Social Intercourse

by Greg PratoOften in the realm of heavy metal/hard rock, a singer's vocals become the most instantly recognizable thing about a band. Case in point, Ratt's Stephen Pearcy. He may not be the most gifted of all rock vocalists, but if you put his vocals over just about any melodic rock composition, more times than not, it would sound like a new Ratt recording. Although Pearcy's 2000 release Before and Laughter included several newly recorded solo tunes (along with demos and oddities), 2002's Social Intercourse is the first full-length solo effort from the former singer of Ratt. And despite it being issued in the 21st century, listening to the album will easily transport you back to the days of spandex and hair spray on the Sunset Strip. The music is maybe a smidgen heavier than Ratt, but Pearcy's lyrics and vocals sound straight from Out of the Cellar. And for longtime Ratt fans, that's certainly not a bad thing, as evidenced by such tracks as "Can't Ever Get Enough," "Ya Gotta Love That," and "Turn It Upside Down" (whose titles even sound like Ratt songs). With '80s metal making a resurgence right around the time that Social Intercourse was released, Pearcy picked the perfect time to launch his solo career.