Ratt

Ho boy, I could really go off on a rant here...well, when it comes to pretty-boy metal, these guys led the pack in the early '80s. I remember an interview where one of the members said that given the choice between a mediocre but good-looking guitarist, versus a guitar virtuoso who was butt-ugly, he would hire the good-looking guy. (Case in point: Guitar wiz Jake E. Lee, who played with Ozzy Osbourne for a long time, was kicked out of this band for not being much to look at.) Pretty much sums up where they stand.

"Ratt" (1st EP; CDR)

  1. "Sweet Cheater" (2:41)
  2. "You Think You're Tough" (3:56)
  3. "U Got It" (3:02)
  4. "Tell the World" (3:15)
  5. "Back for More" (5:16)
  6. "Walkin' the Dog" (3:36)

I was hanging out in the Seismic Radio IRC channel, when the DJ played a track from this album, the band's first EP. I had no idea this had made it to CD!! Well, as it turns out, it WAS issued on CD, but only for a VERY limited time, and a quick check on eBay proved that it's become quite a collector's item, selling in the $40-50 range. Thankfully, the DJ took pity on me, and sent me a FREE CDR COPY, complete with full artwork!

Now, about the music...well, this is a damn fine EP, with the song "You Think You're Tough" becoming a major MTv hit after "Out of the Cellar" was released (although it got serious radio airplay beforehand.) "Tell the World" appeared on the original crappy vinyl edition of Metal Massacre, but was deleted on the CD reissue. "Back for More" is an earlier version of the OOTC recording, much more laid-back and with some annoying "boing!" noises from the bass player. "Walkin' the Dog" is an old blues standard that's also been recorded by Aerosmith.

"Out of the Cellar"

  1. "Wanted Man" (3:37)
  2. "You're in Trouble" (3:16)
  3. "Round and Round" (4:22)
  4. "In Your Direction" (3:30)
  5. "She Wants Money" (3:04)
  6. "Lack of Communication" (3:52)
  7. "Back for More" (3:42)
  8. "The Morning After" (3:30)
  9. "I'm Insane" (2:54)
  10. "Scene of the Crime" (4:54)

This is really the only (full-length) Ratt album worth mentioning...everything else they've done is pure SHIT!! The songs here are fairly simple but catchy (in a good way, I suppose) -- "Round and Round" was their big video hit.

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