Stephen Pearcy

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Stephen Pearcy
Stephen Pearcy Sweden Rock 2008.jpg
Pearcy at Sweden Rock 2008
Background information
Birth nameStephen Eric Pearcy
Born (1956-07-03) July 3, 1956 (age 67)
Long Beach, California, U.S.
Genres Heavy metal, glam metal, hard rock, alternative metal, industrial
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active1970–present

Stephen Eric Pearcy (born July 3, 1956) [1] is an American musician who is the founder, singer, songwriter of the heavy metal band Ratt. He has also created the bands Firedome, Crystal Pystal, Arcade, Vicious Delite, and Vertex. He has also recorded seven albums as a solo artist.

Contents

Career

In his early teens, Pearcy aspired to be a top fuel race car driver[ clarification needed ] and expressed no desire to pursue a career in music. [2] He listened to music and occasionally went to concerts in the 1970s; however, he had not so much as played a note in his whole life.[ citation needed ] One night during the summer of 1970, a hit-and-run driver struck Pearcy while he was riding his bicycle.[ citation needed ] While he was in the hospital for six months recovering from his accident, someone gave him an acoustic guitar.[ citation needed ] After fiddling around with the guitar for a short time, Pearcy decided to shift his vocational focus from driving race cars to playing music.[ citation needed ] He created the bands Firedome and Crystal Pystal. Pearcy also wrote music for a band that he named Mickey Ratt (formed in San Diego in 1977). Pearcy moved his band to Los Angeles in 1980 after seeing a local band, Van Halen, at The Whisky a Go Go.[ citation needed ]

After Pearcy and the band moved to Los Angeles in 1980, the band's name was shortened to Ratt in 1981 and the original lineup was solidified in 1983. Playing clubs like The Troubadour, The Roxy and The Whisky, Ratt amassed a large local following. After releasing an eponymous six-song EP in 1983 that sold 200,000 copies, Ratt released its breakthrough album, Out of the Cellar , on Atlantic Records in 1984. The band opened arena shows and tours for ZZ Top, Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Squier. "Out of the Cellar" went five times multi-platinum, and the band headed its own arena tours around the world for the next ten years. After releasing four multi-platinum records and three gold albums with Ratt,[ citation needed ] Pearcy left the band in 1992. [3]

Pearcy and former Cinderella drummer Fred Coury formed the band Arcade in 1992. Arcade released a self-titled album in 1993 and another album the following year. In 1996, Pearcy dabbled in an industrial metal band called Vertex (with Megadeth's Al Pitrelli and drummer / electronic producer Hiro Kuretani).

Pearcy reunited with Ratt in 1996 (minus Robbin Crosby and Juan Croucier) only to leave the band for a second time in 2000 on the eve of a tour due to differences over financial allocation amongst band members.

Pearcy rejoined Ratt in 2006 [3] before leaving again on April 24, 2014, explaining he was "officially done with having anything to do with them due to the constant turmoil, unresolved business, personal attacks/threats in the public forum, and most of all, the disrespect to the fans". [4] [5]

On November 29, 2016, Pearcy and other members of Ratt announced the upcoming Back for More Tour. [6] [7]

A new Ratt lineup including Jordan Ziff (lead guitars) and drummer Pete Holmes (from the band Black and Blue) performed a handful of shows in late 2018 and embarked on a world tour starting in May 2019.

In April 2020, Pearcy appeared with Ratt in a GEICO insurance commercial where new homeowners lament that they "have a Ratt problem." [8]

Pearcy has recorded four solo records under his own indie label Top Fuel Records. The latest, "View to a Thrill", was released on Frontiers Music/Top Fuel Records in November 2018; the music from the album was written by Pearcy and guitarist Erik Ferentinos.

Personal life

Pearcy Pearcy.jpg
Pearcy

Pearcy is divorced and lives with his fiancé, Kristi Adair. He has a daughter from his first marriage, born 1995.

Health

Pearcy underwent knee replacement surgery in 2019, three months after two Ratt shows that saw him incapacitated to the point where he had difficulty remembering the words to some of the band's songs. [9]

On July 29, 2021, Pearcy revealed that he had been diagnosed with liver cancer three years earlier. He explained that he found out about the cancer through a blood test, and that he also had hepatitis. [9]

In the rockumentary "Nothing to Lose: A Stephen Pearcy Rockumentary" (2021), produced and directed by Kristi Adair, Pearcy confirmed that he beat his liver cancer after having had chemotherapy and an ablation procedure that removed his cancer completely. He was subsequently on a maintenance program to make certain that his cancer did not return. As of 2022, four years after having been diagnosed, he was still completely free of cancer. [10] [11]

Stephen Pearcy solo band members

Discography

WithYearTitleLabelUS Billboard peakUS sales
Ratt1983 Ratt Time Coast / Atlantic 133150,000
1984 Out of the Cellar Atlantic 75 million
1985 Invasion of Your Privacy 73 million
1986 Dancing Undercover 26Platinum+
1988 Reach for the Sky 17Platinum+
1990 Detonator 23750,000
1991 Ratt & Roll 81-91 57Platinum
Arcade1993 Arcade Sony 133100,000+
1994 A/2 40,000+
Vicious Delite1995 Vicious Delite Top Fuel Records
Vertex1996VertexBlue Dolphin
Ratt1997 Collage RATT Records
1999 Ratt Portrait Records 169(200,000 est world)
Solo2000Before And LaughterTop Fuel Records
2002 Social Intercourse Top Fuel Records
2006FuelerTop Fuel Records
StrippedSidewinder Records
2008 Under My Skin Top Fuel Records
Ratt2010 Infestation Loud & Proud / Roadrunner Records 30150,000+
Solo2017SmashFrontiers Music SRL / Top Fuel Records
Solo2018 View to a Thrill Frontiers Music SRL / Top Fuel Records
TBALegacy (compilation album)

Related Research Articles

<i>Out of the Cellar</i> 1984 studio album by Ratt

Out of the Cellar is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Ratt. Released in 1984, it was an immediate success, with wide airplay on radio and heavy rotation on MTV of its singles, especially the hit "Round and Round". The album is certified as triple platinum by the RIAA. The album brought Ratt to the top of the glam metal scene in Los Angeles. Ratt's later work would never surpass the success of Out of the Cellar.

Juan Croucier is a Cuban-born American musician. He is best known as the bassist for the hard rock/glam metal band Ratt.

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<i>Ratt</i> (EP) 1983 EP by Ratt

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Reach for the Sky is the fourth studio album by the American glam metal band RATT.

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<i>Collage</i> (Ratt album) 1997 compilation album by Ratt

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lay It Down (Ratt song)</span> 1985 single by Ratt

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanted Man (Ratt song)</span> 1984 single by Ratt

"Wanted Man" is the first track on American heavy metal band Ratt's album Out of the Cellar. It was also featured on the soundtrack for the 1985 film Weird Science. The song was composed by Robbin Crosby, Stephen Pearcy, and Joey Cristofanilli, and it was the second biggest hit on the album, reaching number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 38 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shame Shame Shame (Ratt song)</span> 1990 single by Ratt

"Shame Shame Shame" is a single by American heavy metal band Ratt, released on their album Detonator. The song's lyrics focus mainly on cheating. The song was co-written by famed songwriter Desmond Child, Ratt guitarist Warren DeMartini and lead singer Stephen Pearcy. The song features a slow detuned opening guitar solo, titled "Intro To Shame", that suddenly speeds up at the 0:55 mark until the drums and the bass come in at 1:01 into the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance (Ratt song)</span> 1986 single by Ratt

"Dance" is a song by American heavy metal band Ratt. It is the first track off their 1986 album Dancing Undercover and the tenth track of their compilation album Ratt & Roll 81-91. It reached #59 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Stephen Pearcy, guitarists Robbin Crosby and Warren DeMartini, and album producer Beau Hill.

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"Lovin' You's a Dirty Job" is a single by the American heavy metal band Ratt. It was released as the first single from their 1990 album Detonator. The song was co-written by Ratt bassist Juan Croucier, guitarist Warren DeMartini, lead singer Stephen Pearcy and songwriter Desmond Child. The song is known for its anthemic chorus, and Pearcy's raspy vocals. The B-Side of the US single was "What's It Gonna Be", taken from their previous album Reach for the Sky. There was also a UK 12" which included a remix of "Lovin' You..." which was eventually included on Collage.

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References

  1. "STEPHEN PEARCY on CBI". caiforniabirthindex.org. 2019.
  2. "Behind the Behind the Music: RATT". All Access Magazine. 2006.
  3. 1 2 DeRiso, Nick (24 April 2014). "Stephen Pearcy Quits Ratt". Ultimate Classic Rock.
  4. "Singer Stephen Pearcy Quits Ratt". Eddietrunk.com. April 24, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  5. "RATT Frontman Stephen Pearcy Leaves Band After Devastating Family Death". Hollywood Life. April 25, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  6. "DEMARTINI, PEARCY, CROUCIER Take Control Of RATT After Expelling BLOTZER From Partnership". Blabbermouth.net. November 29, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  7. "Ratt Name Dispute Settled: Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini + Juan Croucier Oust Bobby Blotzer and Regain Control". Loudwire. 30 November 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  8. Kielty, Martin (15 April 2020). "Watch Ratt in New Geico 'Ratt Problem' Commercial". Ultimate Classic Rock.
  9. 1 2 Irwin, Corey (2021-08-01). "Stephen Pearcy 'Appreciating Every Day' After Cancer Diagnosis". Ultimate Classic Rock . Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  10. "Kristi Adair". IMDb.com. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  11. "Kristi Adair Photos, News and Videos, Trivia and Quotes - FamousFix". FamousFix.com. Retrieved 1 March 2023.