RATCAT will always have a special place in any indie band’s heart in Australia for the way they muscled their way into the general commercial charts in the early nineties through sheer people power and without any marketing. But then, they were so good. With an insouciant attitude, stunningly good looks, a thundering three chord attack and indelible pop songs beneath the attitude, they made their mark in Australia and went on briefly to conquer the world.
It has been thirty years since the release of their chart topping album ‘Blind Love’, and RATCAT is putting on a special gig in Sydney to celebrate and getting support from fellow legends Jodie and Trish (from The Clouds) and Alannah Russack (The Hummingbirds).
To mark the occasion, the band has released a rare video of the song ‘That Ain’t Bad’ featuring a debut appearance by actor Naomi Watts.
Presented by IMC & Century Venues Present, the details are as follows:
ENMORE THEATRE
118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW 2042
SATURDAY JUNE 26TH, 2021
Tickets via Enmore Theatre Box Office & Ticketek
ON SALE MONDAY MAY 17TH
Releasing a handful of self funded singles, an acclaimed self titled EP & the debut album ‘This Nightmare’ via Waterfront Records between 1987 through to 1989, RATCAT’s steady rise in popularity was in part the result of public radio nationwide embracing the band as well as a healthy dose of touring including with notables (& heroes) from the time such as The Buzzcocks, The Ramones, The Cramps, Violent Femmes, Public Image LTD, Sonic Youth, Mudhoney, The Wonderstuff, Swervedriver, Pop Will Eat Itself & many more.
As the momentum gained pace, RATCAT then signed to INXS’s newly created indie rooArt Records & released the then ground breaking ‘Tingles’ EP in 1990 which – & with no fanfare whatsoever – made a steady climb to the top of the ARIA National Top Forty over a period of 7 months, eventually reaching the coveted number 1 spot in May of 1991 … & much to the band’s surprise & shock at the time!
‘Tingles’ thereafter scored the accolade of becoming the highest selling EP of that year. Featuring the ‘sleeper’ hit ‘That Ain’t Bad’ (& with the original video featuring one of the first ‘acting’ performances for current international star, Naomi Watts), it was a bizarre & heady period completely unexpected by RATCAT.
The subsequent 1991 release of the ‘Blind Love’ album resulted in yet another (although this time immediate) number 1 ARIA chart position and again, to the complete surprise of the band members and all involved at the time, RATCAT also scored a coinciding duel number one with the single ‘Don’t Go Now’ (Aria singles charts). History writes that RATCAT were the first Australian independent act to have achieved coinciding National Top 40 #1 album & single chart positions. The touring was relentless (including with INXS on their ‘X Factor’ arena tour) and culminated in a huge Australian stadium tour whereby they invited the (then) new UK shoegaze sensations, RIDE, to support them – an arrangement that was reciprocated by RIDE in the UK.
