Ratt - You're In Love

There is no right way for a band to become successful, but there is a wrong (or hard) way: burst onto the scene with a huge first album before a strong fan base has been established.  While it is not the kiss of death, successful first albums can lead to oversized expectations and pressure that can be hard to live up to.  This likely hurt the careers of The Knack, The Outfield, The Hooters, and Young MC among many others.

Viewed from this perspective, Ratt didn't do half bad.  True, their first album (1984's Out of the Cellar) was their commercial peak, but they were able to maintain a significant amount of success all through the eighties, helped by the popularity of pop metal and their generally solid music videos.

The origins of Ratt go back to the mid 1970s when Mickey Ratt was formed by singer Stephen Pearcy.  The band went through a series of lineup changes, and eventually became regulars on the LA Sunset Strip scene.  Ratt's 1983 independent EP sold well, which led to a major label contract, a video with Milton Berle, and no small amount of success.

"You're In Love" was the second single of the group's 1985 LP, Invasion of Your Privacy.  The video features mostly live footage, and was filmed at shows in Mississippi and Louisiana in August 1985.  The single only reached #89 on the charts, while the album peaked at a strong #7.

Ratt maintained its string of successful albums through the 1980s, before breaking up in the early 1990s.  There have been several reunions since the late 1990s, but none with the classic lineup.  (Sadly, original lead guitarist Robbin Crosby died of a drug overdose in 2002).  A version of the group appears to be together as of this writing.

Coll trivia fact:  Ratt was very nearly a one hit wonder.  While "Round and Round" hit #12, the band's only other top 40 single was "Lat It Down," which reached ... #40.

Cool trivia fact #2:  Jake E. Lee (later of Ozzy Osbourne and Badlands) and Marq Torien (BulletBoys) were both briefly members of Ratt in the early 1980s, while Michael Schenker was briefly a member in the early 1990s.