WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The 60-year-old drummer for Australian rock band AC/DC was accused Thursday of trying to arrange two killings as well as possession of drugs. Phil Rudd made a brief appearance at the Tauranga District Court in his adopted home of New Zealand and was charged with attempting to "procure murder," which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years.
He was released on bail. One of the conditions is that he must not have any contact with anyone involved in the alleged plot. The Bay of Plenty Times newspaper reported that the Australian-born Rudd was accused of trying to hire a hit man to carry out the two killings. Rudd and the other members of AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 in Cleveland. AC/DC's hits include "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" and "Highway to Hell." The band was due to release the "Rock or Bust" album next month and had planned a world tour next year. It was unclear whether Thursday's events would affect those plans.