STEPHEN PEARCY Would Like To Have JUDAS PRIEST's 'Last Rose Of Summer' Played At His Funeral

The first week of January 2026 proved to be a busy one for Stephen Pearcy, as he hit a record number high in views as a guest on Billy Corgan's "The Magnificent Others" podcast. Pearcy has officially delivered one of the most impactful episodes in the history of "The Magnificent Others", hosted by Billy Corgan. Since it debuted on January 7, Pearcy's appearance has generated a staggering 538,000 views across four video clips, making it the fastest-rising and highest-performing podcast release on the platform to date.

In honor of Elvis Presley's birthday (January 8),Stephen collaborated with famed photographer Christopher Ameruso and Priscilla Presley for their photobook series aptly named "Shades Of Elvis". Check out Stephen's site for the details of the day honoring the legacy of Elvis.

Next up, Pearcy will appear at the January 21 Metal Hall Of Fame in Los Angeles for a performance honoring his longtime RATT bandmate and current touring partner Warren DeMartini (RATT, PEARCY/DEMARTINI) as he is honored as a Sunset Strip inductee — an award Pearcy himself received in 2020.

At the same time, Pearcy remains hyper focused on the recording of a new album, which is set for release later this year and will include a long list of guest stars.

Pearcy — the vocal powerhouse, prolific songwriter, seasoned entrepreneur, and indefatigable force of nature — recently sat down for a question-and-answer sessions in which he answered a wide range of questions in a voice uniquely his. The discussion follows below.

Q: You continue to have an incredible career having written and recorded songs that are soundtracks to people's lives. Looking back, what has surprised you most in your career?

Stephen Pearcy: "I don't remember a single thing from 10 years of arena tours. [Laughs] Nah, I do remember Madison Square Garden. Looking back now, I'm blown away by how sincere the fans are — especially when I do meet-and-greets. Forget just having RATT tattoos or whatever, they're bringing their kids and, sometimes, their grandkids. It means so much to them, and it means so much to me. When you think about it, many of these people have survived just like we have. There aren't many OGs around, but God bless them. These days, I appreciate it more than ever. I see what hard rock, hair metal, or whatever you wanna call it has turned into and where it is, and it's not going anywhere. It's forever here. If you say, 'hair metal', you think of a few bands right away — RATT, MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD. I'm having a great time. When you're in it, you don't think about it. For the fans who grew up with 'hair metal', it was such a huge part of their lives, and it helped them through things. It's a trip to have that responsibility and be a part of someone's life to this capacity. We were lucky to write songs that were hits at the time. Nowadays 'hair metal' is a stigma, but I embrace it because I know the business of it. A few of my peers like Dee Snider and WARRANT also embrace it for what it is and respect it. I guess I'm surprised by our survival too. A lot of us didn't learn how to survive. On behalf of the guys like me who are still hanging out and fortunate enough to have success, I'm thrilled and very grateful."

Q: You've just been invited to perform on a stadium tour with two other bands. Who would you want them to be and why?

Stephen Pearcy: "AEROSMITH. In the '80s, Joe Perry jammed with us in Worcester, Massachusetts. We were, like, 'Holy fuck, it's Joe Perry. He's playing Warren's guitar.' The second band would be VAN HALEN. Maybe it's not well known, but Ed [Van Halen] and I were really good friends. We go way back. When they did their first album, I saw their shit and took notes. I thought, 'This is what you do — Gazzari's, the Whisky, the Palladium, and the Forum.' If you were smart, watching VAN HALEN was a 101 class. When I saw VAN HALEN, I just went 'Holy shit!' For me, it was like the first time I saw LED ZEPPELIN — who I had the privilege to see three times. On the stadium tour you asked about, it would be RATT opening, VAN HALEN, and then AEROSMITH. RATT actually did one VAN HALEN show. It was an outdoor gig about two years before Ed went down. I hounded them from day one though, 'Hey, can my band play?' Of course not. [Laughs]."

Q: Have you ever had one of those ridiculous "Spinal Tap" moments in your career and can you describe it?

Stephen Pearcy: "Oh God, I think of the 'Spinal Tap' scene, 'Hello, Cleveland.' It's funny, man. That one has happened to me at every fucking gig — probably even in the last month. [Laughs] When you get going, you don't really know where you're at. Personally, I don't like to see the stage until I'm on it. I'm always asking, 'Where are we going? What elevator? What hotel?'"

Q: If you were to record a duet with a current artist outside the genre of music for which you're known, who might that be, and which song would you cover and why?

Stephen Pearcy: "I'd love to jam with RARE EARTH who did a cool version of '(I Know) I'm Losing You'. We did it on MTV 'Unplugged'. I would jam with FLEETWOOD MAC maybe on 'Oh Well, Pt. 1 & Pt. 2'. If you want to go back in the day, I've got to say Janis Joplin."

Q: You're known as a powerful live performer. Do you have any rituals before hitting the stage to psych yourself up and/or any rituals to "come down" from the show?

Stephen Pearcy: "I do say a prayer. That's really it. We don't party. If my glaucoma was acting up, I'd have a cigarette. I like to laugh. I have a cup of coffee before and after I'm on stage — black with cream. People think I'm nuts, but no man, it mellows me out."

Q: If you knew it was the last night on Earth, which album would you put on and why?

Stephen Pearcy: "I've thought about this. I'd say 'Led Zeppelin III', because it's a record that smacks you without really knowing it. 'Immigrant Song' is the first fucking thing you hear. All of the acoustic tracks are so enlightening and colorful. When I got 'Led Zeppelin III', I was just starting to really play guitar. It was a healing process for me as a kid."

Q: You're having a dinner party and can invite three famous guests (dead and/or alive). Can you tell us who those guests would be with a sentence or two about each?

Stephen Pearcy: "Well, definitely Kristi — my mate in life. We've been together for 10 years, and it's so solid. And Jesus. Why not go all out? I'd say Alice Cooper too. He's a sweetheart. He's been there and done it — just like everyone else — and he's still doing it. You can't downplay where you came from and where you are. We're gladiators and brothers from early on back in 1981. Alice is a great conversationalist, and Jesus would probably go, 'Let me tell you something, guys…' [Laughs]"

Q: Can you talk about a particular film that has helped shape your sensibility as an artist?

Stephen Pearcy: "'The Song Remains The Same'. I saw it at a movie theater in the Valley [in Los Angeles] where everybody was smoking pot. All you could see was smoke. The movie made a big impression on me though. I was thinking, 'Fuck, man, you can do all of that?' When we headlined Madison Square Garden, Robbin [Crosby, then-RATT guitarist], and I were in the back of a limo driving through the tunnel. In the film, ZEPPELIN drives in the same tunnel, and the lights are flickering. I literally said to Robbin, 'It's kind of like we're LED ZEPPELIN, but not really.' [Laughs]'"

Q: Is there a song you crank up on Friday night to kick off the weekend — and a song you kick back with on a Sunday morning? What qualities do these songs have that you admire?

Stephen Pearcy: "On a Friday or the weekend, I'd play NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK's 'You Got It (The Right Stuff)'. It just grooves, and you've got Donnie Wahlberg in there. Maybe I can duet with them, and I'll do the dance backstage. [Laughs] Don't tempt me. Sunday, I'm just messing around on acoustic guitar. I won't turn on 'Stairway To Heaven' to chill out; I'll make my own mood instead."

Q: Which famous historical event would you like to have witnessed and why?

Stephen Pearcy: "President Dwight D. Eisenhower meeting the alien federation in 1954. [Laughs] He was still president when I was born in 1956, and a lot of crazy shit happened during the '50s."

Q: What song would you like played at your funeral and why?

Stephen Pearcy: I think this might be in my will, but it would definitely be JUDAS PRIEST's 'Last Rose Of Summer' from 'Sin After Sin'. That album is insane. I remember Robbin turned me on to that record in San Diego during the '70s. He said, 'Check out this band.' I just thought, 'How the fuck does that guy sing like that?' The song's buildup is crazy. The arrangement is great. It's a good story too. He's one of a few guys who sings higher than Robert Plant."

Q: If you overheard one fan talking to another after leaving a show, what would you like to hear them say about you and the gig?

Stephen Pearcy: "If you know me, RATT and what we're about, we're a party band. We come from the school of VAN HALEN. So, I would like the fan to say, 'At least they're having fun.' When it becomes boring or a chore, I'll stop. Our manager used to say, 'This rock 'n' roll shit is a dangerous occupation.' You can't take it seriously. We're still here, thankfully. I love doing those '80s cruises. Throw me on a boat with Cyndi Lauper, Adam Ant and Downtown Julie Brown. I'll be smiling, like, 'Can you believe we are all still doing this?'"

Q: Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time and why?

Stephen Pearcy: "That's a good one: SWEET's 'Give Us A Wink'. I was really influenced by them. They had four lead singers and were so creative. Other than 'Give Us A Wink', it would be PRIEST's 'Sin After Sin'. This record isn't LED ZEPPELIN or BLACK SABBATH; it's something totally different."

Q: What advice would you give now to your younger self?

Stephen Pearcy: "I would say, "Hey, if you created it, it's yours. Keep it." Most people don't know that what you create can be yours forever. My advice is if you create it or draw it, don't give it away. I spread myself a little too thin in the beginning, and it's bitten me in the ass to this day. It's okay though. I know what I'm doing. Thank God Warren wants to get in on the rodeo while we're still here. It's fucking great."

Q: As a society, where do we go from here?

Stephen Pearcy: I'll tell you where we're going. People still want tangible items — whether it's vinyl or a new chip in your vein. [Laughs] You could tell A.I. to do whatever, but people are still going to see live bands and have real experiences. So…do what you do and just have a good time. What we do still works.

The founder, lead singer, and songwriter of the metal rock band RATT led the band to mega multi-platinum success from 1984-1991, while garnering critical acclaim for his performances, style, and uniquely salacious vocals. Throughout RATT's nearly four decades of success with Pearcy at its helm, they released eight albums and played thousands of shows worldwide all the while selling over 20 million records. Beyond his acclaim in RATT, Pearcy explored other areas of interest: he's a New York Times best-selling author with his "Sex, Drugs, Ratt 'N' Roll… My Life In Rock" autobiography; RATT and MICKEY RATT songs have been featured in films (Academy Award winner "The Wrestler", "Point Break", "Weird Science", "The Golden Child") and television (Emmy Award-winning "Stranger Things", "Wicked City", "Cobra Kai", "The Goldbergs", "Young Sheldon"); he created ARCADE with CINDERELLA drummer Fred Coury; starred in the cult horror classic "Camp Utopia" with Pearcy playing the notorious camp slasher and cult leader Timothy Bach.