Ratt – ‘Invasion of Your Privacy E.P.” (2025) – Limited Edition Picture Disc (RSD – Black Friday)

On June 13, 1985, Ratt released their second full length album called ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’.  After the success of their debut ‘Out of the Cellar’, Ratt wasted no time in repeating that formula and delivering another solid album. The band continued the Ratt sound with Stephen Pearcy’s raspy vocals over those overtly sexualized lyrics along with the dual guitar combo of Robbin Crosby and Warren DeMartini.  That combination was lethal and the band was now on top of the world.  The rhythm section kept things in line and were standouts on their own with Bobby Blotzer on drums and Juan Croucier on bass. The Glam Metal scene that they now led was on full force to dominate the airwaves for years to come.

To celebrate 40 years of the album, the band released a Limited Edition Picture Disc for Black Friday Record Store Day in 2025. Well, it is a picture disc, but it is also a Shaped Disc and not your typical round and round disc which makes it a little cooler. It is not the entire album of ‘Invasion of Your Privacy” but instead a 3 song E.P.

I like the Shaped Discs and have handful in my collection and when I saw this, I knew my Ratt collection was not complete until I had it. I didn’t get up in the middle of the night to go stand in line as the temperature was below freezing here in Charlotte and it was not worth it to me. I waited until a few hours after opening and went to Repo Records where I normally go for Record Store Day. I didn’t expect to find this one, but there was one still hidden in the stacks that was waiting to be saved by me. I adopted the little Ratt and brought it home where it will be well loved. It was meant to be.

The A-Side of the disc has two songs. The first song is actually the last song on the album, “Dangerous But Worth The Risk”. It is classic sounding Ratt, but compared to other songs on the album it doesn’t really hold up well. Very repetitive and derivative of their own sound. One of my least favorite songs on the album. In my opinion, a really poor choice to represent that album.

The third and final single from that album was “What You Give Is What You Get”.  The only song written solely by Juan Croucier.  Glad to see another Croucier penned song since he had a good one on ‘Out of the Cellar’ with “She Wants Money”.  This song opens up with a classic Ratt guitar riff, simply stellar by Crosby and Martini. It is a dirty sounding song with a lot of teeth and grit. This is more like it. This is the Ratt I enjoy.

Flipping over to the B-Side, we get “Closer to the Heart” which is the only song on that side. The final song on Side One of the album and the final one here. They slow things down a little and show their tender side.  It was a good time to change it up on the album and it is strong effort for a ballad.  It wasn’t released as a single, but I am so familiar with it that I am surprised that it wasn’t.  I thought it had.  It captures a different side of Ratt as it shows they can slow it down and still deliver a great song. They aren’t one-dimensional.

And there you have it, the Limited Edition “Shaped” Picture Disc from 2025’s Black Friday Record Store Day. If we aren’t going to get a 40th Anniversary Edition of the album, at least this is a mini-celebration of the album…although song choice for one of the picks was not very good. As a collector, still happy to have it in my collection. As I said, I think the shaped discs are pretty cool. Anytime I find one, I grab it…as long as it is reasonably priced and this was.

If you want to check out the review on the all the Ratt albums reviewed, just click on the album name below…

1. Ratt E.P.
2. Out of the Cellar
3. Invasion of Your Privacy
4. Dancing Undercover
5. Reach For the Sky
6. Detonator
7. Collage
8. Ratt (1999)
9. Infestation
10. Out of the Cellar (40th Anniversary)
11. Rarities
12. Mickey Ratt (Feat. Stephen Pearcy) – Ratt Era: The Best of
13. Stephen Pearcy – Smash

Other:

1. Top 20 Ratt Songs
2. Ratt – Albums Ranked Worst to First
3. Lay It Down – 7″ Single
4. Round & Round – 7″ Single
5. Lovin’ You’s A Dirty Job – 7″ Single
6. The Collection: Ep. 74 – Everything Ratt with Deke from The Distortion Den
7. ‘Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life in Rock’ – A Memoir By Stephen Pearcy with Sam Benjamin
8. Invasion of Your Privacy E.P. – Limited Edition Picture Disc