According to the man who was allegedly approached* by Phil Rudd to kill two people, the AC/DC drummer is a "good fella' who's "burning the ones who care about him." (He used the expression "good fella" in the literal sense and not as reference to the 1990 mob movie 'Goodfellas.')

*11/7 update: The procuring-murder charge against Rudd has been dropped. Three other charges remain. Details here.

The Herald Sun reports that the alleged hitman was friends with Rudd, having met him in Tauranga, New Zealand, near where Rudd lives. He said that the drummer has had some problems.

The man told the Bay of Plenty Times Rudd would often let him drive his cars – the latest Ferrari and Lamborghini models – as well as going for trips in his helicopter or going out fishing. But when asked about murder plot allegations, the man replied: “I don’t know what you’re talking about." The aging rocker had recently become irritable and burnt a lot of bridges.

The man, whose name hasn't been identified per court orders, said that police contacted him yesterday to let him know that Rudd had been arrested, which caused him to reflect on his friend. “The joys of being a rock star, always in the spotlight," he told the paper. "You’ve got to feel sorry for him – just the expectations everyone has of him. He's a good fella. He’s got a big heart.”

Yesterday, Rudd was charged with attempting to hire a hitman to kill two men. He appeared in Tauranga District Court to face charges of attempting to procure a murder, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis and threatening to kill.

Police raided Rudd’s home in Mauta, New Zealand, and was released on bail after offering no plea. He's set to reappear in court in three weeks. If he's found guilty, Rudd could face a maximum of 10 years in prison for procuring a murder and possibly another seven for threatening to kill. You can watch video of his court appearance here.

Rudd was absent from the shooting two videos for AC/DC’s upcoming album, ‘Rock or Bust,’ as well as from their new publicity photo.

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