Bassist JUAN CROUCIER Hopes His Reunion With RATT 'Will Last Far Into The Future'

Original RATT bassist Juan Croucier rejoined the Californian rockers for their show at the M3 Rock Festival on Saturday, May 12 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. This marked his first appearance with the band since 1991.

Commented guitarist Warren DeMartini, "I happened to see Juan after a signing at Charvel guitars last January at NAMM. This guy walks up with RATT's 'Out Of The Cellar' LP and it had every bandmember's autograph except his and mine. Juan said in disbelief, 'Do you know what the odds are of this happening in a crowd of 100,000 people? Another couple minutes and this wouldn’t be possible!' I think that says it all. Rehearsing with Juan [the week before the M3 Rock Festival] was like going back in time to our last performance together in RATT at Irvine Meadows two decades ago — [it felt] like it was yesterday."

Frontman Stephen Pearcy added, "After all these years, regrouping with the original band members is like riding a bike — you never forget. The first day in rehearsal was like years ago. Amazing, to say the least."

Guitarist Carlos Cavazo commented, "I'm sure this could create yet another successful page in the band's history."

Drummer Bobby Blotzer said, "Juan and I go way back, playing in bands together since age 16. Having him back in fold with us for the M3 festival after being gone so many years is intriguing. We've been rehearsing for several weeks and it sounds like RATT 'n' Roll."

Croucier himself declared, "It's hard to believe that it's been almost 20 years since we last played together. I’m personally looking forward to reconnecting with RATT fans worldwide and I'm hopeful this will last far into the future."

In an October 2011 interview with Legendary Rock Interviews, Croucier stated about the possibility of him returning to RATT, "I never say never, because I can't predict the future but there have been some very nasty things said and done to me by my former bandmates in RATT. It has destroyed the trust, bond and respect we once had among each other."

He added, "I have had many offers to go back to RATT (ironically, sometimes while they were deriding me in the press at the same time) and the main reason I have not gone back to the band is because we had a very problematic situation in the first place, and nothing had (or has) changed — we don't get along, it's not fun and things that should be easy are hard. . . Some people like being in tumultuous relationships; I don't. I have been fortunate enough to be able to work in my recording studio, still play in bands and be a father that is present in my children's lives at the same time. It's not 'all about Juan.'"

Bassist Robbie Crane, who had played with RATT since 1997, quit the band in March to focus on LYNCH MOB. During an appearance on the March 22 edition of the "Headbangers At 11" show on the 93.3 KDKB radio station with host Mike Gaube, Crane stated about his decision to leave RATT, "I've been playing in LYNCH MOB since October of 2010. It's a thing that I've always loved doing, and I love playing with the band. . I'd been with RATT for 15 years and it was time to move on. I love being in LYNCH MOB and this is where my heart's at."