Stephen Pearcy Announces 40th Anniversary Of RATT Solo Shows
Friday, August 2, 2024 at 12:34PM The other day, Stephen Pearcy shared a nice post on his Facebook, looking back on his 40 years as the singer of RATT. He talks about album sales, Robbin Crosby, and a new single called "Reach for the Sky" written during the Out of the Cellar days!
Here's the post:
“Backstage Blast”, “Reach for the Sky”! In 1984 with heavy touring with Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Squire, festivals with Iron Maiden, ZZ Top, Twisted Sister, to name a few, to headlining our own
shows everyday of the week touring the world, I receive my first gold and platinum records for our debut album, RATT “Out of the Cellar”.
With our first single “Round and Round”, that is still played today and in the main stream of tv, movies and commercials is insane really. The album sold 2 1/2 million records in the US alone by the end of the year 1984. To date well over 5 million records, probably more worldwide. The album was top ten, but took months to get there, entering the Billboard top 200 at #146, if correct. Eventually peaking at #7. Thank you everybody, and a new program called MTV.
Btw, the band was just happy to be signed to major label, and that was Atlantic Records. As Robbin and I use to say, “Good enough for The Stones and Zeppelin, good enough for RATT”. To think back then in 1984 we were just happy to get a full length record out as the Sunset Strip scene was exploding. That we were founding members, the OG’s of the Sunset Strip Experience, and we did.
Decades later as I celebrate the 40 year anniversary of the “OOTC” album, I’m playing the record in its entirety at certain events. The first time ever done by myself or the band RATT through out our career.
Now forty years (40 Fkn Years!) later 2024, RATT will be releasing a New single included in the New Anniversary RATT Vinyl Boxset to be released before years end. The new song? The new RATT single is titled “Reach for Sky”.
It’s important to note that the new single was a song written and recorded in 1983, when recording the debut album “Out of the Cellar”. It was just never included on the record or ever released.
After much searching, the song was found, remixed and now four decades later will be released as a new RATT single on the New 40th Anniversary Ratt Boxset 2024 from BMG. “Reach for the Sky”!
“It’s crazy to think now, no mater how many platinum albums year after year to date I’m still awarded, these “OOTC” awards mean the most to me. We accomplished something that most groups or artists then, or these days will ever be able to do, unless very very lucky. It’s all about the million single downloads now. Not the full album and that sucks. I’m totally appreciative of our accomplishments and success to this day. But how long I’ll continue to carry the RATT banner I can’t say. It has been a hell of a party these past forty plus years. I still love hanging with the ratt n’ rollers to this day and love hearing about it at my meet n’ greets. I only wish Robbin “King” Crosby were here to see the impact his band RATT has had with people for so many years. But I think he knows, he keeps reminding me to tell the world.
Reader Comments (3)
Last year, I purchased The Atlantic Years box set (on sale). Great packaging. Nice extras. Five LPs. And, like you, I already own all of then on CD and tape (though some of those tapes are showing their wear and tear).
Thing is, that set was also released by BMG. And Pearcy boasted about it in April 2023?!?! So, I am not sure what is going on. Is Pearcy having issues? I can't fathom them releasing a new box set with one new song this soon after having already released a great box set. And, even if they did, I am with Stu: no way in heck I am going to shell out for another set with just one song (that likely didn't make the cut initially). It isn't like they had a classic slab of pure metal and it fell on the floor, rolled under a desk, and people forgot it existed.
Head scratcher. And hard pass (if Pearcy is to be believed here).
Sobriety is treating Steve really well..