RATT's BOBBY BLOTZER On DAVID BOWIE: 'I Had A Lifetime With Him As A Musical Guru'

RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer has paid tribute to legendary British art-rock icon David Bowie, who died on Sunday, two days after his 69th birthday. Bowie had cancer.

Said Blotzer in a post on his Facebook page: "Oh boy: This is one of the worst days in what we all as humans are in line for, the end of the line. At 10:30 last night, at the end of the Golden Globes, the report punched me in the head, David Bowie passed away. I blurted out, 'What the fucking fuck?' My lovely wife Michelle, already in slumberland, awakes after I yell, then we stare at the news.

"I have to just tip my hat in thanks to Mr. David Jones, a.k.a. Mr. David Bowie. I had a lifetime with him as a musical guru. I started to know of him in 1972. And when I started learning how to play drums in my bedroom in '74, it was four Bowie records that taught me an array of different grooves, taught me how to play with an orchestrated strings section and rock mixture. Of course, that was first brought by the greatest band of life, THE BEATLES. But I can assure you that THE BEATLES, [THE ROLLING] STONES, LED ZEPPELIN all bow their heads to David.

"I wish all you guys that are ten years younger than me could or should listen to albums like the best one, 'The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars', 'Aladdin Sane', 'Diamond Dogs', 'Heroes', 'Space Oddity', one that has a track that still gives my eyes a fresh watering too 'till this day, 'Hunky Dory'. I mean, these albums and songwriting are the real deal, guys. This isn't your everyday writing going on here.

"I learned so much from Bowie's writing and productions.

"I made a post after Lemmy passed away and I talked to Mikkey Dee [MOTÖRHEAD drummer] the morning of Lem's funeral, and we watched the YouTube cast. Very touching, and he'll be missed for sure.

"In the post I made my last thoughts were something like, listen friends, our elder rockers are getting up there, like way up there in age. And there, in my view, nothing behind us aging '80s buggers that have the same kind of vibe, which we stole from the '60s and '70s greats.

"I'm very affected right now by this, more so than most sad news that we so often, too often, see in shorter and shorter gaps.

"John Lennon wrote 'Fame' with Bowie. That's the Pope of music writing with you, [in my opinion].

"Life is getting a bit of a mental wrangling to me in this arena of thought. Like any great ride, it goes too quick.

"I'll miss David being here, but he'll always be a click away with the body of unbelievable music he bestowed upon the world.

"I actually shudder at thinking of the future of the feeling I had last night of just being agasp, and going , fuccccck, NO WAY.

"I woke up five different times last night with Bowie music in my head, finally up at 5 for good. As Michelle got ready in the bathroom to get her day going, I started listening loudly to songs and playing her stuff she might not know.

"There's a Starman waiting in the sky for you, Mr. Jones. Keep them entertained, God bless, and THANK YOU!!

"Love you, that kid from Torrance, Bobby Blotzer."

Blotzer is currently touring with a new version of RATT in which he is joined by Josh Alan (SIN CITY SINNERS),Scotty Griffin (ex-L.A. GUNS),Doc Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's LOVE/HATE) and guitar hero Blaze.