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Guitarist for Rock Band Ratt Dead From AIDS (posted 6/10/2002)
Reuters via NYTimes.com ^ | 6/10/02

Posted on 06/10/2002 1:59:16 PM PDT by GeneD

Filed at 4:21 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rock guitarist Robbin Crosby, a founding member of the 1980s heavy-metal ``hair'' band Ratt, has died after an eight-year battle with AIDS, according to the group's official Web site. He was 42.

Crosby, who went public with his illness in a radio interview last July, saying he had contracted the disease through heroin use, died on Thursday.

The band's Web site (http://www.therattpack.com) carried a photograph of the guitarist performing in concert beneath the words, ``In Memory of Robbin Crosby.'' The site's ``forum'' section posted dozens of messages of condolences from grieving fans.

Crosby co-founded Ratt in 1983 with vocalist Stephen Pearcy, and after adding guitarist Warren DeMartini, bassist Juan Croucier and drummer Bobby Blotzer, the Los Angeles-based group became one of the most popular rock acts of the mid-1980s.

The band released its self-titled debut independently in 1983, leading to a major-label recording contract with Atlantic Records, which issued the band's breakthrough LP, ``Out of the Cellar,'' in 1984. The album featured the huge radio and MTV hit ''Round and Round,'' which like many of Ratt's songs was co-written by Crosby.

Three more platinum-selling albums followed, starting with ''Invasion of Your Privacy'' in 1985, but the band's popularity waned after the 1990 release of ``Detonator'' as the alternative rock movement took hold, and the band broke up in 1992.

In keeping with the band's raucous, free-wheeling image, Crosby's indulgence in drugs took its toll as the musician's lavish lifestyle dissolved into a maelstrom of addiction.

``Robbin had everything kids dream of growing up,'' his brother-in-law, Bill Decker, told the San Diego Tribune. ``He was married for a while to a Playboy Playmate, he had a Ferrari, a Laurel Canyon house with a pool that overlooked L.A., a personal assistant. ... But then he started getting heavily into drugs, and his marriage started to fall apart. He lost his way.''

In July 2001, Crosby disclosed in an interview with the Los Angeles radio station KNAC that he had full-blown AIDS, a disease he said he believed he contracted when he began using heroin in the mid-'80s as a member of Ratt.

``Basically, it's killing me,'' he said at the time. ``I've been in the hospital for eight straight months, and in and out for over seven years.''

Ratt reunited without Crosby in 1997 to release another two albums. Last year, Blotzer and DeMartini launched a tour with several new members, and are due to play this summer's Rock Fest tour with other 1980s glam-metal acts.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aids; drugabuse; heavymetal; heroin; norattlikeadeadratt; ratt; robbincrosby
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To: Shade2

I could sic Ted Nugent on your heiney. Who, BTW...is no longer a sex addict, never did drugs, and is an outspoken conservative. And straight.


141 posted on 07/26/2005 11:14:06 AM PDT by RockinRight (Democrats - Trying to make an a$$ out of America since 1933)
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To: Shade2

That's a rather broad brush don't you think?


142 posted on 07/26/2005 11:14:28 AM PDT by moehoward
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To: GeneD

143 posted on 07/26/2005 11:16:34 AM PDT by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestus globus, inflammare animos)
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To: All

Kinda funny...this thread over here is talking about a liberal artist-attorney named...STEPHEN PEARCY!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1450925/posts


144 posted on 07/26/2005 11:19:03 AM PDT by RockinRight (Democrats - Trying to make an a$$ out of America since 1933)
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To: finnman69

Oh boy that reminds me of a show on the Travel channel from last night--"No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain. He was talking about some big market in Paris that got moved because of the rat problem.

Then lo and behold he was in front of a storefront with all these stuffed rats in various poses.

I don't know the guy's politics, but that was the funniest hour I've seen on TV in a very long time.


145 posted on 07/26/2005 11:21:30 AM PDT by Betis70 (Every generation needs a new revolution)
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To: Betis70

Paris? You sure it wasn't frogs??


146 posted on 07/26/2005 11:22:18 AM PDT by RockinRight (Democrats - Trying to make an a$$ out of America since 1933)
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To: RockinRight

Well we know it ain't this one...
http://www.stephen-pearcy.com/


147 posted on 07/26/2005 11:23:49 AM PDT by moehoward
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To: All

There have subliminal messages placed in the music. Isn't this how Judas Priest caused the suicides of James Vance and Ray Belknap?


148 posted on 07/26/2005 11:30:12 AM PDT by Shade2
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To: All

http://www.av1611.org/othpubls/roots.html


149 posted on 07/26/2005 11:33:25 AM PDT by Shade2
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To: Shade2
There have subliminal messages placed in the music.

Think about that for a second. You can't hear the message, yet its supposed to affect you? That is stupid on its face, and all scientists agree. Also, I was a Judas Priest fan, and was never motivated to kill myself of anyone else.

Isn't this how Judas Priest caused the suicides of James Vance and Ray Belknap?

They were acquited on the facts, not on a technicality or anything.

You just believe anything anybody tells you, don't you?

150 posted on 07/26/2005 11:34:21 AM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: Rodney King

Ignore him. He's either a moron, a troll, or trying to start an argument.


151 posted on 07/26/2005 11:36:11 AM PDT by RockinRight (Democrats - Trying to make an a$$ out of America since 1933)
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To: Kokojmudd
"I do like late 70's early 80's punk rock like X, black flag, the freeze,bad brains etc...probably because I can play most of it on my guitar...except for the billy zoom guitar leads....honestly I don't listen to rock as much. As I get older it sounds louder!"

I had given up on anything new that was labeled rock. I found a few exceptions here and there, but when I would find a song I would like when I listened to the rest of an album or other music by the same artist it all sucked.

That is until I found these guys:

I happened to catch a tune by them called: Ghost Love Score.

Unbelievable piece of music. Orchestra, powerful vocals, killer guitar, thunderous bass and percussion, all put together in an arrangement that rivals the old masters like Bethoven and Mozart.

I paid 10 bucks to download their Album "Once" and found two other gems, "Wish I had an Angel" (Hard rock with attitude and awesome vocals) and "Nemo" (Excellent power ballad with some killer guitar and bass and excellent keys) The rest of the Music on the Album is all enjoyable because it offers at the very least technical marvels and some damn good guitar work. I have asked for the actual Special Edition Enhanced CD(DVD) for my birthday. It has the video of Nemo on it plus a few other special songs.

If you want to see the band in a Video go here: NEMO

WARNING there is some comments down the page that are definitely profane, however you can quickly click the REAL MEDIA link without scrolling down. The Link is at very top of article like this: (NIGHTWISH's video for their current single, "Nemo" (Real Media),)

152 posted on 07/26/2005 11:36:25 AM PDT by Mad Dawgg ("`Eddies,' said Ford, `in the space-time continuum.' `Ah,' nodded Arthur, `is he? Is he?'")
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To: Shade2
The suit was eventually dismissed on its merits, as the band had pointed out that if you were to play any song backwards and tell someone there was a message, it'll sound as though there actually is. In a television interview, Judas Priest members commented that if they wanted to insert subliminal commands in their music, killing their fans would be counterproductive, and they would prefer to insert the command "Buy more of our records."
153 posted on 07/26/2005 11:36:55 AM PDT by moehoward
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To: Shade2
These guys would disagree with that statement:


154 posted on 07/26/2005 11:37:15 AM PDT by RockinRight (Democrats - Trying to make an a$$ out of America since 1933)
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To: Shade2

Ozzy is telling me to say "Goodbye to Romance" right now.

Can't ... resist ... must ... obey ... music

"Hello? FTD? I'd like to cancel an order ..."


155 posted on 07/26/2005 11:38:21 AM PDT by Betis70 (Every generation needs a new revolution)
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To: Betis70

LOL.


156 posted on 07/26/2005 11:40:02 AM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: RockinRight

STYPER!!!

I used to be so embarrassed I liked "Calling On You". I have it on my iTunes and am listening now........


157 posted on 07/26/2005 11:41:21 AM PDT by moehoward
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To: moehoward

My favorite was "Soldiers Under Command."

KILLER riff.


158 posted on 07/26/2005 11:41:56 AM PDT by RockinRight (Democrats - Trying to make an a$$ out of America since 1933)
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To: moehoward

Good lord I can't even spell. I guess I'm still embarrassed......


159 posted on 07/26/2005 11:42:36 AM PDT by moehoward
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To: Betis70

Once, when I was an Iron Maiden fan, I took a trip all the way to England to try to find a harlot named Charlotte at 22 Acacia Avenue. I couldn't find her, and got angry and went to the Rue Morgue where I murdered someone. I was caught. At 5 o'clock they took me to the gallows pole. The sands of time, for me were running low. Fortunely, I ran to the hills and got away. My kids are now childeren of the damned.


160 posted on 07/26/2005 11:44:29 AM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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