In 1980, to increase their chances of landing a recording contract with a major label, Ratt recorded a single which was given to fans at their early Los Angeles club shows. Crosby played with the band later in that year as another of the revolving cast. Guitarist Warren DeMartini, recommended by Lee, was recruited by the band in January 1982. Other members were in and out before the eventual arrival of drummer Bobby Blotzer and bass guitarist Juan Croucier who arrived having been playing in Dokken. Warren DeMartini was only 18 years old when he was called up to Los Angeles to join Ratt. At the time he was attending college in San Diego and though he was reluctant to drop out to join a band that had, to that point in time not exactly set the world on fire, he did eventually return in time for the recording of their first EP. Released in 1983, the band's self-titled EP sold over 100,000 records, and the band’s popularity grew on the L.A. club circuit, selling out multiple shows on weekends. This led to the band being signed by Atlantic Records, and the stage was set for Ratt to write and record their debut album, to be titled “Out of the Cellar”.
What I think I enjoy most about this album is that it surprises you with how it lulls you in, every time. The opening track, "Wanted Man", is like gentle waves rolling onto the beach. It doesn't come at you hard and fast, loud or blazing. It is subtle, starting with the riff and drums, but then just quietly beckoning you in with the clear guitar and Pearcy's opening vocals, before slowly building up over the opening three minutes. Even Warren de Martini and Robbin Crosby's opening solo break almost feels as though it is gently in the background, so as not to frighten anyone off. The final minute is the payoff, the song coming to a crashing conclusion with everyone turned up to ten. Juan Croucier's bass and Bobby Blotzer's drums take the reigns to start the next song, before everything comes together for "You're in Trouble" to showcase the band building to its zenith. That comes quickly with "Round and Round", the opening single from the album and arguably still the song that Ratt is most renown for. And it has everything, a great drum track from Blotzer, rumbling bass work from Croucier, exhilarating dual guitar harmonies from de Martini and Crosby and great vocals from Pearcy. It's still a treasure.
"In Your Direction" might be just your average rock song, but when you hear the brilliant lead break by both guitarists in the middle anything that may be average is completely forgiven. Quite superb. The faster and harder "She Wants Money" is another great example of a standard bearer Ratt song, that is only let down slightly by the simplified chorus of repeated versions of the title of the song. "Lack of Communication" is also highlighted by the marked guitar riff that runs through the song while Pearcy bullies his way through the vocals over the top. Tough sounding hair metal? Possibly an oxymoron. But in this case I think it describes it perfectly.
"Back For More" could be paired up with "Round and Round" as a sister-song. It is a re-recorded version of the same song that appeared on the band’s self-titled EP, given more attitude than the original, and still sounds great all these years later. Brilliant guitar solo breaks again dominate "The Morning After" and create the focal point of that track. The final two songs "I'm Insane" and "Scene of the Crime" were written by Robbin Crosby before he joined Ratt, and performed in his band Mac Meda (which had future Riverdogs vocalist Rob Lamothe). Both have a faster, more guitar-oriented sound to them, while also feeling more carefree in style and substance, and the versions here are more energetic than the originals. They act as an excellent conclusion to a terrific debut album.
My first introduction to Ratt was through my heavy metal music dealer, who furnished me with a C-90 cassette with the band’s follow up album to this one, “Invasion of Your Privacy” on one side, and Motley Crue’s “Shout at the Devil” on the other. A winning combination if ever there was one. And I listened to it a lot, so much so that it was necessary for me to then get a copy of this album. It came on a C-90 cassette with Motley Crue’s “Theater of Pain” on the other side, which wasn’t such a great pairing. However, the obvious comparison between Ratt’s two first albums always caused me trouble. Because many rate “Out of the Cellar” as the superior album. And there is enough here to back that assertion up. The opening tracks are terrific, and certainly “Round and Round” was a popular item both as a single and the music video that accompanied it. And the final four tracks I think are all excellent, with “Back for More” being the radio friendly track, followed by the heavier and guitar laden tracks “The Morning After”, “I’m Insane” and arguably my favourite “Scene of the Crime”. It’s a closing track that insists you must listen to the whole album again, tracks that a gold plated if you can create one.
Though I missed this when it was released back in 1984, as at the time I was yet to discover any form of metal music, I still felt the same excitement for this album and the band when I was first introduced to them a couple of years later. The first time I heard Stephen Pearcy's vocals I'm pretty sure I was hooked. And those guitars from Robbin Crosby and Warren de Martini are just superb, and given the great energy and musicianship on “Out of the Cellar”, there is little doubt that whenever I had first heard this album I would have found a kinship with it.
After 40 years, and having spent the last couple of weeks sampling its wares once again, I believe it still holds up despite the genre and age it was recorded in. The excellence of all five members of the band to me are the standout, and help make this album still great to listen to whenever I pull it off the shelves.
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