Year : 1993-1994 (Rekord Records Edition 2022)
Style : Hard Rock
Country: Sweden
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 78 mb
Bio:
The band formed in Gothenburg as Icewind in 1988 by members Christer Örtefors (vocals/guitar), Alban Herlitz (lead guitar), Casper Janebrink (bass) and Tommy Carlsson (drums). All the money earned from gigs went into a recording of their first demo. Produced by John Ballard in TUFF Studios, the tape gained some recognition locally but record companies were not yet willing to sign them to a serious contract. In 1990 Casper and Tommy, encouraged by their musician-fathers, abandoned ship to form what was to become the famous danceband Arvingarna.The name Icewind briefly changed to Hot n'Spicy before a British biker gang inspired the permanent change to Road Ratt. They added the extra "t" in Ratt to have equal number of letters in both words for the logo to look balanced.With Ola Johansson (bass) and Patrik Herrström (drums) as replacements the band participated in an international band contest called Band Explotion. Out of 800 Scandinavian contenders they reached top 4, and the local press started to take notice. Determined not to be a talent show phenomenon the band now focused on their live act and on writing new material for a second demo. Alban Herlitz however sneaked one more tape away to Rockslaget, a local competition arranged by ABF and Göteborgs-Posten.As it was a local thing the band decided it was a good opportunity to test the new material, and agreed to participate.As 138 bands were reduced to 20 during the course of the competition, Road Ratt started to look like clear favourites. To further enhance the show Christer Örtefors decided to lose the guitar and concentrate on the singing. Fredrik Stenberg, Patrik Herrström's childhood friend, was called in, and the band became a 5-piece in time for the semi-finals.Together with eight other bands they reached the finals and went into the studio to record two songs for the album that showcased the finalists. The songs were Money and Bad Girls, and the studio was once again TUFF Studios.The finals took place at Liseberg's main stage, and the audience was estimated to be about 14.000. Being huge favorites, and with a large crowd of fans up front, they were declared winners at the end of the evening.The prize for winning was the recording of a single but the band instead took the money and cut a 6-song demo with producer Pär Edwardson with ambition to shop around for a deal. But because of the media attention offers already came pouring in from various record companies and the evening tabloids speculated in what label would finally get their signatures. The band brought their new producer and settled with MNW - at the time home to Imperiet, Peter LeMarc, Wannadies, Nationalteatern, Thomas Di Leva, Wilmer X etc.1992 Road Ratt were nominated for a Swedish Grammy in the category Best hardrock along with Electric Boys, Candlemass and Sator losing out to Sator. The televised gala was one for the historybooks as it was the last time alcohol was served to the artists during broadcasting. A scandal erupted as Popsicle received their prize for Best rockband wishing death-by-tour-bus-accident onto Arvingarna, the danceband once sprung from Road Ratt who collected their prize for Best danceband that evening.1993 Nominated for Best newcomer and Best Album at Swedish Zeppelin-awards. Losing out to Clawfinger in both cases. Road Ratt However performed live at the event broadcast by MTVs Headbangers Ball. The Headbangers Ball-episode hosted by Vanessa Warwick featured a lengthy interview with the band and the international premiere for the Itsypooked video.Immediately after the album-release Alban Herlitz left the band as his songwriting contributions were rejected by the rest of the band. He went on to create the pop-trio Together and renewed his collaboration with John Ballard who at the time had tremendous success with his work on Swedish sensation Ace of Base. Together later wrote the theme for the Swedish soap-opera Vita lögner. The song Bara Vi Är Vänner reached the top of the charts. Alban was replaced by Håkan Svensson who at the same time toured with Louise Hoffsten on her Rhythm & Blonde-tour. Road Ratt toured all over Sweden but failed to climb the charts and record sales did not live up to the hause and critic acclaim that surrounded the band. The single most memorable moment of the tour occurred August 8, 1993. Road Ratt was playing in front of about 25.000 people at Stockholm Water Festival. Headlining together with Louise Hoffsten (Håkan had a busy day), Sven Ingvars and Carola Häggkvist (with Pär Edwardson on guitar) when the new Swedish fighter aircraft JAS 39 Gripen came crashing down during a display. Despite the large crowd attending the festival no one was hurt. After the tour work began on a second album but the grunge scene was taking over and the bandmembers started on side projects resulting in lack of commitment. The album with the working title Young Nurses In Love never made the finish line, and the saga was over.In 2007 a Myspace-site was launched in memory of the band. Before long various record companies contacted the site and a deal was made with Australian-based Suncity Records to release the demos for the previously unreleased "Young Nurses In Love". With the new name "You Love Us" the CD was released in December 2008. In 2021 "Going To Eden" and "Man On The Moon" were released on Spotify and other digital platforms.
Album:
Formed in the late Eighties, Swedish melodic rockers ROAD RATT released their debut in 1992, a self-titled effort also known as “Reel 2” and “RealCD 2”. With a style mixing American and European classic riffs, the album was successful in Scandinavia with Road Ratt being nominated for a Swedish Grammy in the category Best Hard Rock Album, nominated for Best Newcomer & Best Album at Swedish Zeppelin-Awards, and performed live at MTV’s Headbangers Ball.After touring Europe, work began on a second album but the grunge scene was taking over and the band members started on side projects resulting in lack of commitment. The album with the working title “Young Nurses In Love” never made the finish line, and the saga was over.Now the band are releasing by themselves that second album, titled as one of the songs, “Going To Eden“.After their successful self-titled debut, Road Ratt toured all over Sweden, including playing in front of about 25.000 people at Stockholm Water Festival when the new Swedish fighter aircraft JAS 39 Gripen came crashing down during a display. Despite the large crowd attending the festival no one was hurt.After touring, in 1993 work began on a second album but the grunge scene was taking over and while thinking the musical direction to take, some band members started on side projects.Singer Christer Ortefors encouraged the guys and with some other musicians collaborating, Road Ratt recorded the new songs, demos, but done into a professional studio with very good production standards.These are the songs into this “Going To Eden”, the second album that never was, because Road Ratt broke up in 1995.The tracks are less ‘crunchy’ than the debut album in favor to a more melodic, poppy melodic rock. As example, “She Said She Said” has a Cheap Trick heart in the verses, “Ask Yourself” is a trippy rocker with a bit of Enuff Z’Nuff, while “Man On The Moon” explores a more classic rock atmosphere.There’s still sharp melodic hard rockers, like the groovy “I’d Rather Do It With The Dog” or “Hey Now”, and a personal favorite, the bass pumping melodic rocker “Would You Like To” sporting great verses and a catchy chorus.Some years ago there songs were released on CD by a small Australian label but now it’s out of print. So it’s nice to see – and hear – Road Ratt’s second, unreleased album finally available.
Line Up:
Christer Ortefors – lead vocals, guitar
Fredrik Stenberg – guitar
Ola Johansson – bass, background vocals
Patrik Herrstrom – drums
Tracklist:
01. Going To Eden
02. Man On The Moon
03. I’d Rather Do It With The Dog
04. Lizard
05. She Said She Said
06. Would You Like To
07. Fish
08. Ask Yourself
09. Boat Across The River
10. Hey Now
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
