'Givin' Yourself Away' - A True Gem

If you asked people for their top RATT songs, I bet “Givin’ Yourself Away” wouldn’t make the list and that is a shame. The song is on the album Detonator which is one of my favorites by the band. Overall the album is slick as hell – just as you would expect for a 1990 hair metal release. The entire album sounds huge!

The guitar solo in this under-appreciated RATT ballad just might be some of Warren DeMartini’s best work. The solo really complements the song and gives it an edge. The overall guitar work is excellent in the song throughout as well. 

The guitar melody is deceptively simple. The notes challenge Stephen Pearcy’s voice in just the right way. Pearcy sings higher and DeMartini makes his axe squeal in response. There’s bends, hammer pulls, sweep picking and a vacation up and down the fret board.

The melody and solo could fit right into a Hollywood "rom-com" blockbuster. I said what I said.

Juan Croucier Announces Some Solo Dates

Juan Croucier of RATT has announced a short run of tour dates. He promises more shows are coming - and you can expect to hear all the RATT hits.

Two "Slips" - Who Did It Better?

"Slip of the Lip" (RATT) and "Slip of the Tongue" (Faster Pussycat) played back to back on Hair Nation last night. This got me to thinking: who did it better?

Faster Pussycat released the album Wake Me When It’s Over in 1989 and it features the song “Slip of the Tongue.” It wasn’t even a single but I think it is the strongest song on the album – and maybe of the entire Faster Pussycat canon.

RATT released the album Dancing Undercover in 1986. It contained the track “Slip of the Lip.” There is an official video for “Slip of the Lip” and it charted as an album single. I do think it is one of the stronger RATT songs, period.

Both songs talk about self-destruction, albeit in different ways. I tend to prefer the Faster Pussycat song but I have to wonder if the guys in the band were listening to RATT’s ideas on “Slip of the Lip” and decided to expound on the idea? Then there’s the Whitesnake album called Slip of the Tongue from 1989… but that’s a whole other conversation.

So who did it better in your opinion?

Wait! There's A New RATT Book!

I didn't know about this but I am excited! Greg Prato has written a book about RATT called World Infestation. The book came out the first of this month and is getting good reviews. You better believe I added this bad boy to my Kindle as soon as I learned of its existence. Expect a review soon! (But I have to finish my current Stephen King first).

Rat Attack Incoming?

For the past week and a half, I’ve been in Greece. Eric and I got home late last night and I am still trying to navigate re-entry into regular life today. You know, working and stuff. I have no idea what happened in the music world while I was on vacation. The major world news was the Hamas terror attack on Israel so I’ve been able to keep up with that – but not much else was making global headlines nonstop during my trip.

Eric and I had a wonderful trip which is great since it was postponed so many times over a three-year period. That said, I feel all traveled out at this point.

Scanning Blabbermouth, it seems to me the biggest Glam news of the past few days is Bobby Blotzer’s Rat Attack being a thing. Or is about to be a thing. Retirement is boring for Blotzer and he wants to perform again, so good for him. It will be interesting to see who ends up in this band. Stephen Pearcy is also touring of course – the voice of RATT, performing classic RATT tunes. Just like Blotzer – presumably.

'RATT: The Atlantic Years' Coming To Vinyl

RATT will released a limited edition set of The Atlantic Years boxset to vinyl on June 9. The set came out on CD a couple years ago. This means five albums remastered to 180 gram vinyl.

The albums in the set are Out of The Cellar (1984), Invasion of Your Privacy (1985), Dancing Undercover (1986), Reach For The Sky (1988) and Detonator (1990). You can pre-order the set by clicking the picture - it's $200.

RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!! @theRATTpack STEPHEN PEARCY has another reason to take his 1980’s “Sunset Strip Experience” Tour 2023 out to the Ratt fanatics. The NEW BOXSET at https://t.co/eHpkbH2zYG The founder lead singer songwriter STEPHEN PEARCY is out on tour #2023-2024.

— STEPHEN E PEARCY (@StephenEPearcy) April 8, 2023

Stephen Pearcy Shills For Dollar Loan Center

It's time for another hair metal icon to shill for Dollar Loan Center. This time, RATT's Stephen Pearcy gets the star treatment while he applies for a loan. Shocker, he's approved and the bankers are all really attractive women! Sebastian Bach and Vince Neil have also appeared in such commercials. This just makes me shake my head. Still, a job is a job and I'm sure these commercials paid well... or at least I hope they did.