PHIL RUDD Says His Return To AC/DC Is 'Up To ANGUS YOUNG'

Longtime AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd, who last year lost his appeal against a string of convictions in New Zealand, has told Bay Of Plenty Times in a new interview that he doesn't rule out one day returning to the band once his legal problems end.

"It is up to Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarists], what he wants to do. I am limited to where I can go."

Asked about his more subdued attitude about rejoining AC/DC compared with straight after his sentence when he appeared on New Zealand TV saying he wanted to "get my job back," Rudd said: "I was over-fuelled. All over the place. I am not like that anymore. I've never felt better as a drummer or a person. I am not saying I never hope of ever playing with AC/DC again but, then again, is it even AC/DC anymore? No Bon's [Scott] beautiful voice. No Malcolm [Young, guitar]. No Brian [Johnson, vocals]."

Rudd was sentenced to eight months of home detention by a New Zealand court last July after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession.

The charge of threatening to kill was the result of him reportedly trying to hire someone to "take out" his personal assistant after Rudd was angered by the poor launch of his 2014 solo debut, "Head Job".

Rudd called the charge a "complete crock of shit," although he admitted, "I wasn't handling it very well."

Rudd has seeing a court-appointed psychiatrist named Rupert Bird, who specializes in methamphetamine psychosis and who the drummer said is "helping me through my imbalances and personal issues."

"He comes here to the house about once a week," Rudd told Bay Of Plenty Times. "I have got to know him pretty well. I would even describe him as a mate. At first I'd give him lots of shit, about 'Clockwork Orange' psychiatry and all that ... but talking about everything, as well as giving up the crazy shit, means that in a funny way, being forced to do that, it has been good. I was quite happy to get the help."

Rudd was replaced in AC/DC back in February 2015 by Chris Slade.

AC/DC has been on the road since last year in support of its 16th studio album, "Rock Or Bust", which arrived in December 2014.

This album cycle has been plagued with bad luck, including the retirement of founding member Malcolm Young and longtime singer Brian Johnson being ordered to stop touring or risk going deaf.