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Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life in Rock
A jaw-dropping tell-all from the lead singer of the 1980s supergroup the groupies, the trashed hotel rooms, the drugs—and just how much you can get away with when you’re one of the biggest hair metal stars of all time.
Women. Spandex. Drugs. Hair spray. . . . Welcome to heavy metal rock ’n’ roll, circa 1980, when all you needed was the right look, burning ambition, and a chance. Stephen Pearcy and supergroup Ratt hit the bull’s-eye. What they did with their fame and fortune is a riotous tale of . . .
SEX, DRUGS, RATT & ROLL
Pearcy was a scrawny, horny, thrill-seeking teenager with an electric guitar who had graduated from backyard parties in San Diego to half-empty dives in Los Angeles before he and his band broke through at Whiskey a Go Go. Cranking out metal just as metal got hot, Ratt was the perfect band at the perfect time, and their hit single “Round and Round” became a top-selling anthem. The bigger Ratt got, the more excessive Pearcy and his “pussy pirates” became. There was nothing these guys wouldn’t snort, drink, bed, or break. And the fans were just as bad, as husbands and mothers offered up nubile wives and daughters as tribute to their rock ’n’ roll idols.
On a journey that could happen only in America, Pearcy met everyone from Michael Jackson to Drew Barrymore (at age twelve, at a New York nightclub, at 2 a.m.) to Rodney Dangerfield. His infamous partner-in-crime, Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby, a blond Viking with an unsurpassed appetite for drugs and women, cuts a towering and tragic figure throughout.
As Ratt scrambled up a wall of fame and wealth, so they experienced the gut-wrenching free fall, after too many hours in buses, planes, and limos; too many women; too many drugs; and all the personality clashes and ego trips that marked the beginning of the end. Pearcy offers a stunningly honest selfportrait of a man running on the fumes of ambition and loneliness as the party crashed. His rock ’n’ roll confessional, by turns incredible, hilarious, and lyrical, is a story of survival—and a search for the things that matter most.
Women. Spandex. Drugs. Hair spray. . . . Welcome to heavy metal rock ’n’ roll, circa 1980, when all you needed was the right look, burning ambition, and a chance. Stephen Pearcy and supergroup Ratt hit the bull’s-eye. What they did with their fame and fortune is a riotous tale of . . .
SEX, DRUGS, RATT & ROLL
Pearcy was a scrawny, horny, thrill-seeking teenager with an electric guitar who had graduated from backyard parties in San Diego to half-empty dives in Los Angeles before he and his band broke through at Whiskey a Go Go. Cranking out metal just as metal got hot, Ratt was the perfect band at the perfect time, and their hit single “Round and Round” became a top-selling anthem. The bigger Ratt got, the more excessive Pearcy and his “pussy pirates” became. There was nothing these guys wouldn’t snort, drink, bed, or break. And the fans were just as bad, as husbands and mothers offered up nubile wives and daughters as tribute to their rock ’n’ roll idols.
On a journey that could happen only in America, Pearcy met everyone from Michael Jackson to Drew Barrymore (at age twelve, at a New York nightclub, at 2 a.m.) to Rodney Dangerfield. His infamous partner-in-crime, Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby, a blond Viking with an unsurpassed appetite for drugs and women, cuts a towering and tragic figure throughout.
As Ratt scrambled up a wall of fame and wealth, so they experienced the gut-wrenching free fall, after too many hours in buses, planes, and limos; too many women; too many drugs; and all the personality clashes and ego trips that marked the beginning of the end. Pearcy offers a stunningly honest selfportrait of a man running on the fumes of ambition and loneliness as the party crashed. His rock ’n’ roll confessional, by turns incredible, hilarious, and lyrical, is a story of survival—and a search for the things that matter most.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2013
103 people are currently reading
989 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
May 6, 2014
This book doesn’t read completely unlike other rock bios I’ve read. That’s to say, you get to read about sex, drugs, sex, drugs, sex, drugs, sex… and a bit of rock & roll. There are many rock memoirs and just as many different perspectives on the way things went down in the 80s (ahem – no pun intended), so it isn’t easy to say which version is the definitive one. What’s interesting about this particular one is the fact that it includes some commentary from third parties (roadies, other band members, bodyguards etc) which substantiates a lot of what Pearcy reminisces about. Thing is: they don’t all come across as particularly reliable.
For the most part, though, it’s a fun book filled with the kind of mayhem and ridiculous behaviour that only rock stars can get away with.
For the most part, though, it’s a fun book filled with the kind of mayhem and ridiculous behaviour that only rock stars can get away with.
July 18, 2023
3⭐
…the bullet points
- 80s hair metal band RATT
- Stephen Pearcy’s tell-all/memoir
- the title says it all…
I really liked RATT when I was younger and I still like their music currently...but now, after listening to this memoir, I’ve figured out I don’t really like Stephen Pearcy all that much. His story, overall, has left me feeling kind of meh…it did have some interesting bits here and there, though…like how he had to pimp himself out to get a gig at one of the clubs on the Sunset Strip...and he didn't want to be objectified by a woman...huh, imagine that.
…about the narration
🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️/5
- Stephen R. Thorne…was a very decent narrator but it’s interesting that he didn’t try to narrate his book himself…he should have, though.
…the bullet points
- 80s hair metal band RATT
- Stephen Pearcy’s tell-all/memoir
- the title says it all…
I really liked RATT when I was younger and I still like their music currently...but now, after listening to this memoir, I’ve figured out I don’t really like Stephen Pearcy all that much. His story, overall, has left me feeling kind of meh…it did have some interesting bits here and there, though…like how he had to pimp himself out to get a gig at one of the clubs on the Sunset Strip...and he didn't want to be objectified by a woman...huh, imagine that.
…about the narration
🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️/5
- Stephen R. Thorne…was a very decent narrator but it’s interesting that he didn’t try to narrate his book himself…he should have, though.
May 26, 2022
Obviously, this is a tell all book from Stephen Pearcy, a musician best known as the founder, singer, songwriter and sole remaining original member of the heavy metal band Ratt. The narrative here is entertaining, fairly easy to follow (though it does jump back and forth in time from Stephen’s early years growing up to the glory days of RATT in the 80s and early 90s) and does a good job revealing all the good, bad and pretty damn horrible about Los Angeles, the Sunset Strip scene and the music industry in general. Sure, there is the expected sex, drugs and rock n’ roll throughout, but what was refreshing was that I never felt that Stephen attempted to glorify any of it or make any excuses for his behaviors, just related the realities of the scene back then as it was. In one section of the narrative, Stephen even reveals the numerous sexual favors he was forced to provide to a certain female booker at a famous club just to get RATT a gig.
I would recommend this one to any fan of RATT, Stephen Pearcy, 80s rock music, music fans in general, or any reader interested in an honest (at least from Stephen Pearcy’s viewpoint) reveal of LA, the Sunset Strip, or the music industry. You might not like everything you read, but it will be hard not to believe it, because Stephen’s words ring very true.
I would recommend this one to any fan of RATT, Stephen Pearcy, 80s rock music, music fans in general, or any reader interested in an honest (at least from Stephen Pearcy’s viewpoint) reveal of LA, the Sunset Strip, or the music industry. You might not like everything you read, but it will be hard not to believe it, because Stephen’s words ring very true.
July 17, 2014
I have this complex when it comes to rockstar bios. I will read it regardless of whether or not I like the band. In doing so, I have found that, sometimes, reading the book will give me a newfound fondness for the author. This is why I had to read Stephen Pearcy's life story, even though I'm not going to win any awards for my devotion to Ratt. In fact, I've always found Pearcy's stage presence to be slightly awkward, as well as his penchant for high kicks and air guitar.
That being said, my opinion of him has not changed. I may have even lost some regard for him along the way. He tries to make us believe that he was a king in the 80s and that Ratt was a forerunner of hair metal glam, when in reality, they were just another band that jumped on the bandwagon of Motley Crue's, Van Halen's, and Judas Priest's success. In one part he mentions Motley's "gimmicky" performance with their high heels, leather, and makeup. Then in the next sentence, he talks about how Ratt wore puffy blouses and gold bangles. Well, I'd say that dressing up as a pirate is pretty cheesy too.
That being said, my opinion of him has not changed. I may have even lost some regard for him along the way. He tries to make us believe that he was a king in the 80s and that Ratt was a forerunner of hair metal glam, when in reality, they were just another band that jumped on the bandwagon of Motley Crue's, Van Halen's, and Judas Priest's success. In one part he mentions Motley's "gimmicky" performance with their high heels, leather, and makeup. Then in the next sentence, he talks about how Ratt wore puffy blouses and gold bangles. Well, I'd say that dressing up as a pirate is pretty cheesy too.
October 18, 2019
Quite a bit of the book involves the debauchery with groupies, which is expected. If you're going to read a book like this you gotta expect the way a band like Ratt was treating people when they were at the pinnacle of their careers.
The insight into the various members, even through the arrogant eyes of Pearcy, was great. I wish there had been more about the actual songs and how they managed to write such killer tunes when the chaos surrounding them never ended.
The insight into the various members, even through the arrogant eyes of Pearcy, was great. I wish there had been more about the actual songs and how they managed to write such killer tunes when the chaos surrounding them never ended.
February 2, 2020
I still Ratt and Roll occasionally. I have always liked their music. Warren di Martini has a very recognizable signature in guitar playing that I dig. Stephen Pearcy has a very distinctive voice which I also happen to like. They have catchy metal hooks and tunes. I would have loved to read a memoir from Pearcy that revolved around his professional life. This is so disappointing in that the majority of the book is about Stephen's sexual conquests and drug taking. It made me wonder who would love this book. A 14 year old boy perhaps. It's a given that successful band members get laid all the time and mess around with drugs. Stephen comes off as insecure and misogynistic, which is a pity. He has a much more interesting story to tell than what is told here.
June 11, 2013
boringly excessive. and vice versa.
he could at least included some better pictures; they look like xerox copies of an old high school yearbook. a million mehs.
he could at least included some better pictures; they look like xerox copies of an old high school yearbook. a million mehs.
August 19, 2018
Wasnt expecting this to be a great feminist tome but was not expecting to read sexual asssult dressed up as a hilarious touring story. Page 189.
Cannot believe the author, or editors thought this story appropriate for publication. Yes, There’s lots of messy sex in this book, but it’s all consensual. The story I’m referring to isn’t. Yuck.
Cannot believe the author, or editors thought this story appropriate for publication. Yes, There’s lots of messy sex in this book, but it’s all consensual. The story I’m referring to isn’t. Yuck.
February 24, 2018
If you loved heavy metal in the 80's and don't mind some humor, rampant drug use, and fast women, you'll enjoy this bio.
December 26, 2025
From a purely entertainment standpoint, I thoroughly enjoyed Stephen Pearcy’s memoir. As a diehard fan of 80s metal, I grew up immersed in its culture, and it’s an integral part of my identity. Ratt was undoubtedly one of my favorite bands from that era, and “Round and Round” remains a standout track.
The book delves into the captivating world of sexual escapades, offering a glimpse into the wild and indulgent lifestyle of the 80s hair metal scene. Stephen skillfully transports readers back in time, providing a vivid portrayal of the struggles faced by bands during that era along with the sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. The book’s engaging narrative kept me hooked, and I found myself thoroughly entertained throughout.
However, if you’re seeking a reflective and insightful rock ’n’ roll memoir, this might not be the ideal choice. While the book does touch upon some issues within the band, it lacks the depth and detail that I would have loved. Stephen’s retelling of the Ratt years is somewhat vague, suggesting that the band members were simply exhausted and annoyed with each other due to years of relentless touring. Additionally, the book concludes a bit abruptly, leaving me wanting more.
Despite these minor shortcomings, I’m giving the book a 4.5 rating and rounding it up to 5 because it was consistently engaging and amusing. While I’m not certain if Stephen fully recalls all the details I’m seeking, such as the personality conflicts within the band, or if he refrains from mentioning them due to legal reasons, this book was undeniably a delightful and entertaining read for me.
The book delves into the captivating world of sexual escapades, offering a glimpse into the wild and indulgent lifestyle of the 80s hair metal scene. Stephen skillfully transports readers back in time, providing a vivid portrayal of the struggles faced by bands during that era along with the sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. The book’s engaging narrative kept me hooked, and I found myself thoroughly entertained throughout.
However, if you’re seeking a reflective and insightful rock ’n’ roll memoir, this might not be the ideal choice. While the book does touch upon some issues within the band, it lacks the depth and detail that I would have loved. Stephen’s retelling of the Ratt years is somewhat vague, suggesting that the band members were simply exhausted and annoyed with each other due to years of relentless touring. Additionally, the book concludes a bit abruptly, leaving me wanting more.
Despite these minor shortcomings, I’m giving the book a 4.5 rating and rounding it up to 5 because it was consistently engaging and amusing. While I’m not certain if Stephen fully recalls all the details I’m seeking, such as the personality conflicts within the band, or if he refrains from mentioning them due to legal reasons, this book was undeniably a delightful and entertaining read for me.
June 13, 2013
Raunchy. And awesome. But raunchy. I hope writing the book was cathartic for the author, who took the stereotypical route to ruin via booze and drugs. If you grew up with 80s rock, this is an amazing book - otherwise would recommend Sammy Hagar's Red as a better entry point to the era.
After recovering from a skateboard vs car accident that shattered both his legs and kept him in hospital for 6 months, Pearcy took up the guitar when a friend of a friend insisted he keep a guitar that belonged to his sister's ex-bf. He formed his first band, Crystal Pistal, which became Mickey Ratt. Several members left, he hooked up w/ guitarist Robbin Crosby (King), changed name to Ratt and rest is history.
Had a meet-cute w/ David Lee Roth where he invited DLR to smoke a joint (van halen was almost named Rat Salad). Eddie van Halen kept his vodka at Pearcy's house. Big break was opening for Ozzy, who could party like crazy. Mötley Crüe were awesome guys who had a crummy house in which they threw amazing parties. Milton Berle loved the band and took over the Round and Round video shoot from the director - made sure they kept it funny. The band were frequently at the Friar's Club. Booking agent at the Whiskey made Pearcy let her service him to get booked for shows there. He met ~12 yr old Drew Barrymore at Limelight and she promised she could get him into Studio 54. Robbin Crosby was on/off with Tawny Kitaen(!) who was OJ Simpson's mistress in mid 80s - OJ threatened to cut off his hands.
The amount of sex they all got, including the crew, is hard to fathom. And the mayhem that went with it, mothers and husbands and boyfriends offering up their women.
The drugs and the touring broke them as individuals and divided them as a band. Just like Hagar, they talk about "the machine" needing to be fed, until the artists have nothing left to give. Everyone in that era who had success seems to have become a victim of it, and all lost friends along the way (Crosby died of aids from bad needles). Yet they don't seem to want to change anything.
After recovering from a skateboard vs car accident that shattered both his legs and kept him in hospital for 6 months, Pearcy took up the guitar when a friend of a friend insisted he keep a guitar that belonged to his sister's ex-bf. He formed his first band, Crystal Pistal, which became Mickey Ratt. Several members left, he hooked up w/ guitarist Robbin Crosby (King), changed name to Ratt and rest is history.
Had a meet-cute w/ David Lee Roth where he invited DLR to smoke a joint (van halen was almost named Rat Salad). Eddie van Halen kept his vodka at Pearcy's house. Big break was opening for Ozzy, who could party like crazy. Mötley Crüe were awesome guys who had a crummy house in which they threw amazing parties. Milton Berle loved the band and took over the Round and Round video shoot from the director - made sure they kept it funny. The band were frequently at the Friar's Club. Booking agent at the Whiskey made Pearcy let her service him to get booked for shows there. He met ~12 yr old Drew Barrymore at Limelight and she promised she could get him into Studio 54. Robbin Crosby was on/off with Tawny Kitaen(!) who was OJ Simpson's mistress in mid 80s - OJ threatened to cut off his hands.
The amount of sex they all got, including the crew, is hard to fathom. And the mayhem that went with it, mothers and husbands and boyfriends offering up their women.
The drugs and the touring broke them as individuals and divided them as a band. Just like Hagar, they talk about "the machine" needing to be fed, until the artists have nothing left to give. Everyone in that era who had success seems to have become a victim of it, and all lost friends along the way (Crosby died of aids from bad needles). Yet they don't seem to want to change anything.
February 15, 2019
Nothing special here. This is your typical, generic story of a transparent, predicable Rockstar. I can't say I was expecting much; it is Ratt, after all, who only had one song. But throughout the whole book, the guy makes little--if any--mention of the actual music (again, that's why they only have one mediocre song). It's all about his clothes, his look, how bad he wants to be a Rockstar, and all the "sluts" he eventually has sex with. The book is a missed opportunity, because that LA strip scene of the 80s is a fascinating time in music history, and I'm sure there's a lot that could have been rendered about that particular era. But we don't get anything with any substance. On the other hand, I don't think the guy has any. He was in the right place at the right time, pushed forward with the right group of musicians, and turned out one popular song. It was all downhill from there, and Ratt and any legacy they might have had was eventually destroyed by the onset of alternative rock, which demolished the hair metal scene because it had heart and substance--which are the two things most of the hair metal bands lacked.
I love a good rock and roll bio, but there's nothing here that you haven't heard before. Duff McKagan's GNR memoir is much, much better. Pass.
*****EDIT*****
After thinking about it for a day or so, I feel like I'm being too hard on it. It's a decent enough memoir of a rock and roll life. Pearcy just doesn't have the charisma that someone like Sebastian Bach has; read Bach's memoir instead.
I love a good rock and roll bio, but there's nothing here that you haven't heard before. Duff McKagan's GNR memoir is much, much better. Pass.
*****EDIT*****
After thinking about it for a day or so, I feel like I'm being too hard on it. It's a decent enough memoir of a rock and roll life. Pearcy just doesn't have the charisma that someone like Sebastian Bach has; read Bach's memoir instead.
October 13, 2019
I wouldn't say this was jaw-dropping... but then, I lived through the 80s, I was a hair metal rock musician (not famous, unfortunately), and I went to a lot of shows, met a lot of people, and had a very good idea of what actually went on back then. Those who weren't there might find their jaws dropping at the casual offhand reports of excessive indulgence. To me, it sounded like a normal night. Well, maybe not stacking up the girls like sandwiches, one right after the other, but... the drinking, the partying, the wild rides, that was just normal.
I read this mostly to reminisce, and because the biographies of successful people fascinate me. My goal is to get a look, if I can, into the psyche of people who make it, to try to figure out what they did differently that others (including me) don't do. Some books provide clues, others don't. The running theme seems to be a level of unshakeable belief and determination that doesn't waver no matter how tough the going gets. Whether that's ego, obstinance, or because someone comes from a background where the only choice is going for it or being trapped in a colorless life of impoverishment, I don't know--because many of the ones who make it come from decent backgrounds with reasonable futures. Pearcy was just flat-out determined, and he didn't even start out life dreaming of being a musician. That came later.
But, it was an interesting read. Fans of the band will find it highly entertaining.
I read this mostly to reminisce, and because the biographies of successful people fascinate me. My goal is to get a look, if I can, into the psyche of people who make it, to try to figure out what they did differently that others (including me) don't do. Some books provide clues, others don't. The running theme seems to be a level of unshakeable belief and determination that doesn't waver no matter how tough the going gets. Whether that's ego, obstinance, or because someone comes from a background where the only choice is going for it or being trapped in a colorless life of impoverishment, I don't know--because many of the ones who make it come from decent backgrounds with reasonable futures. Pearcy was just flat-out determined, and he didn't even start out life dreaming of being a musician. That came later.
But, it was an interesting read. Fans of the band will find it highly entertaining.
May 11, 2015
This is an easy read and, if you are familiar with the rock bio genre, you know what to expect. A struggle for success. Huge success. Lots of money, sex, and drugs. (In the case of this one, the sex elevates the book to near pornography.) Then decline, caused by the drugs, and, in the case of glam metal artists, by the loss of popularity of that kind of music. For me, the biggest surprises were not the usual 'shocking' rock stories, but whose reputations are trashed and not trashed in this book. Of course, Stephen Pearcy runs into little Drew Barrymore at a nightclub, so her mother, Jaid Barrymore, looks awful. But I was surprised by how bad Wendy Dio (Dio's wife and manager) comes out -- like an oversexed user/abuser of rock stars. And then there are those who do *not* get trashed. For a rock star, Ratt's bassist, Juan Croucier, comes out looking squeaky clean. He'd talk groupies' ears off about his family, then not have sex with them. And the worst thing Pearcy can say about guitarist Warren DeMartini is that he is too meticulous in his songwriting.
March 3, 2021
I've read quite a few rock n' roll autobiographies lately, so I'm not easily offended by ribald tales of sex and drugs. I usually have a blast reading about such debauchery, in fact.
That said, this one was hard to enjoy and I wanna take a scalding-hot shower now. Women are objectified as nothing but "trim" from start to finish, and no matter how you try to spin it . . . anal penetration of an unconscious young lady is RAPE. It ain't the least bit funny.
Got through it, but overall I can't say I "enjoyed" this one. Ugh.
That said, this one was hard to enjoy and I wanna take a scalding-hot shower now. Women are objectified as nothing but "trim" from start to finish, and no matter how you try to spin it . . . anal penetration of an unconscious young lady is RAPE. It ain't the least bit funny.
Got through it, but overall I can't say I "enjoyed" this one. Ugh.
April 17, 2014
I enjoyed it pretty well. Engagingly written, although pretty standard material. My problem with many of these rock bios is that they spend a lot more time talking about the drug abuse than about the music and the personalities, which is what I'd really rather read about. I was not a huge Ratt fan but did enjoy a lot of their music. This did give me some information I didn't know. I found it a quick read as well.
August 6, 2013
I read through some of the reviews prior to beginning this book and I was surprised that some people were disappointed with the lack of depth. The man was an 80s metal rocker who has wasted away most of his brain cells on alcohol and drugs. It's an entertaining, quick read, if you have an interest in reading about the 80s metal scene.
January 14, 2022
If you’re up for some total trash, with no socially redemptive arcs, just bad behavior and good rock n roll, then this is a book for you. Warning: Pearce treats (treated?) women like cigarette wrappers, as something to just be crumpled up and thrown away. And there were a LOT. But as a book it reads easy & never bores.
November 1, 2020
I couldn't put this one down. Can't say there were any shocking revelations as The Dirt pretty much had already demolished any illusions I had about my 80's idols. I will still go see any band that Pearcy fronts and will still go to see any Ratt concert if this virus ever disappears.
November 5, 2020
OH MY!!!
The things I learned in this book. I knew about the lifestyles they lived, but this delved deeper into it. I'm sure that all still was not revealed in their lifestyle.
Ratt is still my favorite rock/heavy metal band and always will be. Stephen Pearcy...........
The things I learned in this book. I knew about the lifestyles they lived, but this delved deeper into it. I'm sure that all still was not revealed in their lifestyle.
Ratt is still my favorite rock/heavy metal band and always will be. Stephen Pearcy...........
April 15, 2022
I had to tap out of this one at 90%. It seemed he was going after shock just for shock alone. I didn’t find anything really endearing like the Motley Crue guys. Anyway, I was done with the shared cup of pee incident. I didn’t need to know that.
October 24, 2020
Always a fan of sleaze metal & a girl who hung out in the scene nothing surprised me in this book. Every raunchy detail was just business as usual then. Much of this stuff wouldn’t be accepted today, but I’ll admit it was a fun time of the likes in which will not be had again. I’m thankful I got to experience this era & scene first hand. Stephen tells his life story, retracing his childhood, rise to fame, decline & a resurgence of sorts even though on a smaller scale. He overcomes childhood injuries due to an accident & works pretty hard to become a rock star. He dabbles in the usual vices, & you get to hear what it took to get into the best clubs to be heard by the right people , go on a major tour, what your favorite rockers were like pre fame while they were all competing in the club scene & there’s no shortage of debauchery. It was like walking down memory lane of a mostly very good time .
November 13, 2022
Not exactly the most well written book I've ever read but I'm a sucker for tales of debauchery about washed up rock stars and that is basically what this book is. Not as wild or as entertaining as "The Dirt" about Motley Crue but this is worth reading.
June 1, 2017
I won't deny, I'm a sucker for a good rock biog.
Having wallowed in the music since getting my first record player at the tender age of 6/7 (hey, it was a long time ago), I've always been fascinated by the excesses and lifestyle and what musicians seem to think are the important parts of their story.
Anthony Kedis, for example, talks a lot about the music before opening up about his drug use.
NOFX, on the other hand, barely mention how they came to write and record the songs, instead focusing almost exclusively on the car crash happening around the band.
Nikki Sixx, of course, managed to cover both sides equally well.
A good measure of these books is always, in the end, the music. Has the star concerned done enough to make you want to go back and listen to those records?
Now, as far as Ratt were concerned, aside from their debut Out Of The Cellar they were never really on my radar. Slightly ahead of my glam-rock phase, and never quite making the ripples over here that they did on home turf, their back catalogue was as much of a mystery as the lives of the five guys from LA (even if, weirdly, I've always been able to name them).
When the opening pages of Sex, Drugs etc etc detail how Pearcy was off his box on booze, pills and heroin the day his little girl was born, you know you're in for an entertaining ride at the very least - and Sam Benjamin has done a crackin' job capturing the singer's voice.
Like all biogs, this is Pearcy's view of his world and it's interesting how little the actual music features.
Laying claim to writing a lot of the early stuff, once the drugs and booze arrive the music pretty much takes a back seat - which, granted, mirrors the band's actual output.
Holding nothing back, Pearcy takes us through his formative years in San Diego, watching Led Zep while tripping his tits off on acid, to the implosion of Ratt and his attempts at new projects.
He barely makes reference to their 'comeback' album as well, which he should be shouting about given it's the best thing they've ever done.
But his honesty does him credit, because he doesn't come out well from this.
Be it his behaviour towards his wife, his constant use of the word 'trim' (don't say you aren't flattered, ladies), the total lack of reflection, he comes across as nothing but a part-time narcissist.
And yet, you can't hate him.
Sure, he only seems to have got into music to get out of learning anything and to enable his drug use, but somehow you end the book liking him.
That's partly down to his ability to tell a tale, but also due to one telling chapter.
He had not been clean that long at time of writing the book (in 2014), and his love for heroin is still lurking just beneath the surface.
Late in the book, he describes vividly the burning of his dope, the flame, the foil, the tar, the smoke... If he didn't get high just writing that bit it's a miracle.
And in that moment, you see the real man.
He's an addict, he's been an addict all his life, he'll always be an addict. And he knows it. And he's OK with that. In fact, I suspect he quite likes the rock n roll romanticism of it.
And that's where I was won over. Yes, his time has passed. Yes, he lives in his own little bubble bless 'im.
But he's happy. He's lived the life he wanted. A life many of us won't ever get the chance to live. And you can't really argue with that.
Plus, by the end of the book, I actually found myself wanting to go back through Ratt's back catalogue.
And that first album is still a belter.
Having wallowed in the music since getting my first record player at the tender age of 6/7 (hey, it was a long time ago), I've always been fascinated by the excesses and lifestyle and what musicians seem to think are the important parts of their story.
Anthony Kedis, for example, talks a lot about the music before opening up about his drug use.
NOFX, on the other hand, barely mention how they came to write and record the songs, instead focusing almost exclusively on the car crash happening around the band.
Nikki Sixx, of course, managed to cover both sides equally well.
A good measure of these books is always, in the end, the music. Has the star concerned done enough to make you want to go back and listen to those records?
Now, as far as Ratt were concerned, aside from their debut Out Of The Cellar they were never really on my radar. Slightly ahead of my glam-rock phase, and never quite making the ripples over here that they did on home turf, their back catalogue was as much of a mystery as the lives of the five guys from LA (even if, weirdly, I've always been able to name them).
When the opening pages of Sex, Drugs etc etc detail how Pearcy was off his box on booze, pills and heroin the day his little girl was born, you know you're in for an entertaining ride at the very least - and Sam Benjamin has done a crackin' job capturing the singer's voice.
Like all biogs, this is Pearcy's view of his world and it's interesting how little the actual music features.
Laying claim to writing a lot of the early stuff, once the drugs and booze arrive the music pretty much takes a back seat - which, granted, mirrors the band's actual output.
Holding nothing back, Pearcy takes us through his formative years in San Diego, watching Led Zep while tripping his tits off on acid, to the implosion of Ratt and his attempts at new projects.
He barely makes reference to their 'comeback' album as well, which he should be shouting about given it's the best thing they've ever done.
But his honesty does him credit, because he doesn't come out well from this.
Be it his behaviour towards his wife, his constant use of the word 'trim' (don't say you aren't flattered, ladies), the total lack of reflection, he comes across as nothing but a part-time narcissist.
And yet, you can't hate him.
Sure, he only seems to have got into music to get out of learning anything and to enable his drug use, but somehow you end the book liking him.
That's partly down to his ability to tell a tale, but also due to one telling chapter.
He had not been clean that long at time of writing the book (in 2014), and his love for heroin is still lurking just beneath the surface.
Late in the book, he describes vividly the burning of his dope, the flame, the foil, the tar, the smoke... If he didn't get high just writing that bit it's a miracle.
And in that moment, you see the real man.
He's an addict, he's been an addict all his life, he'll always be an addict. And he knows it. And he's OK with that. In fact, I suspect he quite likes the rock n roll romanticism of it.
And that's where I was won over. Yes, his time has passed. Yes, he lives in his own little bubble bless 'im.
But he's happy. He's lived the life he wanted. A life many of us won't ever get the chance to live. And you can't really argue with that.
Plus, by the end of the book, I actually found myself wanting to go back through Ratt's back catalogue.
And that first album is still a belter.
September 18, 2025
The typical sex, drugs and rock&roll book. Interesting but not unique
November 27, 2024
I wanted to take a break from works focusing on the Middle East in between SFF reads, so I went looking for books similar to Mötley Crüe and Neil Strauss' The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band. That one turned out to be my favorite reads of all time, so I decided to download a bunch of rock and roll biographies. Hard rock, glam rock, heavy metal, whatever label you want to put on these records, hair bands were the thing during my teenage and young adult years and they have shaped my life in various ways. Hell, I still listen to most of that music today and it's no guilty pleasure. The 70s and 80s produced the very best music the world has ever seen and I'm just glad I was around to experience it!
Surprisingly, Stephen Pearcy's memoir is the book that came up the most when I was looking for suggestions for similar works to The Dirt. I was never a big fan of Ratt back in the day. Not a Ratt and Roller by any stretch of the imagination. They were okay and part of all hard rock compilations that were released every year or so, and I did get a few of their albums from the Columbia House promo thingie where so many of us got cassettes and CDs in the 80s and the 90s. So I knew of them and enjoyed a few of their songs, chief among those being Round and Round, which played on the radio and around the clock on MTV and Much Music during the mid-80s. But though Ratt got big and scored four platinum albums in a row, they never made it to superstardom the way Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, and Guns N' Roses ultimately did. Hence my surprise that Sex, Drugs, Ratt and Roll: My Life in Rock would be pimped like it was when I was looking for my nex rock and roll book.
I mean, it's 2024 and I can still name a couple of Ratt tunes, yet I couldn't for the life of me remember the name of the band's lead singer. But what the heck? I told myself that if it's only half as good as The Dirt, I was in for a treat!
Here's the blurb:
The jaw-dropping tell-all from the lead singer of 1980s supergroup Ratt—and the dirty details of the riotous era when big-haired bands ruled the world.
Women. Spandex. Drugs. Hair spray. . . . Welcome to heavy metal rock ’n’ roll, circa 1980, when all you needed was the right look, burning ambition, and a chance. Cranking out metal just as metal got hot, Ratt was the perfect band at the perfect time, and their hit single “Round and Round” became a top-selling anthem. The bigger Ratt got, the more excessive lead singer Stephen Pearcy and his “pussy pirates” became. There was nothing these guys wouldn’t snort, drink, bed, or break. But as Ratt scrambled up a wall of fame and wealth, so they experienced a gut-wrenching free fall. Pearcy’s stunningly honest rock ’n’ roll confessional, by turns incredible, hilarious, and lyrical, is more than a story of survival—it’s a search for the things that matter most.
Let me begin by saying that Sex, Drugs, Ratt and Roll: My Life in Rock is nothing like The Dirt. It's still a fun and interesting read, but there's very little in terms of content. Sure, it's a tale of neverending excess and debauchery. There's a lot of name-dropping and Pearcy and his boys did a lot of crazy shit with other famous people. But there's only so much sex and drugs one can take and maintain interest.
The most fasinating stuff has to do with everything that went on during the time Ratt was created and tried to make it. It's fascinating because basically all the musicians that formed bands that came out of the Sunset Strip and its infamous venues pretty much all knew each other and played with one another before making it big or not. I had no idea that the guys from Ratt were so close to the Crüe, even before the band was signed. Or that Pearcy was close enough with Eddie Van Halen that the legendary guitarist would hide booze at Pearcy's place so he could come and drink without his wife finding out. There are a lot of anecdotes like that and they make the book a worthwhile read. I couldn't help laughing when Pearcy, for whom Duran Duran was a big fashion influence for Ratt's wardrobe, tried to get his picture taken with Simon Le Bon at one of Hollywood's most exclusive clubs, only to have the other refuse. Or Pearcy's awkward meeting with Michael Jackson at a similar club. In addition, I wasn't aware that Ratt was one of the first big bands to give Bon Jovi a shot to open for them and they were the first to take Poison on tour with them.
What I would have liked was a bit more information about the creative process for each album and the tour that followed. Alas, we get a paragraph or three and that's it. Like many of those popular rock bands, Ratt self-destructed on its own, mostly due to big egos and various conflicts between members. But it was interesting to see that the principal factor that led to Ratt's demise was that Atlantic Records kept them on the road constantly, with only short breaks to record a new album and then send the band back on tour. Say what you want of these guys, they were machines. 222 shows in 15 months to promote their first album, Out of the Cellar. Nearly 250 shows in a year to promote their recond record, Invasion of Your Privacy. And remember that this was in the days of tour buses with bunk beds, not private jets flying you to the next city. No wonder the guys were stoned out of their minds the whole time.
Stephen Pearcy doesn't deserve any pity or sympathy. Like most of his contemporaries, he was an arrogant asshole. Given the amount of booze, drugs, and pills that went through his body, and the heroin addiction that followed later on, it's a wonder the man survived to this day. Not to mention AIDS. How he dodged that bullet given all the nookie he indulged in, I'll never know. There is a poignant moment when he describes his heroin problem, which makes you feel for the poor sod. But though it's extremely difficult to show any empathy for a tattoed millionaire who owned a collection of black Porsche cars and lived it up like a king for a while, it's still sad to think that that permanent drug haze seems to imply that he doesn't quite recall headlining mythical venues like the LA's Forum and NYC's Madison Square Garden, or playing in front of enormous crowds as part of the Monsters of Rock festival in Europe. After four platinum albums and two gold records and ten million copies sold worldwide, over a thousand shows played around the globe, it's too bad that so little of that success appears to be left down the line. Pearcy's relationship with guitarist Robbin Crosby is another highlight of the book. Too bad it ended the way it did, with Crosby becoming addicted to heroin, coming down with AIDS, and dying of an overdose.
Like so many rock and roll stories, Ratt's own rise and fall comes with its own unhappy ending. The good thing is that Pearcy now has a daughter he loves and seems to have cleaned up his act. Good on him if that's true. In the end, Sex, Drugs, Ratt and Roll: My Life in Rock is worth a read if you were a Ratt and Roller or if you were into hair bands during the 80s. Nothing groundbreaking per se, but an entertaining read nonetheless.
Surprisingly, Stephen Pearcy's memoir is the book that came up the most when I was looking for suggestions for similar works to The Dirt. I was never a big fan of Ratt back in the day. Not a Ratt and Roller by any stretch of the imagination. They were okay and part of all hard rock compilations that were released every year or so, and I did get a few of their albums from the Columbia House promo thingie where so many of us got cassettes and CDs in the 80s and the 90s. So I knew of them and enjoyed a few of their songs, chief among those being Round and Round, which played on the radio and around the clock on MTV and Much Music during the mid-80s. But though Ratt got big and scored four platinum albums in a row, they never made it to superstardom the way Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, and Guns N' Roses ultimately did. Hence my surprise that Sex, Drugs, Ratt and Roll: My Life in Rock would be pimped like it was when I was looking for my nex rock and roll book.
I mean, it's 2024 and I can still name a couple of Ratt tunes, yet I couldn't for the life of me remember the name of the band's lead singer. But what the heck? I told myself that if it's only half as good as The Dirt, I was in for a treat!
Here's the blurb:
The jaw-dropping tell-all from the lead singer of 1980s supergroup Ratt—and the dirty details of the riotous era when big-haired bands ruled the world.
Women. Spandex. Drugs. Hair spray. . . . Welcome to heavy metal rock ’n’ roll, circa 1980, when all you needed was the right look, burning ambition, and a chance. Cranking out metal just as metal got hot, Ratt was the perfect band at the perfect time, and their hit single “Round and Round” became a top-selling anthem. The bigger Ratt got, the more excessive lead singer Stephen Pearcy and his “pussy pirates” became. There was nothing these guys wouldn’t snort, drink, bed, or break. But as Ratt scrambled up a wall of fame and wealth, so they experienced a gut-wrenching free fall. Pearcy’s stunningly honest rock ’n’ roll confessional, by turns incredible, hilarious, and lyrical, is more than a story of survival—it’s a search for the things that matter most.
Let me begin by saying that Sex, Drugs, Ratt and Roll: My Life in Rock is nothing like The Dirt. It's still a fun and interesting read, but there's very little in terms of content. Sure, it's a tale of neverending excess and debauchery. There's a lot of name-dropping and Pearcy and his boys did a lot of crazy shit with other famous people. But there's only so much sex and drugs one can take and maintain interest.
The most fasinating stuff has to do with everything that went on during the time Ratt was created and tried to make it. It's fascinating because basically all the musicians that formed bands that came out of the Sunset Strip and its infamous venues pretty much all knew each other and played with one another before making it big or not. I had no idea that the guys from Ratt were so close to the Crüe, even before the band was signed. Or that Pearcy was close enough with Eddie Van Halen that the legendary guitarist would hide booze at Pearcy's place so he could come and drink without his wife finding out. There are a lot of anecdotes like that and they make the book a worthwhile read. I couldn't help laughing when Pearcy, for whom Duran Duran was a big fashion influence for Ratt's wardrobe, tried to get his picture taken with Simon Le Bon at one of Hollywood's most exclusive clubs, only to have the other refuse. Or Pearcy's awkward meeting with Michael Jackson at a similar club. In addition, I wasn't aware that Ratt was one of the first big bands to give Bon Jovi a shot to open for them and they were the first to take Poison on tour with them.
What I would have liked was a bit more information about the creative process for each album and the tour that followed. Alas, we get a paragraph or three and that's it. Like many of those popular rock bands, Ratt self-destructed on its own, mostly due to big egos and various conflicts between members. But it was interesting to see that the principal factor that led to Ratt's demise was that Atlantic Records kept them on the road constantly, with only short breaks to record a new album and then send the band back on tour. Say what you want of these guys, they were machines. 222 shows in 15 months to promote their first album, Out of the Cellar. Nearly 250 shows in a year to promote their recond record, Invasion of Your Privacy. And remember that this was in the days of tour buses with bunk beds, not private jets flying you to the next city. No wonder the guys were stoned out of their minds the whole time.
Stephen Pearcy doesn't deserve any pity or sympathy. Like most of his contemporaries, he was an arrogant asshole. Given the amount of booze, drugs, and pills that went through his body, and the heroin addiction that followed later on, it's a wonder the man survived to this day. Not to mention AIDS. How he dodged that bullet given all the nookie he indulged in, I'll never know. There is a poignant moment when he describes his heroin problem, which makes you feel for the poor sod. But though it's extremely difficult to show any empathy for a tattoed millionaire who owned a collection of black Porsche cars and lived it up like a king for a while, it's still sad to think that that permanent drug haze seems to imply that he doesn't quite recall headlining mythical venues like the LA's Forum and NYC's Madison Square Garden, or playing in front of enormous crowds as part of the Monsters of Rock festival in Europe. After four platinum albums and two gold records and ten million copies sold worldwide, over a thousand shows played around the globe, it's too bad that so little of that success appears to be left down the line. Pearcy's relationship with guitarist Robbin Crosby is another highlight of the book. Too bad it ended the way it did, with Crosby becoming addicted to heroin, coming down with AIDS, and dying of an overdose.
Like so many rock and roll stories, Ratt's own rise and fall comes with its own unhappy ending. The good thing is that Pearcy now has a daughter he loves and seems to have cleaned up his act. Good on him if that's true. In the end, Sex, Drugs, Ratt and Roll: My Life in Rock is worth a read if you were a Ratt and Roller or if you were into hair bands during the 80s. Nothing groundbreaking per se, but an entertaining read nonetheless.
December 15, 2017
I wasn't sure about this book at first. I like rock biographies, especially hard rock/heavy metal, but I wasn't a huge Ratt fan and the book seemed to really push the drugs and sex. I've read enough books that talked about struggles with drugs and how many girls musicians sleep with, so another book along those lines didn't really interest me. Fortunately, there was a lot more to this book.
The sex scenes seemed at times to almost just be shoved in to sell the book ; the interesting parts of the book were the band's rise to the top, and subsequent fall. The ennui that sets in when you have more money and sex than you ever dreamed of ; the grueling boredom and loneliness of life on the road ; and the building dislike and alienation of your fellow band members. Pearcy tells all this in a pretty straightforward manner, not trying to gloss it up or make himself better than he is. He comes off as fairly likable in the end and the book was a fast and pleasant read.
The sex scenes seemed at times to almost just be shoved in to sell the book ; the interesting parts of the book were the band's rise to the top, and subsequent fall. The ennui that sets in when you have more money and sex than you ever dreamed of ; the grueling boredom and loneliness of life on the road ; and the building dislike and alienation of your fellow band members. Pearcy tells all this in a pretty straightforward manner, not trying to gloss it up or make himself better than he is. He comes off as fairly likable in the end and the book was a fast and pleasant read.
February 15, 2020
Well...I picked this one up needing something fun and easy to read as I needed to take a break from another book I’m trying hard to get through.
I LOVE the 80’s...this is my music era! I loved all the references to all the bands I grew up loving and listening to. I would have loved to have grown up hanging out on the sunset strip although I probably would have gotten into a lot of trouble 😂
RATT wasn’t one of my favourite bands but you better believe when “Round and Round” comes on I’m singing 🎤 every word to it.
I’m sure there is a lot of “could have happened” “might have happened” and “I’m just making this shit up” parts of the book because honestly I can’t clearly remember the details of my early 20s and I definitely was not as messed up as Stephen Pearcy was.
It was a fun read but focused a tad too much on the sex and drugs rather than the rock n’ roll.
I LOVE the 80’s...this is my music era! I loved all the references to all the bands I grew up loving and listening to. I would have loved to have grown up hanging out on the sunset strip although I probably would have gotten into a lot of trouble 😂
RATT wasn’t one of my favourite bands but you better believe when “Round and Round” comes on I’m singing 🎤 every word to it.
I’m sure there is a lot of “could have happened” “might have happened” and “I’m just making this shit up” parts of the book because honestly I can’t clearly remember the details of my early 20s and I definitely was not as messed up as Stephen Pearcy was.
It was a fun read but focused a tad too much on the sex and drugs rather than the rock n’ roll.
November 10, 2015
If he'd quit calling the female groupies "trim" (or "drunken cupcakes" or "sluts"), I might have enjoyed this more. I've read my fair share of rock bios, and debauchery & sex are often very much included in them...totally fine...but for some reason, Stephen Pearcy's storytelling (or maybe it's the writer's fault) of these encounters totally turned me off. I really like RATT music still to this day. I've seen them in concert numerous times in Texas, California, and even Sheffield, England. I will still like the music, but I don't have to like Stephen Pearcy as a person.
October 21, 2013
I love Ratt, don't get me wrong ... but they're really Motley-lite, just like this memoir is second string to anything those boys have written. It's okay, but if you're into hair metal and glam, definitely check out the Dirt first.
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