Magazine article - Guitar Player 1987

With Magnificent Energy and determination, Ratt has gnawed its way straight to the top of the hard rock / heavy metal heap. Much of this success is owed to the fiery twin guitarmanship of Warren De Martini and Robbin Crosby.

Just six years ago De Martini, Crosby, singer Stephen Pearcy, drummer Bobby Blotzer, and bassist Juan Croucier were all sharing dreams of stardom as they slept on the floor of a converted garage in Los Angeles; their pillows nestled against Marshall stacks. Their self-funded Ratt EP caught the attention of Atlantic Records, which released Out of the Cellar in 1984. Spurred by the hit “Round and Round,” the album sold more than 3 million copies. During that year’s World Infestation Tour the band played 205 concerts for “1,537,534 screaming rodents.” 1985’s Invasion Of Your Privacy scored a Top-10 hit with “Lay It Down.” Last year the band issued Dancing Undercover and made its motion picture debut performing in Eddie Murphy’s The Golden Child. At press time “Dance” was well on its way to becoming a major hit.

What makes Ratt’s guitar sound special? “Warren has a good sense for a big flurry of notes, whereas I go for nice, clean, melodic solos,” explained Robbin in the Aug. ’84 Guitar Player. “He can blow their minds out with the full guitar-hero speed trip, and I’m a slowhand who can pretty much cover what he doesn’t do.” “That’s true,” Warren concurs: “He’s more of a feel player, where I’m an ‘if it ain’t fast, it ain’t got class’ kind of guy.” To date, Ratt has never recorded anything even vaguely resembling a ballad.