Essential Atlantic: Ratt, OUT OF THE CELLAR

For the next several weeks (or maybe just until we decide that we want to stop doing it, since normalcy seems likely to remain on hiatus for the foreseeable future), Rhino.com will be spotlighting an album from the Atlantic Records discography that qualifies as “Essential.” And what rigorous standards and/or mathematical algorithm did we use to come up with the criteria to define “Essential,” you ask? None at all. You’ll just have to trust our instincts. But they’re really good, we swear...

Given the recent resurgence in popularity of this band thanks to a certain commercial, one might argue that it was only a matter of time before we decided to spotlight OUT OF THE CELLAR, particularly since it is indeed the album that contains “Round and Round.” The truth of the matter, however, is that we would’ve spotlighted it at some point anyway, just because it’s a great album, particularly for those who came of age during the so-called “hair metal” era...although Ratt would probably prefer the term “glam metal.”

Even if you weren’t into metal back in the day, you probably still remember the song from its reign on MTV, thanks to the video featuring Milton Berle. (If you’ve ever wondered how he ended up in there, it’s because his nephew, Marshall Berle, was Ratt’s manager.) In addition to that single, which hit #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, they also hit the top-40 on the Mainstream Rock chart with “Back for More” and “Wanted Man,” which hit #27 and #38, respectively.

Interestingly, the model on the cover of OUT OF THE CELLAR is a model who’s generally associated with a different metal band: Tawny Kitaen, who – in addition to starring in Bachelor Party that same year – made a major pop culture impact with her appearances in Whitesnake’s videos. But that’s probably not why the album hit #8 on the Billboard 200. It’s more likely just because – as we mentioned earlier – it’s a great album.