Site News

Having cancelled some European tour dates last month due to frontman Stephen Pearcy's urgent hernia surgery, Ratt are recovered, reinvigorated and back on the road with the Scorpions in the US this summer!

Pearcy tells Roadrunner, "Despite the forced break with my surgery, I'm feeling better and being out here on tour with the Scorpions is rehabilitating to say the least."

Check out the set list from last night in Myrtle Beach as well as a photo of the band performing in Nashville this past weekend below, and go RIGHT HERE for a full list of tour dates.

For information on how to meet the band and/or get the VIP treatment when they're heading to a city near you, check THIS LOCATION.



"YOU’RE IN LOVE"

"LAY IT DOWN"

"LACK COMMUNICATION"

"TAKE A BIG BITE"

"I WANT A WOMAN"

"SLIP OF THE LIP"

"DIRTY JOB"

"LAST CALL"

"BEST OF ME"

"BACK FOR MORE"

"NOBODY RIDES"

"WAY COOL JR"

"WANTED MAN"

"MORNING AFTER"

"ROUND AND ROUND"

Ratt's brand new album -- and first in over 10 years -- Infestation is out NOW! Pick up your copy of the band's return to Ratt n' Roll form right here!

Tackling a variety of subjects, Ratt's famed guitarist Warren DeMartini discusses his history with the Sunset Strip heroes, his guitar playing, the new album and a slew of other fan-submitted questions for Fret 12. Watch part 1 in the 6-part series below, and go right here to see the rest!

Infestation, the band's first album in 10 years, is out now. Pick up your copy of the killer album right here!

Ratt are offering special VIP packages for their summer tour that get you a chance to meet the band! Ticketless VIP packages are available for the band’s tour dates with Scorpions, and packages with and without tickets are available for Ratt’s summer headline shows.

All VIP packages include:
- Hand-signed Tour Poster
- Infestation Tour T-Shirt
- Meet and Greet with Ratt before the show
- Commemorative VIP Laminate
Go RIGHT HERE to see what offers are available in your area!

"Carlos Cavazo was at the epicenter of the ’80s metal scene," writes Gibson.com. "He undertook the daunting task of replacing Randy Rhoads in Quiet Riot, when Rhoads left to join Ozzy Osbourne. Cavazo proceeded to lead that band, alongside stentorian singer Kevin DuBrow, to the heights of popularity, with hits like 'Bang Your Head (Metal Health),' 'The Wild and the Young' and the Slade covers, “Cum on Feel the Noize' and 'Mama Weer All Crazee Now.' In 2008, he joined another legendary metal outfit, Ratt. The band released their first Cavazo/DeMartini-fueled album, Infestation, in April and have hit the road with a massive tour to support it. We caught up with Carlos on a rare day off in rain-drenched Cleveland."
Read an excerpt of the insightful interview below, and go right here to get the full Q&A.

The long-awaited return to Ratt n' Roll form Infestation is out now! Get your copy RIGHT HERE.

On how he came to join Ratt, Cavazo explains:

"Actually, Warren DeMartini ran into Vinnie Appice at a club in Hollywood — and Warren had known that I’d been playing with Vinnie off and on in different projects — and he asked what I had been up to. He got my number from Vinnie, and he called me. He had my number for about a year before he called me; I guess the timing just wasn’t right yet. He called me up one day, out of the blue, and I had missed his call and then I got the message, “Can you give me a call if you have a chance?” And I’m thinking either there’s a big party in town or they are looking for a guitar player and it ended up being the latter. I went down, and I knew they were working with a couple of people, as well, and I went in there and they liked what I did and it worked out."

On playing in a two-guitar band:

"Ah, you know, I’ll tell you, I’ve played with other guitar players in the past, in different projects, and it really wasn’t that much of an adjustment. Actually, a bigger adjustment was my sound. I’ve been using more of a modern set-up with digital processing kind of sound and these guys just hook into a couple of pedals (and then straight) into an amp. So I adapted to that, which I’ve done before. I prefer that myself. It’s more of a natural sound. And as far as our playing, mine and Warren’s styles are very similar in many ways and we were influenced by some of the same guitar players; so, it just kind of fell into place and it felt natural."

On the scene in the 80s:

"You know, everybody was friends. I think the press made it look like we hated each other. I mean, I’ve known these guys all of my life, since I was in my 20s. And oddly enough, I was friends with Robbin Crosby before I knew any of these guys. We used to hang out. He was the first guy in the band that I knew. Then I hung out with Stephen after that. I don’t think I ever met Warren until like the ’90s. I knew the guys in Mötley Crüe, Dokken… I hang out with all those guys. We were all friends. It’s just made to look a certain way in the press. You know, that battle against each other."

On his history playing Gibson guitars:

"The first time I got a Gibson was in, probably, the early ’70s, when I was about 15 or 16 years old. I bought it for $100. It was a double cutaway Les Paul Junior. A red one. And I loved that guitar. I bought it from a good friend of mine. We used to always trade and sell each other guitars back then. And that’s the first Gibson I had, and I’ve been sold ever since. And I started using Vs in Quiet Riot in the early ’80s. I acquired a V from some guy in Denver, Colorado, on the road. He sold it to me, that cream-colored one from the early ’80s. And I still have that V, actually. It almost became my trademark. Everybody liked me playing a V. Actually, one day, I came in with Ratt and I brought in a V and they all said, “Oh, I love you playing that guitar. Play that from now on.” So I’ve been using the Vs a lot with Ratt now."

Ratt have been forced to cancel their upcoming European tour dates. Vocalist Stephen Pearcy will be undergoing urgent hernia surgery this week. The band regrets missing the European dates on the heels of the release of their first album in eleven years,Infestation, which enjoyed a high chart debut in European territories.

Ratt shares this disappointment with all their European fans who planned to attend the shows at Sweden Rock, Sauna Open Air Festival, UK Download, Hellfest, Grasspop and Gods of Metal as well as their other dates. The band is looking into rescheduling as many of the shows as possible.

Pearcy's doctors anticipate a full recovery in time for Ratt’s North American touring schedule, which includes a run with The Scorpions, beginning in July and running through September.

Join us in wishing Stephen a speedy recovery.

Writes music blog Attention Deficit Delirium, "Twenty-six years after Out Of The Cellar became a multi-platinum hit and made them rock superstars, original [b]Ratt[/b] members Stephen Pearcy (vocals), Warren DeMartini (guitars) and Bobby Blotzer (drums), along with long-time bassist Robbie Crane and guitarist/ex-Quiet Riot member Carlos Cavazo, have released one of the strongest musical statements of their career, Infestation. It’s their first new album in 11 years, and despite hitting middle age, the band has not lost its edge and produced a multifaceted collection of catchy hard rock tunes. It also showcases stellar six-string playing from DeMartini, whom many fans consider to be an underrated rock guitarist."

Read an excerpt from the extensive interview below, go here for the full feature, and get your copy of the return to Ratt n' Roll form Infestation NOW!

I’m enjoying the new album.
Me, too. Right now I’m going back and listening to stuff that I wrote, at least for my parts. Some stuff you come up with and record on the spot, and you don’t play it again unless it gets into the live set. Sometimes you go, “How did I do that?”

Infestation reminds me of the first EP and Out Of The Cellar with elements of Detonator present as well.
I always thought it was too bad that Detonator didn’t come out between Dancing Undercover and Reach For The Sky because I think it would’ve been a different thing. But by the time Detonator came out, the scene had really changed.

Do you think that the time off may have helped you to come back with something fresh?
I don’t know. Not really. The time off was unavoidable, and I feel if we had continued on from 1999, this record could’ve come out much earlier. But it takes some time and miles to break in a band to do something on a record. It’s a weird thing. It was good preparation for us to get together and do a couple of tours before we did this record, because it brings in a continuity that you just can’t get any other way. At least that’s the way it is for Ratt.

What are your favorite songs on the album?
There’s a song in the album called “Take A Big Bite,” and the opening reminds me of a moment during the first rehearsal, when Stephen came back to the band, and we were rehearsing “Lack Of Communication”. Live we would come up with different endings [because the song fades on album]. We came up with an ending for “Lack of Communication” that was more of a segue with a completely different riff to it. We rehearsed the song, and by the end of it Stephen was blown away. He said we should make a song out of that, and it was at that moment I realized that creatively our friendship was still intact, even after all the tumultuous years that had gone by. The riff to “Big Bite” opens up with the riff that used to be the outro to “Lack of Communication”. “Best Of Me” was one of those magic moments where Carlos played the opening riffs when we were rehearsing the material for Infestation, and it just went on to be a favorite of mine. “Last Call” is one of my favorite things I’ve done in a while. It was a riff that we worked out for the self-titled 1999 album that came out in Columbia, but it didn’t make it onto that record, which ended up being a good thing because I mixed that riff and the other parts with some ideas that Carlos had. We ended up co-writing the music that one, and then Stephen came up with the words. That’s a really fun riff to play.

The hotly anticipated record release show for Ratt's amazing new album Infestation took place the same day the album was released and in the same place where Ratt first got their start: The Sunset Strip. Press, celebrities and die-hard Ratt n' Rollers were on hand to experience the already legendary-in-its-own-right event, and we've compiled some of the best quotes and photos for your viewing enjoyment below.



Writes Noisecreep, "It might have been April 20, 2010, but if you were at the Ratt show... you would have been convinced you walked into a time warp. Los Angeles' Key Club hosted the album release party/concert for 'Infestation,' the Sunset Strip legends' seventh studio album, and the setting was ideal. Through a set of classics and newer -- but no less killer -- material, Ratt wowed their hometown crowd with an energetic performance that found the veteran act proving they are way more than a whiff of nostalgia."



VH1 wrote, "Ratt released Infestation, their first new album in 11 years, and it wasn’t just everyday fans who were excited about it – famous people were too.  At a release party on the Sunset Strip, Tom Morello, Atreyu, celebrities, porn stars and many others came out to watch the group perform five brand new songs in front of a sold-out crowd."



RealRockReport.com explains, "The interesting but completely understandable thing is that the show really felt like it got started when Ratt played the first song on Infestation, Eat Me Up Alive; which is amazing: to see a band rock that hard and an audience go nuts for a song that most of them have never heard is something that just doesn’t happen very often. It was awe-inspiring. Also from the new record - Best Of Me, Take a Big Bite and Last Call – were all met with equal fervor (go buy the CD… duh). Ratt did not disappoint for those with the nostalgia itch, either; playing many hits including Slip Of The Lip, Back For More, Way Cool Jr, A Little Too Much, and of course the ultimate signature song Round And Round (complete with a confetti shower)!"



Noisecreep continues, "The other part of the show that stuck out was how well the 'Infestation' stuff went over with the crowd. When many of Ratt's peers from the '80s glory days start rocking out their new material, it's usually a cue for fans to hit the bar. But when Ratt played their current single, 'Best of Me,' the entire audience seemed to be singing along with vocalist Stephen Pearcy. Now with the album in stores and the mighty machine of Roadrunner Records behind them, Ratt will be out on tour for the remainder of 2010. Whether you were born before the days they were on the cover of Circus Magazine or not, you shouldn't miss out on Ratt when they hit your city this time around."



Check out more photos from the magical night below, see the whole gallery right here and get your copy of what ABC news' Listening Room has dubbed, "vintage Ratt circa 1984, 1985" right here!





+

Debuting at #30 on the Billboard 200 Album Charts, Ratt's new album and rockin' return-to-form Infestation is raking in the rave reviews.

Writes See Magazine, "Sorry ironic twenty-year cycles, detractors and Motley Crue book deals — the massive riff wins. Re-established with a vengeance, Ratt has produced its ninth and most focused release since 1985’s Invasion of Your Privacy. Stephen Pearcy’s razor vocals are spot on and (ex-Quiet Riot) guitarist Carlos Cavazo returns the vehement twin guitar attack to Ratt’s raw signature sound. The cantankerous bass tone and classic drum sound round out DeMartini’s heavy minor key changes that have always set them apart from other bands. These songs one-up their Halen-istic mentors, surviving peers and contemporaries. This album proves that writing the best songs of your career should never go out of style. Here’s your summer album, every song suggested."

HeavyMetal.about.com contends, "Infestation hearkens back to the band's glory days, with songs that match up with the best of their '80s canon. “Eat Me Up Alive” kicks things off with big hooks, a catchy chorus and sleazy riffs. “Best Of Me” continues the momentum and is also very memorable. New guitarist Carlos Cavazo fits in perfectly, and has the chops to keep up with original axeman Warren DeMartini. The rhythm section of original drummer Bobby Blotzerand bassist Robbie Crane (who has been in the band for almost 15 years now) is rock solid."

Sleazeroxx.com agrees, writing, "I was looking forward to Ratt's first studio album in over a decade, but after their average 1999 self-titled return I wasn't expecting too much. So it is with great pleasure to announce that not only has Infestation exceeded my expectations, it completely blew them out of the water! This may just be Ratt's best album since 1986's Dancing Undercover as it captures the band's signature sound perfectly and is heavier and dirtier than either Reach For The Sky or Detonator. I'm not sure what has lead to the re-energization of Ratt -- maybe it is the addition of Quiet Riot's Carlos Cavazo sharing guitar duties with Warren DeMartini -- but the 'rodent rockers' aren't just phoning this one in. No way, this sounds like a band that is hungry once again... it is the perfect return to form."

As posted on MTV.com, "Ratt drummer Bobby Blotzer has known Bret Michaels for nearly a quarter-century, and in that time, he's had more than his fair share of good times with the Poison frontman.

But when Michaels was rushed to the hospital last week after suffering a brain hemorrhage, the memories of those good times took a backseat to genuine concern for his friend's health.

In a statement to MTV News, Blotzer said that he was shocked to learn of Michaels' hospitalization, and hoped that his friend would recover quickly.

"The news of what happened to my friend of 24 years, Bret, came as a shock and with much anxiety," Blotzer said. "Bret is a gentleman and friend to not only his peers and close personal friends, but to all fans and people around the world. Speedy full recovery soon!"

As of Wednesday (April 28), Michaels remained in the intensive care unit at an undisclosed hospital, where he is in stable condition. His father told "Extra" that he had recently spoken to his son and that he sounded "a little slow, but fine." According to a statement posted on his official Web site Michaels has been undergoing a battery of tests while in the ICU, and that, as a result of the stroke, he has been diagnosed with a condition that could lead to severe seizures.

"Test results indicate a setback in Bret Michaels' condition, a side effect from the brain hemorrhage called hyponatremia; a lack of sodium in the body which leads to seizures," the statement reads. "Due to the severity of his condition, Bret Michaels continues to remain hospitalized in an intensive care unit at an undisclosed hospital."

As Ratt release their return-to-form crusher Infestation], we can't help but think of their nearly 30-year career: coming up on the Sunset Strip in the 80s and now coming full-circle in 2010.

To highlight their legendary status, we want any and all die-hard Ratt N' Rollers to dust off the old vinyl, pull out the old Ratt T-shirt and show your support for the band by sending in your authentic Ratt fan photos! It can be an old photo or new photo of an album you own, a vinyl record you champion, you in your favorite Ratt t-shirt, your Ratt tattoo… anything to show you are a Ratt fan for our ultimate Ratt N' Roll Slideshow!

Send your photos RIGHT HERE and stay tuned for our slideshow unveiling coming soon!

Infestation is out now! Don't tell us you didn't pick it up already?!

In honor of the release of their new album, Infestation, which hits stores on 4.20, RATT will be the featured guests on the nationally syndicated radio show ROCKLINE with host Bob Coburn on Wednesday 4/.21. The show kicks off at 8:30pm PT / 11:30pm ET.

Want to talk with RATT on the Rockline?  All you have to do is call in at 1-800-344-ROCK (7625) for your chance. For a station near you and for information regarding log on for the broadcast go here.