Hair metal icons Ratt have not released a new album since 2010’s Infestation, but that could potentially change in 2021. The band is currently working on new music in the studio and have vowed to have a new rhythm guitarist by next year.
It’s been a tumultuous handful of years for the band, who were mired in a legal battle with drummer Bobby Blotzer over the rights to the band name. During this time, two versions of the band existed, both of which endured a revolving door of lineup changes.
Currently, Ratt features longtime members Stephen Pearcy (vocals) and Juan Croucier (bass), alongside guitarist Jordan Ziff and drummer Pete Holmes, who both joined in 2018. In that same year, a judge also dismissed Blotzer’s trademark infringement claim surrounding the Ratt name.
At the tail of last year, Percy confirmed he had “about 15 songs” written for a new record and now more progress is underway, per an update provided on the band’s Facebook page (post below).
The statement reads, “Ratt’s in the cellar! Founder, lead, singer Stephen Pearcy (pictured) with lead guitarist Jordan Ziff on new music at Pearcy’s, while Juan Croucier (bassist, vocalist for Ratt) has renovated updated his Cellar Studios for the band to go in, rehearse and work on new music. Pearcy and Croucier agree, ‘It’s time to kick some ass. We’ll be ready to go with a rhythm guitarist and new Ratt music 2021.’ As for getting back to doing concerts? ‘We’re so eager to get out there and play again.’ You’ve got to Ratt ‘n’ Roll with the punches, its nothing new for the relentlessly unyielding quintet.”
In a summer that was supposed to feature a Motley Crue/Def Leppard co-headlining tour, with additional support from Poison, Ratt were staging their own tour loaded with some hair metal’s other biggest names — Cinderella‘s Tom Keifer, Skid Row and Slaughter. Then came a global pandemic that shut down the touring industry.
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