AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd charged for 'dirty deeds'

Phil Rudd, the 60-year-old drummer for the legendary rock band AC/DC was arrested on Thursday in New Zealand for allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill two men.

Police raided the veteran rocker's house at Tauranga in the North Island in the early hours and charged him with "attempting to procure murder" and threatening to kill. The Australian-born Rudd was also charged with possession of methamphetamine and marijuana and released on bail after a brief appearance at the Tauranga District Court in New Zealand, where he has had a residence since the 1980s. He was ordered to appear in court on November 26.

In New Zealand, attempting to "procure any person to murder any other person" can be punished by up to 10 years in jail. Threatening to kill someone can get up to seven years.

Rudd joined the band AC/DC in 1974. In 2003, it was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

AC/DC is one of the best selling bands of all time, amassing sales estimated at 200 million albums worldwide. A number of their songs are considered classics, including "Highway to Hell," "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," "Back in Black," "For Those About To Rock, We Salute You" and "Thunderstruck."

The band was expecting to release its new album next month titled "Rock or Bust" and go on world tour next year.

sb/bw (AP, AFP)