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The 60-year-old drummer for Australian rock band AC/DC, whose hits include Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, was accused yesterday of trying to arrange for a hitman to carry out two killings.
Police swooped on drummer Phil Rudd's waterfront house at Tauranga in New Zealand's North Island in the early hours and charged him with "attempting to procure murder" and threatening to kill.
They also charged him with possessing methamphetamine and cannabis after allegedly finding the drugs in his property, Tauranga District Court was told.
Court officials confirmed Rudd, a long-time member of one of the world's highest grossing bands, was granted bail and ordered to reappear on November 27.
Watch:AC/DC drummer charged with murder plot in New Zealand

The veteran rocker appeared in court shoeless and wearing a baggy grey jumper, his lawyer unsuccessfully arguing that media should not be allowed to take images of him because they just wanted to capture his client "at his worst".
He was not required to enter a plea during his brief appearance but court documents reveal he is accused of trying to organise a hitman to kill two men in late September, although judge Louis Bidois suppressed the identities of those involved.
Rudd refused to comment after leaving court and was driven away in a silver Mercedes Benz.
Under New Zealand law, attempting "to procure any person to murder any other person" is punishable by up to 10 years in jail, while threatening to kill can attract a seven-year sentence.
Stunned fans reacted on social media, airing concerns about the future of the band, which is still reeling from the retirement of founding member Malcolm Young in September after he entered a Sydney care facility suffering from dementia.
"This is so shocking i hope its not true but i will be praying for u guys and i hope yalls pull through this and bring him back," Joseph Anderson wrote on the band's official Facebook page, which has more than 30 million likes.
Tina Durst Van Gundy posted: "No matter... still one of my all time favourite bands... hang in there guys."
Australian-born Rudd joined the band in 1975 and left in 1983 after arguing with Young.
He moved to New Zealand, settling in the coastal community of Tauranga, some 150 kilometres southeast of Auckland.
He remained in the area even after patching up his differences with the band in 1994, using it as his base as he followed a punishing global touring schedule with the notoriously hard-living heavy metal pioneers.
Rudd was part of the AC/DC line-up inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 and won a Grammy for best hard rock performance with the band for War Machine in 2010.
Later that year he was convicted of cannabis possession after police raided his boat, receiving a fine of NZ$250 (HK$1,500).
AC/DC are one of the best selling bands of all time, amassing sales estimated at 200 million albums worldwide featuring songs that remain classic rock radio staples, including Back in Black, Jailbreak and High Voltage.
Rudd, who released a solo album Head Job in August, has said Malcolm Young's illness would not spell the end for the band.
The band have since announced a new album, "Rock or Bust", will shortly be released and they were due to undertake a world tour in 2015.


Dirty Deeds? AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd arrested for allegedly plotting murder

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd appears in court. Photo: AFP

Drummer Phil Rudd. Photo: ACDC.com

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The 60-year-old drummer for Australian rock band AC/DC, whose hits include Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, was accused yesterday of trying to arrange for a hitman to carry out two killings.
