On November 8, BMG, in partnership with Rhino Entertainment, will release Out Of The Cellar 40th Anniversary, celebrating Ratt’s massively successful first studio album with Limited Edition versions which include an unreleased track, "Reach For The Sky", recorded during the 1983 Out Of The Cellar sessions.
Ahead of the release, Ratt singer Stephen Pearcy spoke with Greg Prato for AllMusic, discussing the album, the significance of the year in which it was originally released, and if the surviving Ratt members could ever reunite. An excerpt from the interview follows...
AllMusic: How did the 40th anniversary edition of Out Of The Cellar come about?
Stephen Pearcy: "It was talked about months and months ago. And I got wind of it and thought, 'Wow…OK!' Because the single that we released with it, I tried to get on the box set [The Atlantic Years: 1984-1991] last year. But this song was written for Out Of The Cellar, but never made the record. And I got it on there, finally. And I was very happy that I didn't go on the box set – we put 'Nobody Rides For Free' on that one."
AllMusic: How do you think that album holds up, listening to it 40 years later?
Pearcy: "I think it holds up. All I would have done now – or Beau Hill, who produced it – was give it more volume. And that's what we keep trying to do when you remaster – give it more 'oomph.' It sounds good. And it sounds better on the vinyl – analog."
Later in the chat, Greg Prato asks, "Some of the people I interviewed for one of my books, World Infestation: The Ratt Story, said that a reunited Ratt should have been included as part of the Stadium Tour a few years ago, with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Poison, and Joan Jett. Do you agree?"
Pearcy: "Of course. But I'm not the one… if it was a vote, of course not - I don't think Mötley would want to play after us. And that's how it would have settled up. We still have some kind of competition out there, y'know? We would consider it like, 'What? We're going to open up for you?' So yeah, we should have. It would have made sense. I mean, I don't care if you put us third, fourth, whatever – our motto was, 'Go out there and beat your ass, anyway.' And if they know you're playing first, they'll come and see you first, second, third, or whatever."
Read the full interview at AllMusic.
Formed in Los Angeles, Ratt was featured as an unsigned act on Uncle Joe Benson’s Local Licks Drive Time Show on KLOS-FM. This was their first time on radio and led to their signing to Atlantic Records.
Featuring the classic line up of Stephen Pearcy (vocals), Warren DeMartini (guitars), Robbin Crosby (guitars), Juan Croucier (bass/vocals), and Bobby Blotzer (drums), Ratt exploded on to the national scene in 1984 with the release of Out Of The Cellar.
Featuring an undeniable hook and legendary music video, the lead single “Round And Round” hit #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, while Out Of The Cellar reached #7 on the Billboard Top 200 and was certified triple platinum. Two more charting singles followed with “Back For More” and “Wanted Man”.
Out Of The Cellar became a huge success, and after the album was released, the band went on a world tour, selling out stadiums and arenas worldwide and sharing a stage with acts such as Ozzy Osborne, Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister and more.
This Limited Edition of Out Of The Cellar is being released in red and black splatter vinyl with a lenticular cover and an additional neon orange 7” with the unreleased track "Reach For The Sky", as well as a Limited Edition CD format with lenticular cover and unreleased track.
"Reach For The Sky" is now available for streaming below.
Out Of The Cellar tracklisting:
"Wanted Man" (Cristofanilli/Crosby/Pearcy)
"You’re In Trouble" (DeMartini/Pearcy/Crosby)
"Round And Round" (DeMartini/Pearcy/Crosby)
"In Your Direction" (Pearcy)
"She Wants Money" (Croucier)
"Lack Of Communication" (Croucier/Pearcy)
"Back For More" (Pearcy/Crosby)
"The Morning After" (DeMartini/Pearcy/Crosby)
"I’m Insane" (Crosby)
"Scene Of The Crime" (Crosby/Croucier)
Bonus Track:
"Reach For The Sky" (Crosby/Pearcy/Torien)
