AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd attempted to hire a hitman to kill two people, a New Zealand court has heard.
The 60-year-old said nothing during a brief, shoeless appearance in Tauranga District Court on Thursday afternoon.
He is charged with attempting to procure murder, threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis, following a police raid on his North Island home on Thursday morning.
Michael Browning, the band's ex-manager, had only just heard the news and told Daily Mail Australia it was a 'bit of a shock, but there you go'.
According to court documents, Rudd is accused of attempting to hire one person to kill two others between September 25 and September 26.
He is also accused of threatening to kill a complainant on September 26.
Details of the complaints and the names of the alleged intended targets and hitman were suppressed by Judge Louis Bidois.
At the request of defence lawyer Tony Rickard-Simms, Rudd was remanded on bail until November 27 when he will reappear in court.
His bail conditions include that he lives at his Bureta home and not contact any of the complainants.
Biographer Jesse Fink, author of the new book, The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC, said he was 'stunned, absolutely stunned'.
Mr Fink told Daily Mail Australia Rudd had 'deteriorated' in recent years.
'You go back and you see photos of Phil from the '70s, he's a beautiful man, a very handsome man.
'To see someone deteriorate as much as he has is quite alarming.'
The Australian-born drummer has lived in Tauranga for a number of years.
He first moved to New Zealand in 1983 after being sacked by the band, but hooked up with the band again in 1994.
Rudd was noticeably absent from some promotional material and photographs for AC/DC's 16th studio album, Rock or Bust, which will be released in Australia on November 28.
His absence sparked rumours among fans that something was going on.
'I don't think AC/DC did themselves a great service by not saying anything,' Mr Fink said.
'All they did was just fuel the rumour mill, which has been churning for some time now.
In 2011, he opened a restaurant there, Phil's Place, which The New Zealand Herald described as 'upmarket'.
Rudd also released a solo album, Head Job, in September.
The 60-year-old said nothing during a brief, shoeless appearance in Tauranga District Court on Thursday afternoon.
He is charged with attempting to procure murder, threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis, following a police raid on his North Island home on Thursday morning.
Michael Browning, the band's ex-manager, had only just heard the news and told Daily Mail Australia it was a 'bit of a shock, but there you go'.
According to court documents, Rudd is accused of attempting to hire one person to kill two others between September 25 and September 26.
He is also accused of threatening to kill a complainant on September 26.
Details of the complaints and the names of the alleged intended targets and hitman were suppressed by Judge Louis Bidois.
At the request of defence lawyer Tony Rickard-Simms, Rudd was remanded on bail until November 27 when he will reappear in court.
His bail conditions include that he lives at his Bureta home and not contact any of the complainants.
Biographer Jesse Fink, author of the new book, The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC, said he was 'stunned, absolutely stunned'.
Mr Fink told Daily Mail Australia Rudd had 'deteriorated' in recent years.
'You go back and you see photos of Phil from the '70s, he's a beautiful man, a very handsome man.
'To see someone deteriorate as much as he has is quite alarming.'
The Australian-born drummer has lived in Tauranga for a number of years.
He first moved to New Zealand in 1983 after being sacked by the band, but hooked up with the band again in 1994.
Rudd was noticeably absent from some promotional material and photographs for AC/DC's 16th studio album, Rock or Bust, which will be released in Australia on November 28.
His absence sparked rumours among fans that something was going on.
'I don't think AC/DC did themselves a great service by not saying anything,' Mr Fink said.
'All they did was just fuel the rumour mill, which has been churning for some time now.
In 2011, he opened a restaurant there, Phil's Place, which The New Zealand Herald described as 'upmarket'.
Rudd also released a solo album, Head Job, in September.
Source : DailyMail , AP, BBC
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