RATT Cannot Exist Without Both WARREN DEMARTINI And STEPHEN PEARCY, Says JOHN CORABI

Former RATT rhythm guitarist John Corabi has commented on rumors of the band's split with Warren DeMartini, saying that "you can't do RATT without" Warren or lead singer Stephen Pearcy.

Last week, it was reported by the Metal Sludge web site that DeMartini was fired by Pearcy and bassist Juan Croucier, with undisclosed sources telling the site that "serious issues" existed between the three members of RATT's classic lineup. Fellow RATT guitarist Carlos Cavazo apparently confirmed the report a few days later, telling the site that he couldn't see himself continuing with the band without DeMartini. "I can't picture anyone else being there other than Warren," Cavazo was quoted as saying.

Earlier this week, radio personality Eddie Trunk said on his SiriusXM show that several "very well-placed sources" told him "that Warren's not in RATT anymore," although he stressed that no official statement or comment has yet been made about the split by any of the involved parties.

Corabi, who had a seven-year stint (2001-2008) as the rhythm guitarist in RATT, happened to be on Trunk's program on Monday and was asked for his opinion of the ongoing drama surrounding his former band. Without going into specifics, the ex-MÖTLEY CRÜE singer confirmed that prolonged and bitter quarrels between RATT members are nothing new. "There's been eleventh-hour arguments and bickering and feuding, right up to the point where they're getting ready to leave to go do a tour, and somebody in the band will go, 'Nope. I'm not gonna do it,' and just leave," Corabi revealed. "That's how I got the gig. I forget who I replaced. Robbin [Crosby] passed away. Then I think the first year or two, it was Keri Kelli. And then I went in. But they already had Jizzy [Pearl on vocals]. Juan was out, so Robbie Crane was in there [on bass]. And then Stephen finally came back, which I… Having gone through the MÖTLEY thing, I get it now. But Stephen's the singer, Warren's the gunslinger, and you can't do RATT without those two guys."

RATT — featuring DeMartini, Pearcy and Croucier — played a number of shows last year after reforming in 2016 in the midst of a highly publiced legal battle with drummer Bobby Blotzer over the rights to the RATT name. They were joined at the gigs by Cavazo, who played on RATT's last studio album, 2010's "Infestation", and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

In November 2016, a California judge ruled against Blotzer with respect to whether Croucier had committed trademark infringement by using the RATT name and logo to advertise his band RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER back in the fall 2015. The judge furthermore decided that the corporation WBS, Inc. — of which Blotzer and DeMartini were thought to be the sole shareholders — did not have ownership interest in the RATT marks and that the name and brand was still owned by the members who were part of the original RATT partnership agreement.

In addition to claiming to have expelled Blotzer from the partnership following the latest court ruling, DeMartini, Croucier and Pearcy said that Blotzer could now only refer to himself as a "former member of RATT," as per the partnership agreement.

Earlier today, Blotzer took to his RATT Facebook page to once again slam his former bandmates and to reveal that "someone" in their camp told him that "Juan and Stephen are hiring, or trying to hire, Jake E. Lee" as Warren's replacement in RATT. He added: "Jake trying to play RATT solos, I don't see it."

A former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, Jake E. Lee actually began his career as a member of Pearcy's MICKEY RATT, which became better known as RATT after a name change in the early '80s.

RATT is scheduled to return to the road later this year, with several shows already confirmed, including an appearance at this year's Heavy Montréal festival.