Detonator (album)

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Detonator
Detonator cover
Studio album by Ratt
Released August 21, 1990
Genre Glam metal
Length 42:12
Label Atlantic Records
Producer Desmond Child; Sir Arthur Payson
Professional reviews
Ratt chronology
Reach for the Sky
(1988)
Detonator
(1990)
Ratt & Roll 81-91
(1991)

Detonator is Ratt's fifth studio album. Released in 1990, it was the band's first album that failed to go platinum.

Though their previous album, Reach for the Sky, sold enough albums to meet expectations for the band, it met with much criticism regarding the quality of their songs. In an attempt to regain the popularity that Ratt had in the mid-1980s, the band parted ways with long-time producer Beau Hill. Hitmaker Desmond Child, and his personal sound engineer Sir Arthur Payson were hired to helm the project, the results of which show a Ratt more polished and focused than ever heard previous.

Michael Schenker also played on the album. Although he is not credited, he played some of Robbin's parts as Robbin's increasing narcotics habit prohibited him from playing on some of the tracks. Schenker also played a handful of solos on the album, one of which is rumored to be on "Top Secret".

By this point, Warren DeMartini's guitar solos had changed from a "shred" style of playing found on the band's earlier albums to a sweeter, warmer, strat-like tone, and were slower.

However, it was the raw live-sounding energy of the band's earlier work that defined the unique Ratt sound. While a masterfully produced album, it lacked the vitality of Ratt's first albums.

Detonator, released on the eve of the grunge revolution of the early '90s, would signal the end of Ratt's golden era. Soon after production was completed for the album, guitarist Robbin "The King" Crosby exited the band. Within two years, the remaining members would go their own ways.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Intro to Shame" (Demartini) – 0:55
  2. "Shame Shame Shame" (Pearcy/Demartini/Child) – 4:32
  3. "Lovin' You's a Dirty Job" (Pearcy/Demartini/Croucier/Child) – 3:14
  4. "Scratch That Itch" (Pearcy/Croucier/Child) – 3:16
  5. "One Step Away" (Pearcy/Demartini/Croucier/Blotzer/Child) – 4:50
  6. "Hard Time" (Pearcy/Demartini/Child) – 3:46
  7. "Heads I Win, Tails You Lose" (Pearcy/Demartini/Child) – 3:59
  8. "All or Nothing" (Pearcy/Demartini/Crosby/Kilgore/Child) - 4:14
  9. "Can't Wait on Love" (Pearcy/Demartini/Croucier/Blotzer/Crosby/Child)– 4:04
  10. "Givin' Yourself Away" (Pearcy/Warren/Child)– 5:26
  11. "Top Secret" (Pearcy/Demartini/Child)– 3:49

[edit] Credits

[edit] Guests

  • Jon Bon Jovi: Backing Vocals on "Heads I Win, Tails You Lose"

[edit] Chart positions

[edit] Billboard Music Charts (North America) - album

Year Chart Position
1990 Billboard 200 23

[edit] Billboard (North America) - singles

Single Year Chart Position
"Lovin You's a Dirty Job" 1990 Mainstream Rock Tracks 18
"Givin' Yourself Away" 1990 Mainstream Rock Tracks 39

[edit] Personnel

  • Desmond Child: Co-wrote "Shame Shame Shame", "Lovin' You's a Dirty Job", "One Step Away", "Heads I Win, Tails You Lose" and "Givin' Yourself Away".

[edit] External links