By 1985 Ratt were one of the biggest bands in the world. And were without question the biggest band from the Sunset Strip scene. Despite having a slow commercial start. Motley Crue hadn’t become the mainstream juggxrnaught they would become. Quiet Riot had a meteoric fall as quick as their rise. And Bon Jovi were just around the corner. So that left Ratt to take the mantle. And their second album ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’ was just what the doctor ordered.
Ratt’s first album, 1984’s ‘Out of the Cellar’ climbed all the way to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 200. Powered by the massive success of the single ‘Round and Round.’ The question was: Can this band avoid the sophomore slump? And with ‘Invasion of Your Privacy,’ the answer was a resounding yes.
From ‘You’re In Love,’ to ‘Dangerous But Worth The Risk.’ ‘Invasion’ is a top to bottom banger. Ratt were always a cut above the rest. A band that’s all killer and no filler. And ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’ is a prime example. The group is firing on all cylinders here. The riffs are eternally strong. And seemingly endless. ‘You’re In Love’ sets the standard. But things get even better as ‘Never Use Love’ follows. ‘Lay it Down’ proved to be a more than worthy single. As ‘Give it All’ displays Warren DeMartini’s beast like guitar skills on full.
‘Closer To My Heart’ is probably the most balladesque Ratt has ever gotten. Not that they don’t write more pop oriented pieces now and again. But this is the first and I believe only time the band did a slow tempo ballad. ‘Between the Eyes’ is a pure visualization of SoCal. The chords, the style of the groove. It all just reeks of what was going on in LA at the time. ‘What You Is What You Get’ is a near perfect follow up. Whomever arranged the album did a phenomenal job with the song order.
The album finished out with a hell of a one, two, three punch with ‘Got Me On the Line,’ ‘You Should Know By Now’ and ‘Dangerous But Worth the Risk.’ All three of which are meticulously crafted for the arenas and stadiums that Ratt and like were playing. All three tracks are a great example of how Ratt were just better. Add a production that cuts deeper than all their peers and you’ve got an elite band. And ‘Invasion Of Your Privacy’ is a perfect representation of being as good as it gets.
Upon its release, ‘Invasion’ was another big success. Climbing all the way to No. 6 on the Billboard hot 200. And while there was no single as big as ‘Round and Round,’ the album as a whole did expand Ratt’s sound. And gave the band enough material to set out on a massive headlining tour. To this day it rivals ‘Out of the Cellar’ as a fan favorite. And while it did have immediate commercial success, ‘Invasion’ is looked back on as an underrated album. In the sense that it should be as big as Motley Crue’s ‘Dr. Feelgood’ and G’NR’s ‘Appetite for Destruction.’ That’s the level this album belongs at. So crank it, live it, love it. Give Ratt’s ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’ the credit it truly deserves.
