Phil, 60, was arrested in November 2014 and charged with trying to hire a hit man — apparently because of frustrations with the release of his solo album, 'Head Job'.

Phil held a launch party for the album at his upscale restaurant, Phil's Place, in the New Zealand coastal town of Tauranga. But the celebration turned sour when the musician thought security wasn't strong enough at the event, prompting him to fire several associates on his team, as well as a personal assistant, following the party.

A court summary of facts states that four weeks after the party, Rudd called an associate and told them he wanted the assistant he'd fired that night "taken out" in exchange for $153,000, "a motorbike, one of his cars or a house", according to The Associated Press.

That more serious charge of threat-to-life was dropped because of a lack of evidence. Craig Tuck, one of Phil's lawyers, stated that

"This matter [of the death threat charge] essentially revolved around an angry phone call, that was it."

When police searched Phil's premises at his arrest, they found 3.2 ounces of marijuana and 0.48 grams of methamphetamines in various places, according to the court summary.

The AC/DC drummer had previously pleaded not guilty to the lesser offenses. He will be sentenced in June for the threat charge, as well as possession of cannabis and methamphetamine.

In February, AC/DC announced that former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade would be replacing Phil on their 2015 Rock or Bust tour.