STEPHEN PEARCY Says BOBBY BLOTZER Is 'Misleading People' With RATT EXPERIENCE Project

Former RATT singer Stephen Pearcy was interviewed on a recent edition of "The Classic Metal Show", which is heard live on Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. EST at TheClassicMetalShow.com. You can now listen to the chat below.

Asked how he feels about the fact that RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer has assembled the RATT EXPERIENCE band which will perform not only the RATT hits, but also several deep album cuts, including many songs that have never been played live, Pearcy said: "The remaining members really don't understand… You know, anybody can go out and play RATT music in cover bands or however they [wish], but if you're out there taking advantage of…. You know, 'I'm doing a tribute to this guy in the band who's no longer with us.' [Editor's note: Each RATT EXPERIENCE concert will reportedly include a tribute to late RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby.] Or, 'I'm gonna do this…,' you know. And then we hear an ad [for the RATT EXPERIENCE] and they're playing just RATT music with my voice. You know, it's like… Well, you can't do that either. So, in a nutshell, it's not cool. But the guy, he can make a living — that's not a problem — but don't take advantage of the situation and mislead people and be out there saying fictitious things. And other than that, it doesn't bother me. I still get paid."

Pearcy also talked about his plans to focus on his solo career after false starts which were caused by RATT touring activity.

"That's been the problem. I get into this great stride, and it gets disrupted by group RATT — this monster I created," he explained. "And the problems never went away, and that's why I finally said, 'Look, thirty years of my life. And it's still… so many things unresolved.'"

He continued: "Juan [Croucier] and I, our bass player from RATT, will end up doing something real soon down the line. But the problems [within RATT] are still there, and we decided, [Juan] and myself, [to] take ourselves out of the equation and move on to more positive things.

"We're not 20-year-olds anymore, and there's other things to do. The business has changed. I knew it in 1995; that's why I started Top Fuel Records — to do things my way, when I want and how I want. And so now I'm back in stride… or trying to."

Pearcy added: "So, to me, it's not starting over. It's a continuance. But this time there won't be any interruption."

Pearcy is currently at MT Studios — the facility owned by his bassist, Matt Thorne — recording "about a dozen songs" for a new solo album, titled "Smash". The first two singles — "I Can't Take It" and "Just One More Time" — have already been completed and are now available on iTunes.

Regarding the musical direction of his new solo material, Pearcy said: "People are gonna say, 'Oh, it sounds like RATT anyway.' Well, that's 'cause I'm singing it, and that's a compliment. But I write so much diverse music."

The recording and touring lineup of Pearcy's solo band is as follows:

Greg D'Angelo - Drums
Erik Ferentinos - Guitar
Matt Thorne - Bass
Chris Hager - Guitar