RATT Taps Producer BRIAN HOWES For New Album

Eric Blair of "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" conducted an interview with RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, a massive music-products convention that took place January 24-27 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about the current status of RATT, Blotzer said: "We're getting ready to do a new record with Brian Howes, this producer that produced NICKELBACK, we have new management, we have Juan Croucier [bass] back in the band, and we're gonna tour this summer and hopefully get along and be happy, which would be amazing."

He added: "Brian Howes is a great guy, great producer, and he's top notch, dude. He's a current A-lister, and we're very excited. We have new management. And we're just looking forward to 2013."

Regarding the songwriting process for the new RATT album, Blotzer said: "We start pre-production in the next week. Everybody's been writing and everybody has a backlog of material. So we'll just get in like we did with the last record, and there's, like, boom, 35 songs, and then we'll let the producer go, 'OK, let's work these up.' He's got the final say on that. I mean, the last record we worked up in two weeks."

He continued: "I don't think [the new RATT CD is] gonna be super overproduced. I think we're trying to do something new, and really, on all levels of RATT — have everything come out and be a new RATT. [We'll still have] classic-sounding songs, but it's gonna be, obviously, a twist in the production with the way that [Brian] produces."

On the topic of the personal differences and internal strife, which has plagued RATT for much of the band's existence, Blotzer said: "Listen, man, things have been disintegrating in RATT since we were 16 years old, OK?! We've got five chiefs, no Indians, but this chemistry that we have produces so many great songs. I mean, I don't what the fuck it is, but we have a great time with the music, which overshadows that we think each other are a bunch of clowns. Occasionally, we do make some good business decisions, but it's a hard road to hone. But I love the guys, and I'm not saying anything bad about them; it's a hard gig … It's five fucking drunk Irish brothers that not one will fucking give up in, like, if you're slap-fighting or wrestling in the room, I'm not giving up unless I can't breathe and I'm knocked out."

Original RATT bassist Juan Croucier rejoined the Californian rockers for their show at the M3 Rock Festival on May 12 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.

RATT's first studio record in 11 years, "Infestation", sold around 14,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 30 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was issued on April 20, 2010 via Loud & Proud.

"Infestation" has sold 51,000 copies in the U.S. so far, according to Nielsen SoundScan.