RATT first came on the scene in the early eighties and wasted no time carving their own niche into Los Angeles’ highly competitive music scene. Even to this day, the band’s name and musical legacy remain ingrained in the fabric of the Sunset Strip’s most notorious era. The members of this extraordinary band are living proof that some people listen to rock n’ roll and some have it coursing through their veins. Such is the case with legendary drummer Bobby Blotzer. Celebrating his 28th year in RATT, Blotzer has provided the crushing backbeat to the band’s biggest hits and shows no signs of slowing down. As the band prepares to unleash it’s 7th studio album, ‘Infestation,’ Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon sat down with the infamous drummer to discuss the new album, his thoughts on the band’s longevity, his autobiography ‘Tales of a RATT: Things You Shouldn’t Know’ and much more!
Seeing how RATT has been together now for over two decades, what do you attribute to the longevity of the band?
Great, catchy hit songs played well. Definitely well crafted, catchy, hook heavy songs. That’s the key.
Well, we were back together touring and we had been talking about a way to do a record. Tom Lipsky, the President of Loud and Proud, that’s his own label, I guess they were merging with Roadrunner. He saw us at the House of Blues show, we had a great show, he loved it and said “You guys need to record. You guys have way too many great songs, I don’t know what you’re into now but I’d love to hear it and I’d love to offer you a record deal.” Then that took about a year and a half to consummate.
Going into it did you have any reservations about tackling a new album with RATT?
No, not really. I mean personally I have a lot of songs that I write, and everybody else probably had some of their own. By the time we got into writing as a band there was a lot of stuff and the producer just took what we were going to work on, out of a big pool. I wrote seven songs for the record and I ended up with two on the record, and everybody just kind of put in their “best of” you know?
This is the first time you have recorded outside of Los Angeles, how did that come about?
Our producers got a studio over in Virginia Beach right on the beach itself, he wanted us to do it there because it’s an account for the studio and he’s used to the studio. It’s pretty much removed from the city itself which I liked, it’s out on this peninsula island. It’s a white sand beach, beautiful water and the tracking room had a big double slider on it so you could see the white sand and water. It was inspiring, very relaxing and we were all staying at this home. He had like 6 rooms with tv and phone in each, it was almost like 6 little hotel rooms inside that house that he built the studio addition onto. So it was fun, we’d get up first thing and have our coffee and start rolling. By one o’clock we’d be rollin tape and we’d record till about eight or nine at night and then we’d start barbecuing. It was pretty bitchin’ actually! [laughs]
The biggest challenge, in my opinion, was getting on the same page as Stephen (Pearcy), Warren (DeMartini) and Bobby (Crane) business-wise. That would be the biggest challenge.
Do you have a typical song writing process that you go about? I know you said you write separately, but how does that come together?
Well I would like to see it in a different way, because there’s not enough getting together and writing together. I would say that’s not because of me because I like to collaborate. We collaborate when everybody’s stuff is brought into the studio and we’re rearranging and tightening it up. It’s not a situation of “Hey Warren you wanna come over for a couple days and we’ll write a couple songs and then I’ll come over to your place?” He and Stephen did that for a little bit but I don’t know how great that went. But the record is great! And I don’t know, whatever we do as dysfunctional as it is, we always come up with good shit! [laughs] It’s the RATT way you know?
So starting out, you accomplished what you were looking for with this record then?
Yes. That and more. Yes, I was very pleased. Because you never know, with Stephen it’s not like we write the songs and work them up and rehearse them as a full song. We know what the choruses are, we don’t know what he’s doing until he gets in there. He’ll be down there writing melodies and lyrics and stuff while we’re working the songs up so you never really know what’s going on.
Obviously you’ve been involved with the record from day one, but where do you think this stacks up against your previous releases with RATT?
Now you brought in Carlos Cavazo for this record, what did he bring into the mix, in your opinion?
Well he’s real easy to work with, it’s like he just wants to learn. It’s like he is Switzerland. Rob is Canada. Me, Stephen and Warren are Russia, Germany and Korea. I don’t know. [laughs] It helps to keep things going in a metal way. Carlos had a couple of song ideas that ended up on the record. The first one, “Best of Me” is now a single. He’s very open minded, that’s what I like about him and Robbie in general.
We’re touring, we’ve got a bunch of shows going all through April and a bunch in May that are kind of fly-out stuff. Then, June 8th we leave for Europe for six weeks. Playin all these huge festivals all over the place over there. We’ll come back here and there’s a big tour coming out. Actually I’m sitting here talking to you and I’m hearing “Click, click”, it’s e-mails coming in and I’m waiting for news of the announcement of this tour that we’re going to be doing starting in July and into August. It’s going to be a big tour. And I just got this announcement! I can let you in on, the Scorpions are who we’re going to be touring with this year.
Is that going to be a U.S. tour?
Yes, a U.S. tour later with the Scorpions. But anyhow, once we go through summer here and Europe and then back here we’re going to go through South America, Australia, Japan and Canada.
Looking back what do you feel your defining moment as a musician has been, with RATT or in general?
You’ve seen the music industry change so much, what advice would you give someone who wants to get into music like you have?
You know I’m really drawn to the show “American Idol”, I’ve watched every season, every show. Because I am emotionally attached so much to every person that’s on that show, good or bad, and their strive to make it. It is that this one giant brass ring that they’ve got their hand on and they are really trying to get their other hand on it. That show in happiness and sadness moves me, it wells my eyes up sometimes because I get so happy for them and I feel so sad for them. To see all that talent and see that emotion in them, it’s real. That’s fuckin the real deal. I’ve had so many arguments with people that roll their eyes at it or talk about it like it’s some fuckin gumball show. I’m like “You don’t really get it man. You see that dude? That’s you, and that’s your brother, that’s all of us right there that are just aspiring to be something in their life.” That’s going for the holy grail, some of them are gettin it and some of them aren’t. You get to live that be watching them on television, going from nothing to be seen every week and maybe gettin canned but yet some go on to super star global status that’s just out of this world. I just wish everybody, so much luck in hitting their dreams, I really do.
In getting back to the music real quick, you said you’d written seven songs for ‘Infestation’ and two appear on the album. What is the fate of that other material, would you be using it for other projects in the future?
I am. I’m going to come back after this tour and do a solo record. I acquired www.bobbyblotzer.com, which had been taken for years by somebody who was always trying to get me to buy from them. I’m like “No look person whoever you are, I am not going to give you a nickle and buy my own site.” It came up and I snagged it, I’m using it to advertise. I have a book that I’m going to be selling and collectibles for fans: sticks and signed drum heads. I’m going to start putting music out through it, cds and stuff. That’s my next move. I’d like to do another Saints of the Underground record with my friends Keri Kelly and Jani Lane. We had a great record a year and a half ago, we sold about six thousand records but we never got to play it live and I’d like to do another project because those guys are great players.
Let’s talk a little bit about your autobiography. How did that come about, what’s it called and what can you tell us?
So nobody has anything to worry about right now?
I don’t think so! [laughs] There were people that were in my life that were integral, that I had to include, but it’s nothing that’s too scandalous, well, we’ll see. [laughs] I mean, everyone that has read the book really loves it, so, we’ll see. [laughs] And we’ll be taking pre-orders starting Monday (March 15th) on www.bobbyblotzer.com and it’ll be shipped the day the record ships, which is April 20th.
Is there anything else you’d like to talk about or anything you’d like to say to your fans before we wrap this up?
I always appreciate meeting everyone out there and everybody buying the records and the tickets and coming out and supporting the band. Because we would definitely be nowhere without you guys. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. And I just got this announcement that I can let you in on, the Scorpions are who we’re going to be touring with this year.
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Be sure to swing by Bobby Blotzer’s official site, www.bobbyblotzer.com, for all the latest news and to order his new book ‘Tales of a RATT: Things You Shouldn’t Know.”
Visit RATT’s official site at www.therattpack.com.
What great news, and an awesome interview !! If you fans had yet to have an opportunity to meet/party with Bobby, make it a priority !! Blotz is a genuine person who really cares about us, FANS !! Bob, thanks for taking the time to stop and drink a beer with us and entertain us on and off stage !! Forever grateful and RATT and ROLL always !!!
~Guido and Kelrock !!!
fellow Shiprockers ’09
Excellent interview, looking forward to their new album. Can’t wait.
Bought the new Ratt album and it is absolutely terrific. It is so nice to hear guitar solos again in an album and it sounds like 80’s Ratt, this is a surprisingly good album. It doesn’t come across as a grab for cash reunion album, this is the real deal.