Just when you thought the whole Ratt debacle was over the band throws another curve ball. What band? I don’t even know who Ratt is anymore. Members here, members there. So many incarnations that it’s almost impossible to keep up with. Suing over the right of the band name. Who gets to be official. Who has to change the name. And currently, the official Ratt doesn’t even know who’s in the band.
It’s a tragedy because this is one of the great bands from the 80’s. And they’re one of the bands that really could have survived and moved on after grunge destroyed their peers. But all their lack of success and wounds are self inflicted. And now they’re continuing that trend. Original lead guitarist Warren DeMartini is officially out. Leaving Ratt to be comprised of only two original members: Vocalist Steven Pearcy and Bassist Juan Croucier. Which is a move that I do not understand at all. I mean, you’d think after the whole Bobby Blotzer court case they’d be tired of all this bs. For a few years Blotzer was touring as the only original member of Ratt. With his own line-up of hired guns. That angered the other original members so they started touring and then went to court. Eventually claiming the name officially. Then both went out on tour with the name and it got real ugly. Then Blotzer cooled his jets and you thought a minor amount of consistency might exist. After all, Ratt with three of the five original members is decent. But then that just got screwed up.
And now with only two members, the band is going on tour. It’s starts in about a month and the announced the dates before filling the empty spaces. So no one really knows who’s in Ratt. Now, this was a few days ago so maybe they’ve made some headway. But I don’t believe any announcements have been made yet. And this all such a shame. This is one of great great bands of their genre. And they really had, and in some ways still do have, an opportunity to really fly the flag. Four of the original members are still alive. Of course, Crosby can’t make it due to death. Which is totally understandable. Obviously the original line-up can’t exist. But they can come really close. And they have a few times. The ’97 record with only three original members is really good. And 2010’s ‘Infestation’ showed what the potential could be for Ratt. With a successful release and tour.
But I don’t think the current line up can capture that success. Apparently they’re doing a tour until the end of the year and then have plans for a new album in 2019. But I don’t think that many people will be interested. Not having Warren is a big deal. He’s a major guitar hero to tons of players around the world. And he’s a super integral part of the original energy and vibe. Blotzer is obviously out. And now the remaining two members are promoting what they’re calling ‘The new breed of Ratt.’ I’m just not buying it. No one knows who’s in the band. And Pearcy and Croucier have been doing damage control with online statements assuring the fans that the ‘new breed of Ratt’ will be great. And that it promises to bring a ‘renewed energy to the band.’ That’s usually a bad sign when members are making those kinds of public statements. Plus, their tour is starting at a casino in Kansas. That’s not an ideal start for a band that at one point in time was outselling Motley Crue. But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the new line-up will kick ass. But not matter how much ass it kicks it won’t be same has having the remaining original members together writing the great songs that they know how to write.
The band was so good during their peak. The vid is distorted a bit. But it captured the energy.
And their ’97 era isn’t bad. Not nearly as good. But they can and did exist alright with this line up. Warren isn’t a vocalist though and it shows on his back rounds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz5nu3WeH6s
This is just five years ago. It’s crazy how fast this whole deal happened.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G7aRQjmOFk
And then this weird line up happened with only Bobby Blotzer as the original member. He entitled it Ratt and then the lawsuits started.
The response line-up. They took the name back officially.
But now Warren is out. I don’t see how it can exist without him.
