{"id":1016,"date":"2018-06-29T22:52:43","date_gmt":"2018-06-29T22:52:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/?p=1016"},"modified":"2018-06-29T22:52:43","modified_gmt":"2018-06-29T22:52:43","slug":"ratt-1983-1991","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/ratt-1983-1991\/","title":{"rendered":"RATT: 1983 – 1991"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Article<\/a>

Mr. Zero’s PsychoGello Radio Show<\/p><\/div>\n

“Tell The World”<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

RATT: 1983 -1991<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Rox Remember When? Article #87 for WDGY Jun-2018<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

By: RLSchwinden aka MrZerr0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>I am constantly mistaken for being into the mid 80s\u00a0“Hair Bands”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0era, the reality is, I am really into\u00a0music from 1965-1969<\/em>, & I Did Not like most of that time period of music;\u00a01983-1989<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, but if I did have to pick one band that I liked a lot, it would be\u00a0“RATT”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0like a lot of the bands I am into I was introduced to by someone else, RATT, was another band\u00a0Eric D.<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0turned me onto. As I recall Eric read an article about\u00a0Jake E. Lee<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0who was the newest guitar player for\u00a0Ozzy<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in late ’83, in this article it listed that Jake E. was previously in a band\u00a0“Mickey Ratt”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0that had just released an EP as “RATT”, well Eric working at the local recordstore\u00a0“Uncle John”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0he was the 1st in our area to get any of the records on new up & coming artists.<\/p>\n

> Mickey RATT: 1976 -81: San Diego<<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0“Mickey Ratt”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0was formed in\u00a01976 in San Diego, CA.<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0Stephen Eric Pearcy<\/u>\u00a0(3 July 1956 Long Beach, CA.),<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0withJake E. Lee\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(from the band “Teaser”),\u00a0Matt Thorr, Chris Hager,<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0making 1 live recording & several demos,\u00a0coincidentally the\u00a0“Slash”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0display at the\u00a0“Hard Rock Hotel” in Sioux City, Iowa<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0the mannequin is wearing a\u00a0“Mickey Ratt”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0white t-shirt with black lettering.\u00a0 In 1980 the band recorded & released the single\u00a0“Dr. Rock b\/w Drivin On E”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, sometime later in1981<\/u><\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0Robbin Crosby:<\/u>\u00a0 (Robbinson Lantz Crosby: 4 Aug 1959 La Jolla, CA. 6 Jun 2002 L.A.)<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0joined the band, they, then decided to move to L.A. & shorten the name to\u00a0“RATT”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Jake E. recommended his roommate, another guitarist influenced by\u00a0Tommy Bolin<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, one;\u00a0Warren Justin DeMartini:<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(10 Apr 1963; Chicago indecently\u00a0Warren’s Grandmother played piano accompaniment to “Silent Films” in Preston, MN.)<\/em>\u00a0joined in\u00a0Jan ’82<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0Gene Hunter on Bass &\u00a0Khurt Maier on Drums.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

> City of Angles: 1983 – 1984 <<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0The band has move to L.A. & now on Bass & Drums respectively\u00a0are:\u00a0Juan Carlos Croucier\u00a0<\/u><\/em><\/strong>(22 Aug 1959; Santiago, Cuba) from ‘Dokken’ (for 4 years & 2 LPs),<\/em>\u00a0he &\u00a0Drummer\u00a0Bobby Blotzer:<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(Robert John Blotzer: 22\u00a0 Oct 1958;Pittsberg, PA.)<\/em>\u00a0went to High School together & played\u00a0together\u00a0in the band\u00a0‘FireFoxx’<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a01977<\/u><\/em><\/strong>. Then RATT releases their 1st album on\u00a0‘Time Coast Records’ “RATT” #TC-2203\u00a0<\/u><\/em><\/strong>in\u00a0Aug 1983<\/u><\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0the 1st pressings have 6 songs & the 2nd pressing has 7, with the extra track\u201dYou’re In Trouble”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0with the 45 Single\u00a0“You Think Your Tough b\/w Walkin The Dog”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Crosby\u2019s girlfriend\u00a0Tawny Kitaen’s<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0legs are on the cover, she will also grace the cover of the next LP.<\/p>\n

I really\u00a0like most of the tracks from this release. I learned how to play\u00a0(on guitar)<\/em>\u00a0“You Think You’re Tough”<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0right away back in ’84. Now signed\u00a0to\u00a0Atlantic Records<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0the band’s 2nd album\u00a0“Out Of The Cellar”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0was released in\u00a0Mar 1984<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, & went triple platinum, with several singles released:\u00a0“Round And Round b\/w Morning After”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0a\u00a0#4<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on the\u00a0Billboard Charts in Jul ’84<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, followed by;\u00a0“Back For More b\/w same”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0#27<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on the charts in\u00a0Aug ’84<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0& the 3rd\u00a0being\u00a0“Wanted Man b\/w She Wants Money”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0a\u00a0#38<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on the charts in\u00a0Oct ’84<\/u><\/em><\/strong>. However it was about this time that\u00a045 Single releases & sales started to matter less &\u00a0“MTV Videos”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0began to really drive consumer record sales, the band released\u00a015 Music Videos<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, with the song\u00a0“Round And Round”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0being the most successful\u00a0for the band, the famous actor\u00a0Milton Burle<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0appeared in the video for this song, as his nephew was the manger of the band at the time. Worth noting was a fashion trend the band started at the time called\u00a0“Rattoos”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0created by drawing on themselves with black markers, presumably, so when they no longer cared for the artwork they could just wash it off. My personal favorite form this LP is\u00a0“Lack Of Communication”.<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

> Atlantic Studios: 1985 -1986<\u00a0<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0The band’s 3rd album is\u00a0“Invasion Of Your Privacy”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0released in\u00a0June 1985<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0with the 45 singles\u00a0\u00a0“Lay It Down b\/w Got Me On The Line”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 hitting\u00a0#11<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Aug ’85<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, followed by\u00a0“You’re In Love b\/w Between The Eyes”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0making\u00a0#34<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on the charts in\u00a0Sep ’85<\/u><\/em><\/strong>. I feel this is a really good follow up to the last LP, even though it’s not as strong, I did come to realize by now most of the song I liked were co-written with\u00a0Croucier,<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by the way my band\u00a0MrZERo:<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(Dave, Mitch, Zack & myself)<\/em>\u00a0used to open with\u00a0“You’re In Love”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in 2015. In the mid 80s VHS releases became part of a band’s\u00a0“Album Deal”<\/em>& consequently sold very well,\u00a0“RATT: the Video”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0was released in late ’85, it contains 5 music videos & was the 1st VHS to receive\u00a0“Gold Sales”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0status in the USA.\u00a0By the time the 4th album\u00a0\u201dDancing Undercover”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 is released in\u00a0\u00a0Aug 1986<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0I was working at\u00a0“RecordShop”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Valley West Des Moines, Iowa<\/em>, the 45 single\u00a0“Dance b\/w Take A Chance”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0hits\u00a0#36<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on the charts in\u00a0Nov ’86<\/u><\/em><\/strong>. now, at this point I begin to lose interest in RATT, I feel this is a very weak LP, even still it sells over a million units, but that is only half as many as the previous LP. My favorite track would be\u00a0“It Doesn’t Matter”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0I was never able to see\u00a0RATT<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in their heyday, but they did play:<\/p>\n

28 Dec 1986 Sunday in Bloominton, MN @ Met Center:<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Looking for Love
\nOne Good Lover
\nDrive Me Crazy
\n7th Avenue
\nSlip of the Lip
\nEnough Is Enough
\nYou’re in Love
\nLay It Down
\nYou Should Know by Now
\nDangerous but Worth the Risk
\nRound and Round
\nThe Morning After
\nBack for More
\nLack of Communication
\nNever Use Love
\nSweet Cheater
\nYou Think You’re Tough
\nDance
\nBody Talk<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

*I did\u00a0 see & meet;\u00a0\u00a0Pearcy\u00a0 & JRZ (from Omaha) in Burnsville in May 2006 solo & much later with HAIRBALL in Feb 2014 &\u00a0the re-formed\u00a0RATT with Blotzer & DeMartini in Clear Lake Iowa in Aug 2005<\/em>.<\/p>\n

> Don’t Bite The Hand That Feeds: 1988 -1991 <<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 The band tours almost all of\u00a01987<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0& performs at\u00a0“Monsters Of\u00a0 Rock”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0“Madison Square Garden”<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0, incidentally the\u00a06 Major Record Lables<\/em>\u00a0of the time:\u00a0WEA, Sony, CEMA, MCA, BMG & PGD<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0along with\u00a0“NARM”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0all decide\u00a0unanimously<\/em>to put an\u00a0End to Vinyl Record Production “Once and for All” in Dec. 1987<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in favor of the New format\u00a0“Compact Disc”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>(introduced in Fall 1985)<\/em>\u00a0&\u00a0Cassette\u00a0<\/u><\/em><\/strong>which was the predominate format since\u00a0Summer ’84<\/em>,and so the last few RATT releases on Vinyl are\u00a0very scarce<\/em>, usually\u00a0 UK Imports, if at all. The band’s 5th album\u00a0“Reach For The Sky”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is released inNov 1988<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0with the\u00a0Cassingle<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(a 2 song Cassette Single introduced in Fall 1984)<\/em>\u00a0“Way Cool Jr b\/w Chain Reaction”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>which hits\u00a0#16<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on the charts in\u00a0Jan ’89<\/u><\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 This LP much like the last one did not do as well, but still sold a million units(NOT Vinyl)\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0Cassettes & CDs<\/em><\/strong>. The\u00a0“Hair Band”<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0movement had become way over saturated & even formulated by this point, with some newer bands taking the place of RATT. My favorite track from this album would be\u00a0“What I’m After”.<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The 6th & final album from this line-up is released in\u00a0Aug 1990; “Detonator”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0with the\u00a0Cassingle;<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0“Lovin You is A Dirty Job b\/w What’s It Gonna Be”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0that hits\u00a0#18<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on the charts in\u00a0Sep ’90<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, this is the 1st RATT album to not go platinum, it only sells\u00a0“Gold”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(500,000 copies)<\/em>\u00a0followed by a promo\u00a0CD Single; “Givin Yourself Away”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0which hits\u00a0#39<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from MTV & Radio play in\u00a0Feb ’91<\/u><\/em><\/strong>, my favorite track from this CD would be\u00a0“Scratch That Itch”.<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0In\u00a0Jul ’91<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0the band release their final single, also this time\u00a0without\u00a0<\/em>Crosby,\u00a0(who is now out of the band)<\/em>\u00a0“Nobody Rides For Free”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from the film\u00a0“Point Break”.<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 On\u00a07 Oct 1990<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0RATT appears on MTV’s\u00a0“UnPlugged”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(recorded 11 Aug 1990) with\u00a0Michael Schenker<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0(10 Jan 1955: Sarstedt, W. Germany)<\/em>\u00a0on guitar, the songs they performed:\u00a0“Way Cool Jr” “Givin Yourself Away”\u00a0 “Oh Well” & “Born On the Bayou”<\/em><\/strong>. You could say the tombstone for RATT was the\u00a0CD\/Cassette: “Ratt & Roll: 8191”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0released in\u00a0Sep 1991<\/u><\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0(the 1st “Hits\/Best Of”)<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0for me personally as my girlfriend at that time ran off with her best friend to a RATT concert, and have been together ever since.<\/em>\u00a0 By\u00a0Nov ’91<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0it\u00a0was All Over for the “Hair Band” movement<\/em>\u00a0as\u00a0Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was #1 on The Billboard Charts<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(My burning question is: IF a Band like NIRVANA has FIVE #1 Hits On The Charts, then what are they the alternative too? ummm,\u00a0 they are a Top 40 Band, then).<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0In\u00a0Feb ’92<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Pearcy leaves the band he founded,\u00a0effectively putting an end to RATT. Worth noting the CD\u00a0“Collage”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from\u00a01997<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0contains“Mickey Ratt”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0songs & the DVD\u00a0“Videos From The Cellar”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from 2007 contains most of their music videos, & the CD“Tell The World”<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from 2007 is a fantastic collection.<\/p>\n

*Be sure to tune into my upcoming Radio Show “Mr. Zero’s PsychoGello Radio Show” on ‘RATT’ on Sunday’s 10:30am\u00a0 on WDGY: 740am & Streaming & FM: 92.1, 103.7, 107.1. You can listen to the past 47 Episodes @ www.MrZeroS.Com- Podcast (link)<\/em><\/p>\n

This article is for Hevy KEVY; Until the next time…. MrZerr0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr. Zero’s\u00a0<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

*Est. 2009<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1744 Lexington Ave. N.<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Roseville, MN. 55113<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

www.MrZeroS.Com<\/a><\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Classic Music, Retro Toys, Vintage Video Games & Movies too …<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Tell The World” RATT: 1983 -1991 Dr. Rox Remember When? Article #87 for WDGY Jun-2018 By: RLSchwinden aka MrZerr0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I am constantly mistaken for being into the mid 80s\u00a0“Hair Bands”\u00a0era, the reality is, I am really into\u00a0music from 1965-1969,…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[200,239],"class_list":["post-1016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-mr-zeros","tag-ratt"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/patch-ratt-83.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1016"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1018,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1016\/revisions\/1018"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1017"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}