Detonator Red

By the time Detonator was released, I had sort of lost all hope in Ratt. I just noticed that for the last 2 or 3 studio albums, their music had lost it's spark that always had atrracted me to them, and everything just seemed blah.I will say however one thing that stands out on this album is Production Production, Production!!! It's by far their best sounding release to date, and the songs have the Ratt sound, but it's a little Scorpions-like in feeling. Teaming up with Desmond Child on the songwriting may have been a good thought as far as collaboration, but it sort of went over the edge on production.Sort of lacking on this album also is the DiMartini/Crosby dual guitar attack. Here,It's mostly DiMartini. Crosby himself claims he didn't have much to do with the arranging or writing at all. He did however play the rhythm guitar section. I believe by the time this album was completed, it would be the last time Crosby would ever play on a RATT album again.Lovin' You's a Dirty Job(Catchy tune, great song!), Hard Time(another good one),One Step Away (if you like pop, a bit too much like Steven Tyler?) Heads I Win, Tails You Lose(good, but DeMartini overdoes it a bit on the guitar work) Top Secret(Great, Old RATT style song)I bought it, I'm not sorry I did. If you like RATT, then indulge and make this purchase. You will experience a much more polished sound than you ever heard from RATT.

Item arrived by standard mail.Item as described.Good packaging!

By the time that Ratt released "Detonator" in 1990, the well seemed to be running a little dry for these guys. These guys were without question, one of the best of the genre, and "Detonator" shows why they were so strong."Detonator" became Ratt's first record to be recorded without producer extraordinaire Beau Hill. Feeling that a change was in order, Ratt decided to try their luck with former Bon Jovi hot shot Desmond Child. The major knock against Child is, he produces his records to an almost fault. This is true to a certain degree with this record as well. Gone are those raw and raunchy riffs of "Out of the Cellar' and "Invasion of Your Privacy," and in are over-the-top choruses and monster guitar riffs a-la "Slipper When Wet." I personally believe that Child actually helped Ratt's writing on this record, and some of their finest tunes were created through this partnership. My favorite tracks from the album are "Lovin' You's a Dirty Job," "Shame Shame Shame," "One Step Away" and "Can't Wait On Love."No matter your feelings on Desmond Child as a producer, this is easily one of Ratt's finest outings to me. I can't see any serious melodic rock fan disliking this album, and who knows, this may become your favorite Ratt album as well.

Great record. Sounds amazing, crisp, and clear. No pops or skips. Not a big fan of colored vinyl; prefer it black.

This is a great album. So happy it was FINALLY avl on vinyl. The originals are way to much $$. Happy to finally have it.

The last time a bought this album, it had just been released on the new CD format and man was it awesome. Fast forward 30+ years and I just bought it again but on vinyl. Sounds even better than ever! I still know each song note for note but hearing a little more with this release. Awesome.

great album unfortunately last album. Access of Fame killed this band in the eighties along with a few others. Have a great classic rock album right before fell apart.

Ratt was determined to flourish into a new decade with their lineup intact and tried to foist upon the fans and the media that they were still a band of brothers; laying cities to waste with their Ratt and roll party. However behind the curtain the situation in the band was anything but as personality issues, alcohol and drug abuse was tearing the band apart. `Detonator' was still a solid Ratt record when it hit the shelves in late summer 1990 but the band was in the midst of a downward spiral. Atlantic Records in an attempt to prop the band up recruit noted producer/songwriter Desmond Child to help Ratt produce a winner despite the carnage and he almost succeeded. `Detonator' contained several radio hits, nothing huge but enough exposure to keep the band near the forefront of the hair metal scene that they had starred in half a decade previous. Progressively disappointing album sales (each album after '85 sold less than the one before it) would not end with `Detonator' and it is this release that marked the end of Ratt as a viable commodity in the metal world. Robbin Crosby would soon depart as his drug addiction made him more or less incapacitated and with his departure; the magic of the classic lineup was gone forever (RIP Robbin). There are some quality Ratt songs in lead single "Lovin' You Is a Dirty Job" and "Shame Shame Shame" which were as good a one two punch as on any previous Ratt record. I dig "Can't Wait on Love" also. Not crazy about the power ballad but the up tempo poster "One Step Away" is good though not typical of the Ratt formula (when did Stephen care about real love?). The rest is as I've said ok but nothing special and Ratt would not survive long though they recently reformed (Pearcy, DeMartini and Blotzer anyway) so maybe they can still bring it live. Ratt were better than most critics give them credit for and at their best (83-86) they were second to none in the world of LA glam.