This was fantastic, really enjoyed it, thank you. Like people have said, we all have that G (or a few) in our history. Thinking back to who I was hanging around at the age of 17 I could probably pinpoint at least one or two people who never grew out what they were back then.
In the 80’s I was still into Punk and disliked the ‘hair bands’ in real time but later I fully enjoyed the energy and entertainment they provided. The glam bands were all about appearance and not so much on messages or innovations in music. In the 70’s I loved the English bands like Mott the Hoople, Bowie with the Spiders from Mars, T-Rex, along with the Move... and an American up and comer like Alice Cooper (Love It To Death). When these Rogain groups hit the scene in the 80’s I felt it diluted the messages of Punk. Then Blondie and Patti Smith turned, the Ramones looked like a ragtag band (because they were but that was the beauty of them) and Executives found the coiffed, costumed with manicured nails to be better for the bottom line.
What really stung me was that they were right and I had to sulk my way through the 80’s but listened to the new breed of Punk... Social Distortion, Agent Orange, and the Adolescents which put a great and different spin on the genre.
I saw RATT when this album dropped forever ago, with Fastway opening and talking about how much they loved "girls with big tits and tight asses." High school me learned a lot that night. Love the entirety of OUT OF THE CELLAR. Why isn't RATT in the stupid Rock and Roll Hall of Fame based on "Round and Round" alone? Bon Jovi hasn't got a SINGLE SONG that amazing (or, hell, The Beatles). Anyway, I thank you.
This was fantastic, really enjoyed it, thank you. Like people have said, we all have that G (or a few) in our history. Thinking back to who I was hanging around at the age of 17 I could probably pinpoint at least one or two people who never grew out what they were back then.
Thank you so much, Mark! It’s amazing how many G.’s were (and still are) out there.
Love your writing style.
That’s very kind of you. Thank you!
The cutaway story in this video was brilliant.
Excellent piece!
In the 80’s I was still into Punk and disliked the ‘hair bands’ in real time but later I fully enjoyed the energy and entertainment they provided. The glam bands were all about appearance and not so much on messages or innovations in music. In the 70’s I loved the English bands like Mott the Hoople, Bowie with the Spiders from Mars, T-Rex, along with the Move... and an American up and comer like Alice Cooper (Love It To Death). When these Rogain groups hit the scene in the 80’s I felt it diluted the messages of Punk. Then Blondie and Patti Smith turned, the Ramones looked like a ragtag band (because they were but that was the beauty of them) and Executives found the coiffed, costumed with manicured nails to be better for the bottom line.
What really stung me was that they were right and I had to sulk my way through the 80’s but listened to the new breed of Punk... Social Distortion, Agent Orange, and the Adolescents which put a great and different spin on the genre.
I saw RATT when this album dropped forever ago, with Fastway opening and talking about how much they loved "girls with big tits and tight asses." High school me learned a lot that night. Love the entirety of OUT OF THE CELLAR. Why isn't RATT in the stupid Rock and Roll Hall of Fame based on "Round and Round" alone? Bon Jovi hasn't got a SINGLE SONG that amazing (or, hell, The Beatles). Anyway, I thank you.
Thank YOU, Christopher. And I’m totally not jealous you saw RATT in their heyday.
G was everywhere. That was a great write up.
My money is on Lay It Down. Same message though.
Thank you, Daniel. And you’re right: Lay It Down is vintage Ratt.
We all knew a G. I knew several, and they’re still back there, cranking Ratt and rolling joints. Bless their collective mulleted hearts.
Great piece.
(Hey, G: “Way Cool, Jr” from their follow-up was a much better song.)
Thanks so much for the kind words, Michael! G.s are everywhere, aren’t they? Hey hey, my my, glam and mullets will never die.