Ex-AC/DC Chris Slade Gives His Blessing To New Drummer

Renowned Welsh drummer Chris Slade, with a remarkable six-decade career spanning from collaborations with Tom Jones to bands like Manfred Mann, The Firm, and AC/DC, recently expressed his thoughts on AC/DC’s decision to bring Matt Laug on board for their upcoming performance at the Power Trip festival next month.

Slade, who is 76 years old, shared his viewpoint on social media and mentioned that he knows Laug from their time living in California. Slade wrote:

“I know Matt as a very nice guy from my days of living in California.

“He is a very capable, teetotal drummer and will put the drums exactly where Angus Young wants them….. At the back of the stage. I wish him the best of luck!”

In Indio, California, from October 6–8, AC/DC, one of the festival’s headliners, will perform for the first time since 2016.

Matt Laug: Collaborating with Legends

Matt Laug, 55, hails from the United States and boasts an impressive resume, having collaborated with renowned artists such as Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper, Slash’s Snakepit, and Vasco Rossi. After graduating from South Florence High School in 1986, Laug relocated to Los Angeles, where he attended college and soon became a highly sought-after studio drummer.

In 2001, Laug supported AC/DC during the North American and European legs of the Stiff Upper Lip tour as a member of Slash’s Snakepit.

Last Saturday, September 9, AC/DC teased fans with a brief audio snippet from their Power Trip rehearsal sessions, along with the message:

“PWR UP for Power Trip! Listen to the rehearsal of the boys powering up with Cliff Williams, who’s coming out of retirement for the festival and Matt Laug on drums.”

Interestingly, AC/DC’s announcement raised questions about the absence of their longtime drummer, Phil Rudd, who returned to the band for the recording of their comeback album, Power Up, released in November 2020.

Rudd’s Solo Career Cut Short by Legal Troubles

Rudd’s departure from AC/DC stemmed from legal troubles in 2015 when he received an eight-month home detention sentence from a New Zealand court due to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. During his absence, Chris Slade stepped in as the drummer for AC/DC’s Rock Or Bust tour, having previously served as AC/DC’s drummer from 1989 to 1994, contributing to the album The Razor’s Edge.

Rudd, a fixture on almost all of AC/DC’s 18 previous studio albums, also embarked on a tour in support of his 2014 solo debut, Head Job. It was during this period that Rudd’s arrest occurred, allegedly prompted by his anger towards a personal assistant regarding the promotion of his album, leading to threats against the assistant and his daughter.

Slade’s initial entry into AC/DC’s lineup followed drummer Simon Wright and coincided with the release of The Razor’s Edge. However, when Rudd returned to the band in 1995, Slade departed, harboring some lingering resentment over the situation.