In a recent interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, Stephen Pearcy opened up about his long-awaited reunion with RATT guitarist Warren DeMartini for a few select shows this spring and summer. Pearcy shared his thoughts on the possibility of reuniting with DeMartini, noting, “It’s always been going around, ‘You guys should get together.’ I believe I actually approached Warren a few years ago. I go, ‘Hey, why don’t we try doing this [Jimmy] Page-[Robert] Plant [-style] thing or something.’ And nothing became of it.”
While Pearcy was busy with his solo projects, he acknowledged that DeMartini was still active and playing guitar, especially since he co-wrote the iconic songs that defined RATT. “He’s the lead guitar player in RATT, the guy who co-wrote those songs; he’s the guy,” Pearcy said.
The reunion came about unexpectedly after a promoter from the M3 Rock Festival reached out with an idea: “Well, I have this idea. Maybe we can get you guys back together and you can headline one of these nights.” Pearcy admitted, “Okay. Yeah, right. Okay, well, let’s see what happens.” But as it turned out, the timing was right for both him and DeMartini to reunite. Pearcy said, “Whatever it takes, I’m in. Let’s see if we can make this happen.”
The duo played their first show together on April 5 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, alongside former RATT and QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, former RATT bassist Matt “Thorr” Thorne, and former SLAUGHTER drummer Blas Elias. Pearcy’s reaction to the show was enthusiastic: “It was f*cking amazing. And we kind of blundered here and there and it’s a given. We had a few rehearsals.”
Pearcy explained how he and DeMartini’s playing style in RATT was always a bit loose, saying, “The way Warren and I worked in RATT was we do like to be loosely tight. We don’t wanna be that technical out there when we play.” He added that the performance felt natural, remarking, “We got our feet wet. Now we know what’s happening.”
When asked about future songs they might perform, Pearcy was eager to revisit certain tracks. “Oh, a hundred percent. And I think [Warren] would do it. I wanna play ‘Eat Me Up Alive’. And that’s a song Carlos and I wrote, so what the f*ck? We played it before. That’s a song I wanna do,” Pearcy explained.
Despite his years of sobriety, Pearcy found joy in the chemistry with DeMartini. He shared, “Even being this sobered up guy for years, it’s still the same as it was in ‘85, ‘86 with Warren up there… We were able to sit there and chit-chat and didn’t give a f*ck on stage. ‘Let’s take a second out for us, dude. This is funny, huh?’ That’s our conversation up on stage.”
However, the absence of RATT’s classic drummer Bobby Blotzer and bassist Juan Croucier raised some questions. Pearcy addressed this, explaining that the reunion is about honoring the music they created, not forcing an unworkable situation. “People are already going, ‘Oh, bring back the other guys.’ Well, I don’t really think they know how complicated it is or it would be,” Pearcy explained, noting that the reunion was not about business but about the music’s legacy. “It took seven years for Warren and I to play together again… Now we’re talking about writing new music. So what the f*ck?”
As for the future of RATT, Pearcy expressed uncertainty but maintained a positive outlook on his current path. “I think about that all the time. I mean, I’m f*cking Evel Knievel right here, so I’ve gotta take it carefully,” he said. While the reunion with DeMartini is still fresh, Pearcy is excited about the possibilities ahead, including shows at the M3 Rock Festival and Rock The Dam 8 in 2025.
When reflecting on the experience so far, Pearcy said, “It’s been fun for me for the last few years, and I’d like to keep it that way.” He also hinted that this might not be the last time fans will hear from the RATT duo: “We’re gonna entertain some more shows. It’s by overwhelming demand. This might be it, the last you’ll see of RATT, for all I know. But I’m enjoying this sh*t.”
With their reunion now underway, fans of RATT are hoping this is the beginning of more classic performances to come.
