Former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade has announced his retirement from drumming at the age of 79 due to worsening health issues, sharing the news in a video message posted on Facebook.
In his message, the Welsh musician reflected on his long career, thanked his fans and bandmates, and explained how a stroke he suffered about seven years ago has impacted his ability to continue playing.
“Hello, everybody,” Slade said. “It’s with a heavy heart that I’m announcing my retirement from drumming. I’m near enough 80 years old. I’ve been drumming professionally since I was 16 with Tom Jones. I’ve had a good innings. And thank you all for coming to the shows. And I’d like to thank [the other members of my solo] band also, The Chris Slade Timeline, and all you lot for coming to the shows and having a good time. We know you have, ’cause you told us you have, which was, to get that feedback, is great. So please stay on The Chris Slade Timeline on Facebook, ’cause I’ll be posting, we’ll be posting stuff from now and again to try to keep you interested.”
He then went on to explain the health issues that led to this decision.
“So, what happened was that I had a stroke, as you probably know, about seven years ago,” Slade continued. “A small stroke, but it’s got worse. And I’m afraid that has screwed me up. I’m really jealous of people like The Stones or Paul McCartney who are going well into their 80s, and I wanted to do that. But it looks like I can’t. So, as I say, with a heavy heart, it’s bye for now.”
Slade joined AC/DC in 1989 and performed on the band’s 1990 album The Razors Edge, as well as the 1992 live album Live. He left the group in 1994 when Phil Rudd returned, and later rejoined AC/DC in 2015 for the Rock or Bust World Tour.
Beyond his two stints with AC/DC, Slade built a wide-ranging career that included work with Tom Jones, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Uriah Heep, The Firm, Gary Moore, and Asia. In later years he led The Chris Slade Timeline, a project celebrating his decades in rock.
His announcement marks the end of an illustrious professional drumming career that began in the 1960s and spanned more than six decades.
