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For those who are truly passionate and feel it pulsing in their veins, it's never just a phase; it's something that stays with them for life
By Lucas, WikiBrother
The 80s were a time of inflated egos, of excess, where gods once again walked the earth among mortals. But it was also a time when a lot of good music was produced. It was the era when rock reached the top of the rollercoaster. It seemed like it would never come down. In the race for success, many fell along the way and were forgotten, but some made it.
1980s Hard Rock, also called Glam Metal – or in Brazil by the pejorative term "farofa" – was the style that exploded in those times. Sharing the charts with names that had nothing to do with rock. The moment when metal was more pop, and pop in the sense of mainstream.
It's easy to look back today and only think about the pose, the exaggerated look of the bands of that era, especially those of so-called Glam Metal. If we look beyond the hairspray, we see how high-quality the music is. It wasn't just the look of bands like Poison, Cinderella, Motley Crue, Dokken, and Quiet Riot that conquered the world at that time, but rather their energetic and charismatic sound. Perhaps all that eccentricity overshadowed their talent.
Unfortunately, some people treat the whole concept of Glam as something negative or are ashamed to admit that they like it or are part of it. Like a certain band with a feline name that became famous in the 90s and denies its not-so-distant past, when it was, or wanted to be, a representative of the style.
Even so, there are artists who still proudly raise the Glam flag to this day.
Ratt is one of those bands, and we'll talk a little about them here, more specifically about their early years. In my humble opinion, they represent what Glam and hard rock were in the 80s, and they're the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the style.
Betting on a look characteristic of the time, a vibrant sound with blues-style guitar riffs, characteristic raspy vocals, and lyrics about romance and nights out, the formula was complete. Like others, they took what bands like Aerosmith, Kiss, Van Halen, and Led Zeppelin had done before – the sound, the virtuosity, the excesses, and the sex appeal – and gave it a new look and more energy.
The story of Ratt begins in Hollywood, a land of opportunity for those who wanted to make it in life through music or working in film. Firedome was the band of Stephen Percy, the future vocalist of Ratt. The band broke up in 1974, and Percy then formed Crystal Pystal. The name was later changed to Buster Cherry, and then to Mickey Ratt in 1976.
Another future member of the band, guitarist Robin Crosby, was a member of bands such as Metropolis, Xcalibur, Phenomenon, and Secret Service during those years.
The Mickey Ratt band experienced a great deal of member turnover, and with the lineup constantly changing, they recorded several demos. This continued until 1980 when they released a single with "Dr. Rock / Drivin' on E," which made a name for itself in the early Los Angeles club scene
In 1981 the name was finally shortened to Ratt and after some time the lineup solidified with Robbin Crosby and Warren DeMartini on guitars, Juan Croucier on bass, Bobby Blotzer on drums, and Stephen Percy on vocals.
In 1983 they signed with the independent label Time Coast Music and released the EP called Ratt. The self-titled EP was a success and drew attention to them, leading to a contract with Atlantic Records.
The songwriting process for the first album began immediately, and in March 1984, Out of The Cellar was released. Acclaimed by both the public and critics, the debut is an example of a perfect and precise hard rock attack. It was a sales success, reaching three million copies sold – triple platinum.
Produced by newcomer Beau Hill, who managed to get the best sound out of the band. After all, it wouldn't be enough to be inspired if they didn't have good production behind them, right? However, it wasn't the most pleasant job, with Hill already claiming that it clashed with the band's sound.
Just listen to the tracks included to understand why it made such an impact and became a symbol of Glam Metal. The opening track, "Wanted Man," "Back For More" (which was a re-recording from the EP), the biggest hit "Round And Round" (which got a music video), "You're in Trouble," "Lack of Communication"—one great song after another.
Out Of The Cellar and the band's name itself – Ratt – are reminiscent of the Aerosmith song "Rats In The Cellar," showing where the band's influences came from.
The woman on the cover is model Tawny Kitaen. Does she look familiar? You've probably seen her in several Whitesnake music videos.
Perhaps not as famous or recognized today, filling arenas like some of their contemporaries – something that would happen if the world were a fair place – but with unquestionable quality, they achieved a well-deserved cult status. They were the kind of band that reached the top and then fell. Internal and legal disputes, various eccentricities, and a lack of public interest may have been some of the factors that prevented Ratt from becoming what they once were or what they could have been.
After all, how much good music isn't in the mainstream these days, right? We should stop with this concept that only what's successful is good and ignore what doesn't have media exposure. Because that's how good music dies, not for lack of good artists, but for lack of support and public interest.
Ratt is something beyond a product of its time. Something beyond a memory kept in a closet that we're ashamed to bring out. Something we say "was just a crazy, silly phase of my youth." For those who are truly there and feel it pulsing in their veins, it's never just a phase; it's something that accompanies them for a lifetime.
The hair metal, glam, and hard rock of bands like Ratt may never have exploded or made sense like they did in the 80s. We are transported back to that era of long hair and stylish clothes when we listen to their music or watch old concert videos and music videos. But it's more than just looking back at the past. It's realizing how the quality of the music spoke louder, transforming into a timeless work of art that has survived and will continue to survive as long as there are those willing to discover it.
*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.
Also check out Ricardo Batalha's text about Ratt.
