straightened out, though.
"I'm going back to work with AC/DC and I don't care who likes it or who doesn't," he said in December. "I want my job back and I want my reputation back."
Check out Music Times's list of five replacement drummers for Rudd -- yes, Slade made the cut.
