By Mitch Lafon

In 2010, RATT released, Infestation, a return-to-their-roots album that energized their fan base, pleased critics and set up a bright future for one of Sunset Strip’s sleaziest bands, but as 2011 comes to a close the band remains inactive. The notable exception being drummer Bobby Blotzer, he’s expanding his business with his own line of wines, cheeses and other assorted comestibles. He recently sat down with BraveWords.com to fill us in on all the exciting details.

BraveWords.com: You’ve gotten into artisan wines with a Ratt N’ Roll Slip Of The Lip Cabernet Sauvignon and a Ratt N’ Roll Body Talk Chardonnay.

Bobby Blotzer: “I’ve been a wine lover for thirty-five years and I wanted to branch out while we took some time off. I wanted to try something new. I’ve also got my own salsas and a line of cheese coming out.”

BraveWords.com: Are all the products limited edition or are you getting into the food industry?

Blotzer: “I’m branching out. Warren DeMartini and myself are the owners of the RATT trademark and I wanted to do something on my own, but still using my affiliation with Ratt. Ratt ‘N Roll is a slogan that the fans have used since day one. I want Ratt ‘N Roll to be the brand outside of the band: Ratt ‘N Roll wines, Ratt ‘N Roll clothing (which I’m getting into next). I’m doing Pi-Ratt Caribbean Hot and a Louisiana Sauce.”

BraveWords.com: Are you sticking to the wines, hot sauces and cheese or do you diversify into other food products?

Blotzer: “To be determined. We’ll see what happens with all this. I’d like to get into ‘bedroom attire’. I’d like to get into everything I can. After people come to my house, they want me to decorate their house...”

BraveWords.com: Is this in addition to making music or is this as a replacement to making music?

Blotzer: “I don’t think anything is going to replace music. It’s something I can do when Warren or Stephen decide that they don’t want to tour.”

BraveWords.com: Have you been thinking about doing this for the last five years, but needed to find the right opportunity or did you just decide to put this all together?

Blotzer: “I opened a recording studio in Houston a few years ago to produce records and it was very successful. I made good money, but I couldn’t handle living in Houston because it was too hot, so when I came back to California it was like being a small fish in a big pond. I was able to do thirteen records in a fourteen month period in Houston. I love to produce. I’m a writer and a player, but in L.A. - everybody has their own studio and there’s a million famous guys that produce, so I knew it was going to be an uphill battle. I’m trying to think outside of the box.”

BraveWords.com: With Ratt on hiatus, have you thought of doing like (DOKKEN’s) Mick Brown and join other bands as a touring drummer?

Blotzer: “Yes, of course I have, but since our last show on October 16th 2010 in Tokyo - Ratt has never said we’re not touring or taking a break. By February/ March (2011), I was getting nervous because that’s when our tour bookings happen.  So, I decided to go into business for myself and I didn’t start looking for a band because I figured by April/May - the guys would say, ‘ok let’s go do some shows.’ Well, that never happened.”

BraveWords.com: Is the Ratt machine gearing up for anything in 2012? A new studio album perhaps? The last one (Infestation) was fantastic.

Blotzer: “Absolutely. Everybody makes their living by touring. We came off a record that was critically acclaimed worldwide - top 5 in Japan, top 5 in Canada, top 30 in the U.S.. It was a great record.”

BraveWords.com: Infestation was a great record. It’s in the top three RATT records ever...

Blotzer: “It came out good and it was a fun record. I had a great time making it. I did thirteen songs in four days. We did pre-production, rehearsed it and recorded it quick. I was focused and everybody was so focused on the end result.”

BraveWords.com: Can you repeat the same magic in 2012?

Blotzer: “Absolutely. We’re planning on being in the studio in January and February with mixing in March and having it out in the spring.”

BraveWords.com: Are Robbin Crane and Carlos Cavazo still part of the band?

Blotzer: “Yes.”

BraveWords.com: Any tour plans for 2012?

Blotzer: “I’m hoping there’s tour plans before that. I’d like to go out in December and have some fun. We had agreed to one summer off and it bums me off that we’re still sitting here and it’s still ambiguous as to what we’re doing - other than the record. I know we’re doing that because RoadRunner picked up our option and everybody’s been writing. I have songs and I’m ready to go. I don’t fuck around when it comes to business. People might think that I’m impatient, but I don’t like to fuck around. If we’re doing this then let’s get busy. Let’s get writing. Let’s get in going. It’s simple scheduling.”

BraveWords.com: You have to strike while the iron’s hot too. Ratt had their down time with Jizzy Pearl and all the fighting in public with past & present band members, but still you came back and made a classic album and instead of fully capitalizing on it - the band took time off. From a fan’s perspective or, at least, my perspective it’s like ‘why would you do that?’ You had the fans back. It was exciting again to be a Ratt fan.

Blotzer: “You talked about one thing right there - publicly airing our dirty laundry. It’s hard for me not to tell the truth regardless of whether it’s about me, my chick, or my band... I don’t like to bullshit and lie about it.”

BraveWords.com: Let’s talk about your book Tales Of A Ratt. Stephen and Warren expressed (through the media) some concerns about some of the stories. There were too many details and you made them look bad...

Blotzer: “I didn’t want to embarrass anybody especially not my sons and my ex-wife or anybody’s wife or children with any story. I used the template of what has already been out there in public (such as the VH1’s Behind The Music). I know and I’m sensitive to the boundaries and making sure that people’s personal lives are kept personal. However, when you’re telling your life story - are you going to lie? I’m not going to lie. I can withhold certain things, but I’m not going to lie. If anybody questions it - then write your own book. Write your own story. Read the book and you show me where I’m wrong. I’ve always had the most keen sense of memory and I made this book on a level of fun stories. I couldn’t exclude some of the business things we went through and the trials & tribulations. People love this book and relate to it. I did say in the beginning of the book that it’s one-sided, but that’s because it’s my book. That makes it one-sided, but it doesn’t mean I’m making it up. I’m not making it up - this is my life story. This is my reality.”

BraveWords.com: Will you write another book at some point?

Blotzer: “I have another book that’s almost done. It’s part of a series. It’s an interactive book. I want people to send in their picture, name, city and five questions. I’ll take my time to answer those five questions and anything goes (almost). If somebody asked me about Stephen’s private life - I’m not going to do that.”

BraveWords.com: Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Ratt camp seems to be this highly dysfunctional family with a lot on in-fighting and yet somehow when you get on stage - it’s magical.

Blotzer: “It’s really not like that, but I can’t do interviews and lie. It’s just not my nature. I try not to lie in any capacity. I’ll lie to my chick when she says ‘does this look good’ when we’re going out and I’ve asked her not to do that because you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. I would never stop the band, the crew, the management and everybody prospers from Ratt’s touring (which is multi-million dollars) from earning their due.”

BraveWords.com: How much money do you think you’ve lost over the years due to all these missed opportunities in Ratt?

Blotzer: “It’s obviously millions.”

BraveWords.com: That would make me angry.

Blotzer: “It’s not like anybody in this band is set on the level - that we don’t need to work still. That’s what drives me crazy. Other people cost the company money - I wish it wasn’t like that.”

BraveWords.com: Back to the wines - how can people order them?

Blotzer: “Through Artistwine.com or at my site Bobbyblotzer.com and we’re trying to get into every store. They’re both delicious wines from Napa in California.”

BraveWords.com: Any last words?

Blotzer: “I want to rock out. I want to do business. I want to keep the name Ratt out there.”