 Back on the show. Oh, yeah, Steven Peirce rat. What's going on Steven? How are you doing? Good? Good? Good? Good great news B&G in partnership with rhino entertainment announces the Atlantic years limited edition box set celebrating rats massively successful period the five studio albums with our gold platinum multi-plan them and I guess first question is Okay What are people going to get with this box set that they haven't gotten in the past? What kind of goodies are we looking at? Well first we've never really put out a box that you know Ironically enough, it's the 40th year anniversary of the band EP so realistically Next year will be the 40th year But it's the 40th year and I think it's great that it came out, you know on the 40th Yeah, yeah, I mean so what would you say that I know there's I'm looking at So this is first time on vinyl right these as a box set on vinyl Yeah, right and nobody rides for free which was on point break with Keanu Reeves and Patrick sways Yeah That song is now available on this box set as well, right? It's its own 12 inch single and and and the Um the box set is that it has all kinds of groovy shit in there. It's got like a poster a great poster It's got a past pick A booklet tourbook it's got all kinds of stuff in there So we kind of threw in everything but the kitchen sink, you know And it's remastered as well. I'm assuming right remastered as well and everybody in the band I say it's funny. It's unfortunate. We there is no rat reunion or possibly never will be You're gonna get that out of the way right away. You're gonna get that right out of the way Yeah, because our drummers out there doing some things and I think to helping out with this and He's saying that you know, he's putting the word out there's Hope I hate giving hope because I've been a solo artist for so long And then I I just decided look if I can't bring the guys together, which I've tried I'm not gonna beat a dead rat and per se and and Push the topic. So I pretty much say The only reunion you're getting is Everybody was involved with this box set in some way or another whether giving them personal photos and And and that's way cool. I took robins You know, I took robins, uh, gig and and gave what I thought he would like in there, you know So you talked to de martini and you talked to everybody had a little bit of input into this, right a little bit Yeah, I didn't talk to him. I haven't talked to you know, uh, warranted ages and and that's unfortunate too. Um But you know, I talked to bobby occasionally and then there's You know, no more discussions left but to each his own and it's been a great ride and and maybe The band was only supposed to be Available and out there for that term those five records. That's why I think it's really important to this box set Is that it's it's the real true rat There's you know, because we made other records and we came close But we'll never it'll never get to where it should have been Without the station here There you go this guy right here. Well, there you go right there, you know, it's cool We can bring in other guitarists all day long and other You know anybody in the band, but without me. I I think it's futile Um, but it just didn't you know what we can do it and and suffice and appease and And but it doesn't work and it didn't work even Warren and I when we were making one of those records I think it was the yellow one Um, we said well, we came close but no cigar, you know So we kind of all know, you know, we can do this all day long You know, look my solo bends out there just kicking ass and and and it's me singing and the songs we wrote I wrote and away we go. How long I'm going to be doing this. I don't know. So I'm just enjoying doing doing what I'm doing and and literally Just saying here you want to rat and roll I'm around and and this box set That's why the box set to me is is is important. It's it's the five guys the five records The 80s and thank you very much, you know Um, what about the publishing and the masters? Do you own those now or that's still owned by Atlantic or some other group? I don't discuss those. Okay. All right. No, I mean because you hear you're promoting it. So maybe there is, you know A contract in place, but we won't discuss that. All right. It's fair enough. Fair enough. Yeah, I was just serious there's obviously Benefits to each his own, you know, the writers, etc. But You know that that's about it, you know, I mean because the blog is is what it is, you know What about the very very proud of the legacy, you know, that's that's what all I can say, you know And you should be and you should be you know as I was kind of like going through all the albums You guys were on fire man, you guys were literally on fire, you know album It's a quality in each, you know each album had its own little sort of distinct You know tone to it and they're all quality albums. Those five are great legacy, man, you know Yeah, we had a great like I say it was a great ride, you know, I I We learned quite a lot or I learned quite a lot and have great advice Uh, you know, but you know, you live and learn we had a great time and and I think Yeah, you know, there's really not much to say there, but we did what we did and we always did our best and Hey, that's rat and roll, you know, I mean, we're not the most dysfunctional band on the planet But pretty pretty close Pretty pretty close. Why was the ep not sort of put with the box set? Like, I mean, is that What's gonna happen with that the ep? Good question the ep doesn't belong to to those guys over there at atlantic and and it belongs to robin and myself Soon enough and I'm gonna release it on vinyl limited edition probably the end of the year Okay, all right. Good. Oh, I had a Ackigee not the atlantic version because we did release ep on atlantic for a moment Are there gonna be any extras on the ep that you're gonna include or going all the way back to the original? I'm going to the original as it should have been, you know And maybe only make a hundred thousand available because at the time What got us the deal besides the band being a great rock band and and You know, it got assigned um The ep sold like 80 to a hundred thousand back in 83 independently on on our managers that So I might find those realistic numbers and that's all i'm gonna release You know make it something special, you know, not just throw it out there, you know So so i'm hearing talk about the sunset strip experience tour What what what does that mean like what's that going to entail? Well, the sunset strip experience uh was created because You know the 80s were such an important part in the music business You can call it what you want now hair metal this It doesn't bother me because the minute you say a hair metal you're going to the 80s Um, there were a lot of great bands and and I love it that some of these bands now are embracing it Instead of trying to shy away from it because a lot of bands did they didn't even want to be associated with the 80s Because they were intimidated by the 90s or these bands or whatever. I'm not I could give a shit, you know I'm embracing the 80s. So we created this uh sunset strip experience To move forward with or without me and and my point being It it'll probably end up being its own residency with 80s bands and and and Way much more involved. I mean you'll hear about it soon enough Just go to official steven percy.com and then we'll be putting tidbits out It's taken a quite a while to establish. So I decided this year next year We're going to put that out there and I'm and I love it that these bands are you know promoters are Understanding that it works, you know, there's and a lot of bands aren't around anymore. I mean even chicks is pulling out Uh, unfortunately great band Atlantic brothers records brothers So, you know as we're all dropping like flies and bands are breaking up and there's like one original member and You know that shit doesn't work with me So I decided let's embrace the 1980s and let people in on the the experience the whole the whole trip You know and have these bands who are still available Uh Do these shows that I have Upcoming and next year will be pretty much the the beginning of it all and and My point being is there are so many tribute cover bands out there your van Halen's your motley's your rats your your Leopard your you name it I mean when we're gone those guys are going to be representing The decade of decadence the the that strip experience So we've got a whole plan Uh coming at you for next year And and we're developing it. It's taking time. So while I'm out there as a solo artist I'm letting people know there's some good stuff coming and maybe I'll even be presenting Without giving too much away The the best van Halen motley rat whatever tribute bands and they'll be The sunset strip experience, you know, you follow me So in other words just high high level without giving too much away It would be something similar to you go to vegas and there's a whole You know, maybe it's like a day of residency right something But it would be the sunset experience in vegas or something like that, right? You've got it. You got it And it's yeah, it just didn't happen overnight. We it took a couple it took a while to to Kind of develop and and then we created this company. That's a literally a metaverse Interactive Company in this building that's phenomenal and the company is called vami v a m i e And we're putting on a 1980s sunset strip experiences Concerts experience concerts next year with whatever bands are available still in the 80s kicking it out there And I'll be your wonderful host and maybe I'll get d I mean, we're talking a lot of we're talking to a lot of people to be to host these to host the the concerts, you know And and but that's a whole another thing. I mean, I love certain parts of the business and one is creating and developing But you'll be able to reach, you know, I'll be able to reach 250 000 people all over the world. I'll have a 300 c capacity audience And anything goes I don't even need to explain it you go on the site and get it A lot of people get it and some people are still going is that green screen? No, it's not it's far beyond You know throwing up a green screen as it's it's literally taking one of 250 000 people and saying have a seat right here We're gonna chit chat and then you're gonna see It's quite amazing actually quite amazing um If you don't mind me asking Have you inspired people with your struggle when you you sort of got into remission in cancer? I mean, do people come up to you and say a a lot of artists, you know when they they go through that struggle And again, only if you're comfortable talking about it. I don't want to impose Sure. Well, you know what? It's ironic you bring that up and I'm glad you did I just you know I I do my cameos and one of the best things I love about the the cameo is I can get personal with our audience who are struggling with you know, uh disease or addiction and and I'll be Straight up because you know, I've been sober for years and and and I'm going through this remission thing and and I talked to Somebody yesterday who was he's on his you know last leg with colon cancer and he just wanted to chat and His buddy wanted me to chat him up and play wanted man and I did you know and That's what I love about that. So yeah, I love getting you know in touch With with these people who who really need, you know, attention and and advice and and just even the bullshit Um, because hey, you only live twice, right? What can people expect on your set list when they see you live? Okay, you're on the monsters of rock crews recently, right? Oh, yeah, it was brilliant. It was bright. Yeah. Yeah Well with that everything and everything I can throw at you, but there's only so many Songs I can play but the best thing about my solo band is You know, I can do a cover song. I can play a priest Now we're spent a zeppelin. I mean look, I'm out there to have a great time You know, I don't want to beat you on the head with rap music all day But I do have to play certain songs, you know, or people get a little uptight But but it's way cool, you know You can expect a great band. We sound good. It's sounding better and better and uh A good time, you know I'm excited. Okay, let's do this. Let's go quickly through all the albums in the box And just give me a memory from each one. Okay, sure. All right And just to tell you I bought this when it came out Okay, this is not from the box that this is look a little a little canadian stamp there. You see that Ah, interesting. Hey You see that? Well, all right some some pros and cons when you were recording this album Oh Okay, good and bad, you know like man, I didn't like that part, but I love this part Well, sure. I don't think there's any cons the only con I can see on there is we wrote a song called reach for the sky And it was Recorded along with the rest of the The songs for out of the seller and it didn't make it and I I just came upon it. I actually wanted it in the box set It was written Myself robin and joey chris panelli who was our bass player in early 83 When uh, crucier was ping ponging around. I didn't know if he wanted to be in docking and and Maybe so anyway, we ended up writing this great. Oh, no, you know what? I'll take that back It was mark treene Oh mark bullet boys. Okay He it was him who sat in with the band when war was ping pong and it was really interesting Period because everybody was ping ponging around trying to find their place In you know, you know the scene and here robin and I were just trying to establish create this band rats Uh, so anyway, we wrote this great song and the con That You just you just froze hold on you're freezing. Yeah, he's trying to call me Okay I just got rid of all right Go ahead Okay, the pros and cons of out of the seller. Okay. Well It was all pro number one because we were just happy to be signed uh, and You know as robin would say if it's good enough for Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin Atlantic Records It's good enough for rat. All we wanted to do was go go plastic We didn't you know platinum and gold and all of this was okay You got to work for that But we just wanted a record out and then we were introduced to the staff's producer who was new and bow hill and The pros about that besides bow and rat the guys actually creating what we created for many years and That was a pro going into the studio. I mean everything about it was There was nothing bad about it. We busted our ass. We we gave them everything we had uh, the con is That there was a song called reach for the sky That was written and recorded it with all the other songs round and round, etc That didn't make it and I actually wanted it on the box set this box set, but it didn't go down So i'm gonna make sure it gets released soon enough. Um, but it was written by uh, myself robin and If i'm correct uh, mark terine who was a guitar player pretty much in Early 83 and he sat in with the band rat and played shows roxy trubidor Etc when worn didn't you know, we had already brought worn in But everybody was trying to grab him docking and everybody was just flip flopping ping pong and Uh back then trying to find their their place but that song has to come out and You know, I ended up using the title for a record later And we'll get to that Was there any was there any mysterious player? Like you said mark that was sort of part of that first album that didn't get credit Or should have gotten credit or Yeah, there was some little legalities going on there with robin and his his old band Uh, uh a couple of his guitar player or his guitar player that didn't get credit through a typo or something We got a little grief for that had to deal with that legally, but hey whatever shit, you know those first albums That's how it's like right. All right. Then we go to album number two, right? Invasion to privacy Oh, okay. Well invasion. That's what we Really found our footing And we did we worked hard on that record I believe we had a studio a portable studio Took a break in japan If if i'm correct that record But i mean warren coming up with You know lay it down and and those songs are just incredible bow actually got his footing you know and we We had literally bow and myself Learned how to create this He calls it the steezy voice You know because there was a certain way I record and I still use his schematics to this day On anything I record. It's just the way it is. It just became a natural thing And we we kicked ass with that record. I mean it got a we thought it was a little too polished You know But We were very happy with the outcome and to this day all those songs are the best songs in the set Or my yeah, I would I remember you know being a teenager and I was in florida with vacation with my parents at the time And when lay it down came on the radio mad it just like burst out of the speakers That riff that opening riff is just That opening riff just ass kicking and then when you come in it's just Perfectly done. That's all I'm saying, you know, thank you. Yeah, I love that record. You know, I I Yeah, we we uh, I don't believe there were any leftovers from out of the cellar that that made that record At all I'd have to have it it would have to have it in front of me to to really get into it But and what I like about you guys, it's always a co-write, you know, most of the times, you know There's everybody's contributing and I think that is what you started off with it was five guys with those five albums that was rat and and I think That was the beauty of rat. Yeah, and and you know, we we I mean, I regret and have advice Always when it comes to writing and co-writers and publishing and this and that these days because you learn hey Should you really get credit for Going bomb bomb bomb That doesn't constitute Any real credit as a writer So we decided hey all for a while, you know all for one one for all for the four main guys who wrote except for bobby And that was a big mistake, but you know what hey, you know, shit happens You know all right. Here we go rocking and rolling There we go. It's the next one dancing undercover. Yeah dancing. Well, um dancing that record And I think people get it You know, we consciously Robin and myself and I believe warren Really wanted to get back to in between The ep and seller Because we thought invasion got a little too polished So we wanted that record to be a little rougher And I think it we did our job, you know, it's a great record. There's some good song record. Yeah Were there the suits the suits of atlantic record saying look at guys. These are your chart numbers We need a hit here. We need a hit there. Uh, it's it's quarter end. We need another hit Yeah, they They were smart enough to not bother us with that. I mean because they had we had Working our asses off out there on the road 250 plus shows, you know a year if not more um But no, they knew better than to bother us with that and let us do what we did We wrote our own hits and we'll get to that later when we get to albums But uh, dana is is a good record. We wanted it to be rougher and I think Hey, you even got into the body talk on into eddie murphy's at the golden child You had miami vice episode with dance, you know, there you go. What else can you ask for right? Yeah, weird science I believe right what as long made it in there too from dance, uh dancing No, that was wanted Yeah, uh, then you you opened up for I'm not sure if you were support But poison tours Cinderella tour cheap trick tour queens rite tour and vinny vents an invasion tour. So that's pretty that's pretty Well, okay, there's one thing that rat did we picked great opening acts We didn't give a shit how good they were how colorful and it just didn't we didn't care From day one We decided we have no competition. I mean look we were running around with motley so early on in the scene And and I appreciate when people recognize that The wall, you know the wasp motley rat These early 80s 80s bands were the real guys from the sunset strip because as The genre got popular You know, you started getting into the cookie cookie cutter bands, right? Yeah, the many motley's many rats many leopard many and so you know what I mean So be it so it's nice to it's uh for people to go Oh, yeah, those are the real guys from from the who started that scene, you know I blame I blame it all on van halen. Yes Well, I mean we can get to that too, but the gladiators Okay, explain to people what were the gladiators who are the gladiators? I have a great story about that. Uh, the gladiators were, you know, robin and I It knew we had to hit the strip We you had to be seen, you know and and we went out and we uh stumbled upon motley guys, right And I don't know if we went and saw him at a show in like 82 or something a early 83 No, it had to have been 82. I believe And we became friends and like really tight so we would all go out together It would be nicky vince tommy robin myself And we would hit the strip and just fuck it up You know and we decided to call ourselves the gladiators and robin was great at nick names So he gave everybody a nickname like I I don't know if Nicky Gave robin the the king What he did himself, but anyway it fit him perfectly But anyway robin, he named everybody vince was filled marshal. I was rat leader A rap patrol leader. Nicky was nicky leader six, you know, I mean tommy was Uh He had some weird Huh stallion No He had some weird name like uh, like a filled marshal kind of a trip name But anyway, it was just a fun kind of tag And it came from Now dig this and I actually have the original ticket Is I was booking I was our agent and everything back in the early days when I moved the band micky rat up to la in 1980 Because Ed van Halen's advice to me Go to moot moot halla so anyway We had this show at the troubadour and we've been playing there a couple times and dug weston the owner He uh told me one time he goes. I don't like the name rat anymore Yeah, I want you to you guys can't play here anymore unless you change your name and I'm like What the fuck I'm gonna change it and we've already played here Who we we you know Shitloads of people come in you're only paying us a hundred fucking dollars anyway, right? So he made me change the name. So I went, you know, let's fuck it I'm gonna call the the band the gladiators and I I really wish I had it in front of you because I could actually show it to it I'll put it up on the side later just because of this but um He made me change the name of rat to the gladiators I mean literally on the ticket gladiators. And so I found it. I had a rat stamp made r att So when I got the tickets that you had to sell I'd we'd stamp everyone with rats so people would know it was a rat But as far as he was concerned it was gladiators. So what happens? Anyway, people are like rat rat We sell out two shows one day in the fucking rain and Doug decides. Oh, okay. I guess you can call yourselves rats Hey, you know the minute you started doing well at the troubadour as motley did and everybody else GNR you name it even years later. You move up the strip you go to uh, the Roxy and then the whiskey And then move on down the street to the palladium And on and on and on But anyway, that's the story of the gladiators right there All right, no because I saw a tweet about it And I think it was in reference to mc mars And then but we were like in the gladiators right before and they were trying to and I don't want to get into all that but Yeah Sure. I mean look we were we we hung out. I mean look there weren't so many people I mean if blacky would hang out I mean, I don't know if he was our official member of the gladiators, but a chris hall, uh, chris Uh, uh, who I ran into on the cruise. I mean, I love these guys We go so far back because we all started at the same time. Was chris a gladiator chris holmes I don't think so but blacky. We would all end up hanging out together, you know, the motley guys rack Or pretty much just robbing at me um, and myself And a couple of guys from us and we just caused havoc man, you know Good times man. Good times Yeah, we always end up somebody's place whether it be the guy from hustler magazine's house or somebody's and and milk until five in the morning or whatever and Hey, that was our daily routine to be seen To be to be heard And get those flyers on those poles, you know thems was the days, huh? Yeah Reach for the sky. I have reached for the sky. I have reached for the sky here. Oh, read Guy. Oh, okay. Here's who we got Where I think the band started maturing a little bit especially warren as a guitarist warren was His playing escalated so fast From day one And he would come up with these riffs like, uh, I believe way cool Uh is on there, right? Yeah, yeah, I think so Yeah, and stuff like that and we just We really changed course with that record. I mean, it wasn't just bam bam, you know heavy metal heavy metal We didn't want to be that anyway. We didn't want to be your leather studs band in the first place So That record was kind of experimental, but not really um We gave you all we had, you know, I mean, it's one thing I have to say about the band and and the guy says writers co-writers whatever the case may be because Some songs we wrote individually and and collectively But I I think that's where everybody hit a pinnacle and started stretching, you know, because Here you got one guy loves the Beatles and Eagles and then you got robin and ira total mental heads You know and then the loving zeppelin aro smith and etc blue oyster cults and We really kind of developed a bit as song writers On reach and and here's where The song reach for the sky Title came That ended up being the title for that album But I gotta tell you every one of our records Was the song title that I either wrote or that was written. There's a song out of the seller Invasion of your privacy ended up being body talk Reach for the sky. Well, let's reach for the sky dancing undercover was actually a song And even that nadir, you know, yeah, yeah, um bobby Bobby wrote co-wrote. I think on the last album. You know has what one or two writing bobby blotzer on drive me crazy Yeah, the song I wrote. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know if we just threw him a bone or whatever Uh, was he much of a songwriter in general like or some people are some people aren't right? I mean, no from day one No, I mean aspirations. Yeah, I mean, you know, he has great ideas. I mean a great drummer um, but he wasn't like a A real writer writer guy During the early periods and he knew it It wasn't until way later When he had the opportunity with these other guitars and other guys and rats That's able to you know, get away with putting his songs on there All right, um before we get to the last album, which is detonator Um, tell me about van helen. You told me, you know any van helen. I know there's a connection. You met the guys Back in the day. Yeah, I met on that Yeah, yeah, uh, a friend of mine as the story goes in my book Uh, kept great book by the way. I really enjoyed your book Thank you When I really started getting into because I really wanted to be a guitar player, you know I became a singer because nobody could sing The songs I wrote And I mean that whole EP is mickey rat songs, except for you think you're tough, which robin and I wrote in To I believe um But um Where are we going here? We are van helen. Are we got another interview? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah I've been doing a lot of these. Okay. Yeah So anyway a friend of mine. I'm just a guitar player, right and around 1978 Early 78 maybe late 77 a friend of mine in LA because I had moved to san diego kept going you've got to see this band this guitar player. They're crazy. They're insane. They're like zeppelin. They're like whatever And I kept blowing them off, right? I'm driving there like So anyway, he eventually he goes they're playing at gizaris. There's an ironic story there too They're playing gizaris gizaris. You got to see him. I never Made it up to see him. So here i'm developing as a guitar player buying all this great gear early vox 30 heads and blah blah And so he calls me again and goes you better see this band. They just now they're playing the whiskey, right? The the place to play in honor So I go fuck it. I'm gonna go see him If I get a pocket full of joints I drive myself up to the whiskey and I know bands do sound checks I know where the backstage was I drove myself up there and I parked and I said, I'm gonna wait till I see what it was Fucking guys, right? And I did I saw David Lee would walk walking up the steps. I go Hey, Dave, you want to smoke a joint? And he goes, yeah, and I go I'm fucking in right now I can meet Ed this guy is so crazy guitar player guy. I've been hearing about And sure enough we smoke his joint. I'm like, thanks Dave You know and I go right to Ed's dress. You know, where is that guy? Well, lo and behold We're into the same shit. He's looking for a gear that I had The vintage gear and he ended up buying my old box 30 and etc guitars we traded and then But anyway, I was able to see him Meet him and we became friends And I'd go see him all the time when they played I mean, he'd let they let me sit on the stage, you know across like I just watch him and take notes and go and fuck This is this band is insane. Nobody knows about this in San Diego Nobody knows about this around the country only in Hollywood, right? So their first record's coming out Anyway, Ed's like why you gotta move to LA man. You know, this is where the shit's happening So I decided after seeing him become this monstrous group in 78 79 And then come january 1 1980. I go, I'm moving to LA literally january 1st 1980. You guys comment Let's go and that was how uh It all began story began. That's how your story again All right, last one last one. Thank you rat. There you go. Oh, okay detonator. Yeah, all right Ah, here's where you're now you're bringing in, you know, is this when you're bringing desmond child, right? Yeah, is that a mistake or not? They were pros and cons to that record um because I mean reach for the sky Actually, we had a different producer Yes, that recorded first. Well, let's take a step back mites stone. We thought Uh zeppelin whoever Uh guys huge. We want to just change things up a bit. It wasn't that I didn't despise bow hill I loved our our communication Uh, his producing I still chat with him to this day and we have done stuff through the years And I have nothing bad about to say about him because I know bob's out there Kind of dissing a little well, that's his trick. So anyway Uh Mike stone pulls in well, it turns to shit But he does the recording so bow comes back in and says He pretty much was a very important part of that rat. Yeah Found and that you know the way we wrote because bow is the only guy who knew how to get the best out of me He would make me do shit over and over and over Maybe the word by word, but not not too an extreme Um, but he worked us and he and he got the job. So anyway detonator So Now he gets interesting because now some of the guys are like no, we don't want to go with there with bow So here we are we're putting this position Okay Well, I don't know how it was brought up to us Uh Well does we're gonna Co-write some songs with Desmond. Okay We're into it. I'm into it. I love co-writing with people. Um So here we are Sir Arthur Payson this new producer guy and we're like, oh shit This is gonna get interesting, right? And it did get interesting. I'm surprised We got the best out of us that we could you know Because there was a weird time for the band Uh, there was a lot going on internally externally business and the business seemed into the personal Uh There was a lot of complications that aren't unfamiliar With success Success and excess if you know what I mean. That's why it's called decade of decadence um So Detonator was a tough one It really was still produced some great songs and it's still a great album and it holds it holds up well Yeah, it holds up. Well, I can agree there. It holds up. Well, we did record some great songs We wrote a few great songs on there. I mean Look, I had we had to dig into the archives like top secret. That was a mickey rat song. I wrote in fucking 1979 or something, you know Uh, so I don't think we're all really everybody was a little However, you want to take that and I think I think I'm burning out your voice Explain Are you okay? So we got the best out of it that we could dener and I liked it the best thing about it and it's too bad that That the song giving yourself away that I wrote with dying for and desmond wasn't a single Because for years when it was popular to do a ballad because we hated doing ballads. We gave you a couple robin and I uh During the years But not the real sappy the ones that got you On tv's More play. We just weren't into what everybody was doing. That's what what differentiate what what separated rat From a lot of these 80s bands. We just didn't follow along with uh, oh, you got to do what they do You got to do what they do because they did it and it's huge and whatever. We're like, I don't give a shit You know, we just want to be a great rock band play great music put on great shows And I'm old school 70s. So that's where my trip was that I I didn't follow trends. We never did Uh, but we wrote that record proved That rat wrote our own hits Collectively as a band, you know the four of us. Um But anyway, my only uh con on that record is that giving yourself away, which is a brilliant song It didn't get the attention that it should have because everybody has moved was moved on with uh, Oh, you gotta have a ballad and then here we go. Well, we're gonna give you one now Uh, japan caught on to it. They made their own video. They did their own trip the label over there Uh, but the record's good Then again, we wanted to get a little more aggressive You know, we always tried to get back to the roots and it was difficult to do You know, uh, as you say the label wanted this the label wanted that and we weren't the guys To be told what to do. It just wasn't gonna happen You know, all right. Here's my final question to you Um, robin crossby His legacy in rat. I mean if you were to sort of give a couple sentences on his legacy in rat and on these albums What was it? Oh Thing he was uh, uh, he lived and breathed rat And if he was around today, he would be kicking some ass because of How some of the guys and i'll be straight up Have just dislocated themselves from this great Brand band entity, you know, like yeah, i don't give a shit. It is what it is. Well, it happens You know, you you get some musicians who you know, i'm over it, you know what i'm saying That's okay. If you're over it, but at least step up and be proud of of your legacy and robin Was the epitome of rat and roll. I mean he was uh He was our leader, you know, he was our he was our guy He was the one who kept the shit together. So when he started falling apart We fell apart at the seams, you know, there was not much I could do and it was mutiny after he was gone It was mutiny for on me, you know Because I was the only one doing everything, you know, you know, when I was reading your book I read it a long time ago, but I remember that sort of his downfall I was that must have been rough to live through something like that watching your friend disintegrate or the band leader disintegrate Yeah, I had friends that had that have happened to right so Yeah, unfortunately, you know, that's the excess with success and and you know It's a it's a bad thing But you learn from it. I mean look it almost took me down, especially when he He pulled out when he was out not even after he passed. I mean that was just terrible It affected me because he was my right-hand man from day one I mean we he picked Warren to come into the band Him and I did a lot of legwork You know, yeah, I mean when we bounced around as the gladiators We were doing that for a reason to be fucking noticed Here we are, you know, and he could not be missed. You know, he was king And I was just rap control leader, but without him as my right-hand man at a hundred percent You know the music took a Uh It wasn't the first thing on Look at the first thing that we were into. You know, it was it was other things, you know But yeah, I think that the only thing I can say about robin is Is he was the glue that kept us together and he was the king man He was he was like all I could say about it He he lived and breathed the band and and I knew when he was out It was pretty much the end of what we were what we had accomplished. I knew it, you know On a positive note the Atlantic years is coming out right the box set. It's going to be available june 9th It's limited, right? So do your pre-orders now, right? Yeah, you can pre-order a lot of places but pre-order it at Official steven piercy.com because there's some other way cool stuff. I make it available collectibles and stuff Um, and I do these way cool auctions and I have such an archive of material Bid video music songs never heard and you'll hear them Uh, eventually But like great old merch this that that I love our fans, which I call friends I love them to have you know, so go to my site. There's webcoast up there. I have plenty of shows coming up We we have established the 80 success strip experience and We are literally taking that to the next level and hey It's rat and roll and it's in this box set and it's fucking badass everybody in the band had Uh, something to do with it. So there's your alien kids Stephen it's a pleasure talking to you. We'll do it again and I wish you all the success and I love seeing how productive you are I just you're just keep cranking them out and keep going Be proud of yourself. All right. I appreciate it. Fuck. Yeah Talk soon, man. Thanks. Thank you, brother