For fans of The Greatest Band That Was Never Known, Tasty & From Rats to Riches were arguably their best.By 1978 the five man combo of Peppi Marchello-Vocals & Harmonica, Mickey Marchello-Guitar & Vocals, John (The Cat) Gatto-Lead Guitar, Lenny Kotke-Bass & Vocals and Joe Franco-Drums had coalesced into a solid unit mixing balls-out Rock & Roll with barbershop harmonies and turning that into great music that (dammit) should have translated into national fame.
At their height in the late '70s and early 80s The Good Rats had performed at Madison Square Garden, the Philadelphia Spectrum, the Nassau Coliseum, the Hammersmith Odeon in England, the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ (a late great venue) and New York's Central Park.
The Good Rats had also played most of the major showcase rooms in the country including the Bottom Line (RIP), Paradise in Boston, Whisky in L.A., well... you get the point!
They headlined and opened up for such groups as Twisted Sister, Rush, Aerosmith, Meatloaf, Ozzy, Grateful Dead, Kiss, Journey, Heart, Springsteen, Styx and many others.
With Tasty (1978) and From Rats To Riches (1978) the band was at the top of their form. Ranging from power ballads (Songwriter, Let Me) to witty ditties (Fred Upstairs and Ginger Snappers, Coo Coo Coo Blues) to Heavy Rock Injun Joe, Takin' it to Detroit) The Good Rats with their carefully blended harmonies, great (IMHO) writing and stellar musicianship had everything they needed to put themselves among the greats of their day.
Dammit, they should have made it, but despite being Picked up by a minor Capitol label and picking up Flo & Eddie for producers, they never made it to the charts, much less got airplay.
Still, their albums hold up to this day, and give me a charge every time I put them on (by Bogframe from audiokarma.org).
Don't Hate The Ones Who Bring You Rock:
Track List:
01.Taking It To Detroit (3:36)
02.Just Found Me A Lady (2:50)
03.Mr. Mechanic (3:39)
04.Dear Sir (3:12)
05.Let Me (4:45)
06.Victory In Space (3:06)
07.Coo Coo Coo Blues (4:37)
08.Don't Hate The Ones Who Bring You Rock & Roll (3:18)
09.Could Be Tonight (2:54)
10.Local Zero (5:08)
The Good Rats:
*Peppi Marchello-Vocals & Harmonica
*Mickey Marchello-Guitar & Vocals
*John (The Cat) Gatto-Lead Guitar
*Lenny Kotke-Bass & Vocals
*Joe Franco-Drums
[ Thank you LARRY for sending this post ]
CODE: 53230
just discovered this band...incredible stuff, like City Boy, they should have been bigger...great musicianship, great lyrics, killer vocals
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