Needtobreathe – ‘Best of the Insiders: 4th Edition’ (2025)

For the 2022 Insiders Club, Needtobreathe changed things up. They were no longer going to release a physical product and only do the Digital Songs only. I stopped being a member right then and there as I want a physical product. Well, I think the backlash was swift and loud as a few months in to the year, that all changed. They decided that there will be a new tier level in the Insiders Club, more expensive of course, but a physical product would be given. This time around instead of only a CD, you will get an autographed vinyl copy as well. They still have the digital songs, which are different then the ones on the vinyl. The new CD and Vinyl are now a Best of The Insiders giving us the 9-10 songs from the 8 years of The Insiders CD series they had started 8 years earlier. The 1st Edition came in March 2023 almost a year after the announcement, but the band was smart as they went ahead and worked on the 2023 Edition at the same time they were working on the 2022 Edition. We received this vinyl in April 2023. Then in February 2024, we got the 3rd Edition and a year later in February 2025, we get the 4th Edition. And I have them all…

This time around, we get 9 songs but you have to remember they are trying to fit them on easily on a vinyl with only a set amount of time, so I’m okay with only 9 songs. We did get the CD again which is unsigned but that gives me all four of those as well…

Continue reading “Needtobreathe – ‘Best of the Insiders: 4th Edition’ (2025)”

Ratt – ‘Out of the Cellar’ (40th Anniversary – 1984/2024) – Album Review

After the success of their self-titled E.P., Ratt signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and that deal brought us the incredible debut album ‘Out of the Cellar’.  On March 27th, 1984, the album was released and thanks to MTV, the band became a huge sensation. And here we are over 40 years later with an Anniversary Edition of the album that even gives us one previously unreleased track. Now, it isn’t on the album if you got the vinyl per se but is with the CD version. The vinyl version instead received a 7″ Single with that song included which is called “Reach For The Sky” and if that sounds familiar, the band actually used it as an album title years later.

The band’s line-up was unchanged from the E.P, consisting of the following members:

  • Stephen Pearcy – vocals
  • Robbin Crosby – lead guitar
  • Warren DeMartini – lead guitar
  • Juan Croucier – bass
  • Bobby Blotzer – drums

With the incredible dual guitar combo of Crosby & DeMartini and the bluesy, raspiness of Pearcy’s vocals, the band had an arsenal of great songs that took them to the pinnacle of rock and selling millions and millions of records.  It also didn’t hurt that they looked the part which was crucial for the MTV world that was exploding on the scene at the time.

Take that and add a beautiful woman on the cover your album and there was denying this band.  Tawny Kitaen graced the cover of the debut album as she was the then girlfriend of Robin Crosby.  She also graced the cover of their E.P. but that was just her beautiful legs.  This time, you got the whole package.  For those that didn’t know, Tawny is the video vixen that was dancing on the pair of Jaguars in the Whitesnake videos in the late 80’s when she was dating David Coverdale. With these new version, we get a new cover…sort of…this time is a lenticular cover with Tawny on it which sees the background change from the yellow fiery cover to a blue tinged background. And throw the music on a red & black splatter vinyl and it is one sweet package.

Continue reading “Ratt – ‘Out of the Cellar’ (40th Anniversary – 1984/2024) – Album Review”

Tim’s Vinyl Confessions: Ratt’s ‘Rarities’ (2024)

Come join me as Tim and I as we discuss the new (sort of) Ratt album called ‘Rarities’. It is up on YouTube now. See below…

A new Ratt compilation? Well, new in this physical format. On this episode, John T. Snow and I discuss this recently released collection “from the ’80s metal vault”, featuring one of the most consistent hard rock bands of the mid-’80s.

Follow Tim at https://www.youtube.com/@TimsVinylConfessions

Purchase my books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tim-Dur…

TVC merchandise: https://www.teepublic.com/user/timsvi…

Ratt – ‘Rarities’ (2024) – Album Review

Ratt aren’t making any new albums it seems, so how does a label make money off their catalog? One way is it to keep reissuing the albums. Another is to release greatest hits compilations and a third is to release a collection or rarities and unreleased versions of the band’s catalogs. And that is what we have here. Heck, the label has been doing other two constantly so this a nice change of pace. But, they definitely went cheap. No liner notes and a cheap cardboard digipack. Plus there are only 9 tracks.

Here is the promotional line they sent out that various sites have posted. Not too much in it either…

From the ’80s metal vault comes this collection of vintage demos and live recordings of one of the scenes biggest hitmakers, Ratt. Features the earliest known recording of the band’s signature hit, “Round & Round”, complete with alternate lyrics and melody, as well as vintage performances of classics like “Body Talk”, “Wanted Man” and more.

The thing is I think this was already released back in 2007 with a different album cover, but same track listing and same label. I can’t find it on Discogs which leads me to believe it was a digital only release. Interesting though.

Continue reading “Ratt – ‘Rarities’ (2024) – Album Review”

Ratt – ‘Out of the Cellar’ – Album Review

After the success of their self-titled E.P., Ratt signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and that deal brought us the incredible debut album ‘Out of the Cellar’.  On March 27th, 1984, the album was released and thanks to MTV, the band became a huge sensation.

The band’s line-up was unchanged from the E.P, consisting of the following members:

  • Stephen Pearcy – vocals
  • Robin Crosby – lead guitar
  • Warren DeMartini – lead guitar
  • Juan Croucier – bass
  • Bobby Blotzer – drums

With the incredible dual guitar combo of Crosby & DeMartini and the bluesy, raspiness of Pearcy’s vocals, the band had an arsenal of great songs that took them to the pinnacle of rock and selling millions and millions of records.  It also didn’t hurt that they looked the part which was crucial for the MTV world that was exploding on the scene at the time.

Take that and add a beautiful woman on the cover your album and there was denying this band.  Tawny Kitaen graced the cover of the debut album as she was the then girlfriend of Robin Crosby.  She also graced the cover of their E.P. but that was just her beautiful legs.  This time, you got the whole package.  For those that didn’t know, Tawny is the video vixen that was dancing on the pair of Jaguars in the Whitesnake videos in the late 80’s when she was dating David Coverdale.

Continue reading “Ratt – ‘Out of the Cellar’ – Album Review”