AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd was charged with attempting to procure murder, threating to kill and for possession of methamphetamine and cannabis on Thursday morning.

Rudd was arrested in North Island, New Zealand and, consequently appeared in Tauranga district court in the afternoon.

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In court documents made available to the press, Rudd is currently accused of attempting to hire an assassin to kill two men last September. Aside from hiring someone to kill two men, Rudd also allegedly threated to kill a complainant on September 26.

Without shoes on, the musician made a brief appearance but did not speak in court. He was granted bail until November 27. Rudd made no attempts to have his name suppressed.

As part of his bail conditions, the drummer is not allowed to leave Tauranga and, he was ordered not to have any contact with anyone related to the charge of procuring murder.

Upon leaving, Rudd refused to speak to reporters who were gathered outside the courthouse and, swiftly made his way inside a late model Mercedes Sedan.

Rudd was noticeably absent in AC/DC's recent promo material which teased the release of the rock band's album "Rock or Bust". The band has not released an album in six years.

The drummer was also absent in the first image to promote the said album, as well as the two video shoots over the last several months.

The band's lead singer, Brian Johnson, shared that Rudd was absent because he had to attend to a "family emergency".

Author Jesse Fink, who penned the biography "The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC," shared that he is extremely surprised by the allegations, but that he has seen Rudd deteriorate in recent years.

"You go back and you see photos of Phil from the '70s, he's a beautiful man, a very handsome man," he recalled.

TagsPhil Rudd, AC/DC