AC DC have reportedly recruited their former drummer Chris Slade to replace Phil Rudd while the percussionist fights a court case in New Zealand.

The rock group is expected to perform at the Grammy Awards this weekend (07-08Feb15) without Rudd, and then head off on a world tour while he deals with his legal problems.

A new report now suggests the rockers have asked Slade to rejoin the line-up 20 years after he left the group to make way for original drummer Rudd, who was re-admitted a decade after his firing in 1983.

The news was sparked after Slade cancelled a planned meet-and-greet session in California on Saturday (31Jan15) and the organiser hinted that the rocker is on the verge of announcing big career news.

In a post on Facebook.com, organiser Alex Corbin Liu wrote, "Chris had to postpone (the) event until a later date... We apologise for the inconvenience... There's actually big news regarding Slade and his career coming in next several days which is why he had to reschedule this event."

Rudd, 60, is facing trial in his adopted New Zealand after pleading not guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. He was originally accused of attempting to procure the murder of two men but that charge was dropped due to lack of evidence.