STEPHEN PEARCY Talks About His Autobiography, Next RATT Album

Vocalist Stephen Pearcy of Californian rockers RATT has just released his long-awaited autobiography, "Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life In Rock". The rocker told VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner what he hopes people take from the book.

"What you thought is what it was and hopefully that, 'Oh, he's not such a prick anyway,' you know," he said. "There is a method to madness and it's still a journey."

He added: "I wanted to write a book and just say hey, shit happens. People go through things and here's a bit of what I went through and maybe you can learn something and not think that what we do is this glorified thing, because it'll kill ya, and it did — one of our guys [referring to late RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby, who died of AIDS in June 2002 at age 42]."

VH1 Radio Network also Stephen for an update on the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to RATT's critically acclaimed 2010 album "Infestation".

"I want to get the record out by hopefully this year, the end of this year," he said. "It's not going to take ten years like the last record. No, I'd like it out sooner rather than later."

Pearcy went on to describe the status of the new music.

"Well, we've been having writing sessions for the last year, and as of even a month ago or so, [guitarist] Warren [DeMartini] and I have been writing together and the stuff he's coming up with is just insane, so I'm way excited," he said. "I mean, I'd love to go into the studio right now and just record a single, just to let people know, here, check this out. That's how I am, I like going in and getting it done. I don't like wasting time, you lose a vibe. So we're going to tighten up, get out there and do shows and then get in the studio."

RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer revealed in a recent interview that the band's next album will be produced by Brian Howes, who has previously worked with HINDER, DAUGHTRY and PUDDLE OF MUDD.

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."

Original RATT bassist Juan Croucier rejoined the Californian rockers for their show at the M3 Rock Festival on May 12, 2012 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 more than 50,000 copies in the U.S. so far, according to Nielsen SoundScan.