Robert John Blotzer (born October 22, 1958) is an American musician best known as the drummer for

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

band

Ratt Ratt is an American glam metal band formed in San Diego, California, in the 1970s, that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum, and multi-platinum by the RIAA. The group is bes ...

. He attended

Torrance High School Torrance High School is a high school located in Torrance, California. Founded in 1917, it is one of the oldest high schools in continuous use in California and is the oldest of the four high schools in the Torrance Unified School District. Four ...

in Torrance, California along with his Ratt bandmate Juan Croucier.

Ratt

Blotzer began his career playing with

Don Dokken Donald Maynard Dokken (born June 29, 1953) is an American singer and musician. He's best known for being the lead singer, occasional guitarist, and founder of the glam metal band Dokken. He is known for his vibrato-laden, melodic vocal style wh ...

along with Juan Croucier. Blotzer and Croucier left

Dokken Dokken is an American glam metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. It split up in 1989 and reformed four years later. The band had several hit singles which charted on the Billboard Hot 100, such as " Alone Again", " In My Dreams", and " Burn ...

in 1978 to form FireFoxx along with Ron Abrams on guitar. He became Ratt's drummer in 1982. Along with bassist Juan Croucier, he had previously played with noted Italian/Swiss guitarist Vic Vergeat, including a tour of the U.S. behind Vergeat's 1981 solo album ''Down to the Bone''. Ratt had five consecutive platinum albums during the 1980s. At the beginning of the 1990s Ratt's popularity waned, and the band called it quits in 1992. Blotzer started a more normal life outside the public eye. Five years later, Ratt reformed and toured once again. In 2000, Stephen Pearcy apparently quit the group, and shortly thereafter Bobby had exhibited an extreme dislike for Pearcy, who had sued the band for continuing under the "Ratt" name and claimed the band ruined their worldwide deal with

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professiona ...

. Blotzer heavily denied the claims and said they were a bunch of "pathologic lies", adding that Pearcy was a "sick person". Blotzer and Ratt guitarist

Warren DeMartini Warren Justin DeMartini (born April 10, 1963) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for glam metal band Ratt, which achieved international stardom in the 1980s. Early life DeMartini was born on April 10, 1963, in Chicago, ...

subsequently won the court case to use the "Ratt" name. In 2002, former Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby died of AIDS-related complications, and heroin overdose, VH1

Behind the Music ''Behind the Music'' is a documentary television series on VH1. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group. The program examines the beginning of their career, their road to success, and the hardships they may have ...

which marked one of the most painful parts of Blotzer's life. Blotzer posted a message to his late bandmate affectionately referred to as "The King" by fans on the group's official web site and called Crosby "one of the most kind hearted, the most compassionate, intelligent, talented" people he had ever known. In 2009, Metal Sludge reported that Blotzer was arrested and booked on charges of domestic violence. In 2010, Blotzer released an autobiographical book, ''Tales of A Ratt – Things You Shouldn't Know''. On September 2, 2012, it was announced Bobby would be joining

Geoff Tate Geoff Tate (born Jeffrey Wayne Tate, January 14, 1959; he later changed his first name to Geoffery or Geoffrey) (Pp. 11, 48). is an American singer and songwriter. He rose to fame with the progressive metal band Queensrÿche, who had commercial ...

's touring lineup formed after the latter's dismissal from

Queensrÿche Queensrÿche is an American heavy metal band. It formed in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington, out of the local band the Mob. The band has released 16 studio albums, one EP, and several DVDs, and continues to tour and record. The original lineup ...

, but he left on January 25, 2013, to return playing with Ratt. In March 2015, Blotzer guested with Las Vegas band

Sin City Sinners Sin City Sinners is a group of musicians who perform self-penned originals and rock and roll covers at key venues throughout Las Vegas, Nevada. The band is composed of a tight-knit group of core members: Brent Muscat (ex-Faster Pussycat), guita ...

. Blotzer asked Sinners' singer Joshua Alan, guitarist Michael "Doc" Ellis, and bassist

Scott Griffin Scott Griffin, (born 1938) is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist best known for founding the Griffin Poetry Prize in 2000, one of the world's most generous poetry awards, and Poetry In Voice, a bilingual recitation competition for Canadia ...

to join him in forming a new version of RATT. They toured under the name "Bobby Blotzer's Ratt Experience," performing Ratt songs. In September 2015, Blotzer announced that he had taken control of the Ratt brand and would take his band on tour in 2016 using the Ratt name. However, within days, Warren DeMartini spoke out against Blotzer using the name, as he owns half of the Ratt name as part of WBS, Inc., the company owned by him and Blotzer. Blotzer claimed he has the legal right to go on tour using the name, as DeMartini breached his fiduciary duty by refusing to tour under the Ratt name as a partner in the corporation. In October 2015, DeMartini sued Blotzer for falsely advertising his "tribute band" as the real thing. In November 2015, DeMartini's attempt to procure an injunction to prevent Blotzer from using and touring under the Ratt trademark was overturned, allowing Blotzer to tour using the name Ratt.

Side projects

He has played with several side projects over the years, such as Twenty 4 Seven, Phucket, FireFoxx, Airborne, Angel City Outlaws, Contraband, Vic Vergat Band, and has also played as a touring drummer for Montrose. In 2008, Blotzer,

Jani Lane Jani Lane (born John Kennedy Oswald; February 1, 1964 – August 11, 2011) was an American singer and the lead vocalist, frontman, lyricist and main songwriter for the glam metal band Warrant. From Hollywood, California, the band experienced su ...

( Warrant), Keri Kelli (

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

), and Robbie Crane (Ratt) released Saints of the Underground's debut album, ''Love The Sin, Hate The Sinner''.

References

External links

Official website of Bobby BlotzerCurrent Ratt website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blotzer, Bobby 1958 births Living people American heavy metal drummers Glam metal musicians Musicians from Pittsburgh Ratt members 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Contraband (band) members Torrance High School alumni