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The Rats - 1967-69 - The Rise and Fall of Bernie Gripplestone and the Rats from Hull
The Rats are known by very few listeners, and they most likely know about them because Mick Ronson was a member before playing on David Bowie's highly influential early-1970s albums. Formed in Hull, England, the first version of the group did not include Ronson, but did manage to release a couple of singles on Columbia U.K. in 1965. This included a tough cover of "Spoonful" that — although the liner notes of Pebbles Vol. 6 assert the contrary — did not feature Ronson. A decent but unexceptional R&B/rock unit, the Rats continued to slog it out in Hull over the next few years, with Ronson joining in 1966. Although the Rats stayed together (with varying lineups) through the rest of the '60s, they didn't make any more records, although a few unreleased tracks finally surfaced in the 1990s. They evolved into a heavier blues-rock combo, Ronson in particular showing the influence of Jeff Beck, whose group the Rats opened for at a March 1968 show. By 1969, onetime Rats drummer John Cambridge was in Junior's Eyes, which briefly became David Bowie's backup band. Cambridge recommended Ronson to Bowie as a lead guitarist, and Ronson's crunchy style was a key ingredient on Bowie's 1970 album The Man Who Sold the World. Woody Woodmansey, who had replaced John Cambridge as drummer in the Rats in 1969, also played on the record.(Richie Unterberger). This album is a 1998 compilation of the band's work over the years. 01 - Spoonful 02 - I've got my eyes on you Baby 03 - I've gotta see my Baby 04 - New Orleans 05 - The Rise and Fall of Bernie Gripplestone 06 - Stop Get a Hole of Myself 07 - Guitar Boogie 08 - Morning Dew 09 - Early in Spring 10 - Telephone Blues 11 - It Ain't Easy 12 - I Feel Free 13 - The Hunter 14 - Colour Me 15 - Life's a River LINK