Chris Slade Keeps It Honest With Thoughts on AC/DC Not Asking Him To Return

With a career dating back to the 1960s, Chis Slade shared his talents behind the drums with bands like Toomorrow, Uriah Heep, Asia, and The Firm. But for most, they will remember his time with the rock band AC/DC. Performing with the group for several years, the drummer eventually left only to return again for the Rock or Bust World Tour. But now, with AC/DC kicking off their spring/summer 2024 tour, Slade found himself once again sitting on the outside when the band brought in Matt Laug. For Slade, he didn’t share any animosity toward the group as he praised Laug. 

Speaking with Real Music With Gary Stuckey, Slade opened up about his past with Laug and how they both knew each other when living in California. “When I lived in California, I used to know Matt Laug as a drummer. So I was pleased that I knew the guy who was gonna be sitting in. And I knew he was a nice guy. I knew he was very capable and that he could do exactly what Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist] wanted. I’ve just heard a rumor, actually, that Phil’s coming back. I don’t know. But that’s a rumor, and those AC/DC rumors are… You never know.”

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Chris Slade Discusses Returning To AC/DC

Although excited to see the band continuing to perform, when asked if he would return to AC/DC if given the chance, Slade insisted, “Yes, I would. I would.” While the drummer is 77 years old, he explained, “I’m playing every week. We do gigs. Last Saturday we were in France, in Lyon. In two weeks’ time, we go to Italy. We were in Poland about two months ago, Chechnya, Eastern Germany. We work all over Europe. We were in Spain a couple of years ago. We haven’t been back since. And so I’m playing with my guys, and I’m quite happy to do that. It’s a really, really great band. And there’s no need for me to go back with AC/DC, to be honest, but if they wanted, Angus knows he could ask me any time.”

While always willing to return, Slade believed his time with AC/DC had come to an end. “I couldn’t see it happening the second time it happened, to be honest. People kept saying to me, ‘Have you heard anything? Have you heard anything yet?’ Friends and family. And I said, ‘Look, they’re not gonna call. Okay?’ This was before ‘Rock Or Bust’. ‘They’re not gonna call. They’ve had enough of me. They’re not going to call.’”  

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