RATT SHAKE UP?
“The only reason this is working is because of my voice” Joshua Alan
Insider News — Several sources close to the new Ratt line-up have recently revealed to Metal Sludge that not all is hunky dory on the inside.
Last week the band’s official co-manager Jason Green was let go. After roughly a year helping formulate the project from the ground up Green was sent packing and it seemed to stir the pot for sure.
Green is also the manager of the Las Vegas based cover band Sin City Sinners.
It seems that at least half of Blotzer’s “Nu” Ratt could be on the way out. Whether it’s 1, 2 or maybe even 3 members, only time will tell.
If you want to count Green, it could be as many as 4 parts gone or changed.
It’s a bit of a cluster how all these parts work, and we’ll do our best to explain. But before we go forward, let’s go backward and try to understand how all this started in the first place.
Last summer Ratt drummer Bobby Blotzer was invited by Green to be a special guest on one of the Sin City Sinnners shows. The group has done this with countless 80’s rock stars in recent years including Sebastian Bach, George Lynch and Tracii Guns.
We’re going to go out on a limb and guess that Bach never thought; “Hey this could be my new Skid Row band” and we’ll assume Lynch didn’t think they were his next Dokken either.
Anyway, so Blotzer agreed to appear and did so at “Vamp’d” on Friday March 6th 2015.
According to this review, the show went great.
We’ll also assume that around this time Blotzer felt the band was so good doing the Ratt tunes, that he decided to take it a step further.
Soon after Bobby Blotzer’s Ratt Experience was born. The group played their debut in Las Vegas at the same club on June 27th.
The show went well so Blotzer and his new project swiftly booked follow-up dates in Phoenix, Tucson and Hollywood.
On September 11th the message we screen captured below was posted on Ratt’s official facebook.
It seemed that the tribute project was short lived, and now Blotzer and his ‘Ratt Experience’ was over.
Or was it?
When the band took the stage at the “Whisky” the very next night (September 12th), they had the official Ratt banners in tow.
Following the Sunset Strip appearance, just 3 months after launching the side project Blotzer announced this band was now the official Ratt.
Along with the news they released official promo featuring the new lineup and the trademark Ratt logo. The poster also warned of the “Re-Invasion Tour” in 2016.
However not everyone was as excited as Blotzer was when this news hit the internet.
The popular website Metal Sucks ran a piece titled “Bobby Blotzer to Crap All Over Ratt’s Legacy with New Version of Group”.
Below is an excerpt from the Metal Sucks article.
Blotzer seemed to be moving forward quickly, but shortly after that latest announcement guitarist Warren DeMartini took legal action.
On October 1st 2015 we reported in our “Lawyer It Down” article that Warren DeMartini had filed a lawsuit against Blotzer.
The Metal Sludge article includes the following from DeMartini’s lawsuit: “In essence, Blotzer wants to hijack the name and tour under the name Ratt,” the suit states. “Defendant Blozter intends to fool Ratt’s fans by touring with himself, a drummer, and a group of imposters calling themselves Ratt.”
Blotzer spoke out about DeMartini and their legal court proceedings in early December saying; “If I was him I’d be ready to slice my throat.”
It seemed that DeMartini’s legal actions stalled on two occasions and the courts have allowed Blotzer to plow forward (for now) with his all new lineup of rodents as the official Ratt.
Ratt currently features original member Bobby Blotzer on drums, along with Joshua Alan (vocals), Scotty Griffin (bass), Doc Ellis (guitars) and Blaze (lead guitars).
In recent months the group have performed in Iowa, Ohio, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, South Dakota and Colorado.
But even after what appears to be some legal victories and succesful shows, we’re hearing not all is well behind closed doors.
One insider claims; “The truth is, there is a lot of turmoil within the new Ratt camp. Blotzer at times acts like a tyrant and the others are getting fed up.”
It is being alleged from multiple sources, that a few of the guys are on their way out.
Blotzer has hinted at changes on the Ratt official facebook as well by posting; “We will be sending out an update soon” when a fan inquired about changes due to recent drama.
Our source, says that Blotzer has made an attempt to lock in certain members of the band; “He tried to get them all to sign exclusive contracts. Only Josh fell for it.”
According to Green he claims that lead singer Joshua Alan was not happy back in late January.
The singer’s now ex-manager has publicly posted text messages in an online forum that he alleges were exchanged between himself and Alan.
According to the screen captured text, Alan says: “I don’t think I’m going to do this anymore, I’m not going to get paid 500 while someone is raking in 15000. And at end of day, not to sound cocky but the only reason this is working is because of my voice.”
The singer goes on to add; “I’m being taken advantage of and I’m not okay with it.”
Green is now an ex-Ratt employee according to Blotzer but seems to have wore several hats. It is a little unclear, but Green claims he was Ratt’s co-manager. Along with taking on duties as their tour manager.
Green has stated that he also acted as a ‘publicist’ of sorts overseeing all press releases (fixing Blotzer’s grammar says Green) and was the main liaison putting Blotzer with Sin City Sinners from the on-set.
Oddly in more texts the former employee shared in public forums it looks like Blotzer was asking Green to perform some odd duties. One in particular was asking him to pose as a potential buyer to former Ratt bandmate Juan Croucier’s agency.
However the former Ratt employee, who some are calling disgruntled is not the only one who has voiced that there are troubles within.
Another insider we’ll call ‘mouse tits’ informed Metal Sludge that Scott Griffin was definitely on his way out. And his replacement will be former Ratt bassist Robbie Crane.
Coincidentally Green (aka SCSINNER) has said something similar in a forum post we have screen captured below.
We reached out to Crane directly and are awaiting his reply.
Blas Elias, Josh Alan, Jason Green, Scott Griffin and Doc Ellis
A third source we’ll call ‘salsa balls’ has informed Metal Sludge the following; “The Robin Crosby guy is getting axed as well.”
The salsa balls source has told Metal Sludge that the Crosby position is Doc Ellis and that Blotzer is trying to recruit current Tuff guitarist Billy Morris to fill that spot.
Morris is also former member of Warrant who had toured with Ratt in the early 2000’s.
Ironically Billy Morris’ Sunset Strip band just supported Ratt on their December 26th “Hard Rock Rocksino” show in Northfield Ohio.
As of press time it’s not clear as to if Griffin and Ellis know they are thin ice. It’s also not clear as to whether Blotzer was aware that his lead singer was considering walking as recent as January and felt he was “being taken advantage of.”
Green’s claim is that Blotzer wants to control the members, and thus has asked them to commit to Ratt and leave Sin City Sinners. The band in which he manages and has for several years.
Ironically, late last week singer Joshua Alan did just that.
The Ratt vocalist posted on his Facebook page that he was officially leaving Sin City Sinners to focus on Ratt.
To the contrary Griffin has posted this week about the most recent Sin City Sinners music release.
So much has happened in a short time and it seems it’s only getting crazier by the day.
Blotzer himself has publicly spoke out about letting Green go in a post on the official Ratt facebook page on February 18th. An excerpt from his post is noted here; “He’s sadly taken this publicly and clearly and sadly is not taking it well. It’s not a great time for him and he in my opinion and guess thought the other 7 warnings just went over his head. But his attack on myself and Ratt are just uncalled for, and laden with lies”
Blotzer continues with; “I’m a very compassionate person and what is being spewed from him , I just feel sad and embarrassed for him. He’s going thru a personal struggle and I understand he’s not in a clarity position. So good luck Jason and We wish you the best.”
And now exactly 1 week later on February 25th Green posted a message to his personal facebook stating that he received as he detailed it; “A drunk and very threatening, crazy, racist voicemail from Bob Blotzer.”
Green alleges that the calls came in during the early morning hours.
The former Ratt employee seemed so scared that he felt the need to post a message detailing what he claims Blotzer’s voice mail said and ended his message with; “If anything happens to me you know who did it.”
Green has now shared these voice mails with Metal Sludge.
We will preface this by saying in his first message Bobby Blotzer states: “I’ll tell you this Jason, You can put it out. Put this out, wherever you want, and you know, anyone can suck a fu??ing di?k hearing this.”
Blotzer’s first call was at 12;29AM (PST). Blotzer goes onto say the following: “Of course you’re gonna be an absolute limp di?k pu??y. Not a man. You’re definitely not a man. You’re not a human. You’re not a human. I’m gonna tell you right now Greenbaum. Watch what’s coming at ya man. Just watch. It’s all gonna be legal. It ain’t gonna be anything that, I’m doing, or I know of. But I can guarantee you, just like the fact that ya, put your girl in the grave man. You’re gonna put yourself in the same fu??ing grave.”
The message seems to get cut off and a second phone call comes in at 12:37AM (PST). “And you’re gonna do what about it? Dude, you don’t even know. You should know me. Man, this is my dance floor, in the legal arena. You’re, I am telling you dude, you’ve just opened the door, that you’re gonna be really fu??ing sad that you opened mate.”
Blotzer goes onto say to describe what Green did as ‘crimes against humanity’ and ends the 2nd call with the following: “And there is only way to deal with somebody that does that. Guess what it’s gonna be. Sit tight, watch. Just watch. Keep an eye out. And I mean that, not physically but just watch what happens to you dude. Oh my god I love this, I can’t wait. Suck a di?k, eat a piece a sh?t, you pathetic, filthy, swine. F??k you.”
We can only wish that all related parties somehow settle their difference’s in a civil manner and hope that violence will not be necessary.
Also, it’s unfortunate to report, but for the record Green’s girlfriend of several years passed away on February 7th.
We will keep you posted on the latest from the Ratt camp’s, both old and new once we hear more.
*Joshua Alan live photo courtesy Aaron Small from BraveWords.com
