Gerry Gittelson of the L.A. Daily News recently conducted an interview with RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer. Several excerpts from the chat follow:

On the possibility of a RATT reunion tour with the group's original singer Stephen Pearcy, who quit five years ago in an ugly split:

"We're trying to come to terms with Stephen, and we're very close. The guys in MÖTLEY CRÜE are going to make $10 million each this year. We've always been a little under them as far as touring - but not very far behind."

On a new VH1 "Behind the Music" special on RATT that's scheduled to air early next year:

"I think the 'Behind the Music' thing really opened up the channels of communication again, and it's long overdue because RATT was a huge band and we deserve the acknowledgment."

On the fact that the legal hassles between Pearcy and RATT have been solved:

"Now it's just a matter of settling some issues at hand. We're negotiating, and that's a step in the right direction because a year ago, (guitarist) Warren DiMartini wouldn't have even discussed it."

On the fact that RATT's ride has continued all these years:

"In the days when we first started, the average band's life span was 10 years. Even THE BEATLES lasted less than 10 years.

"For us, it's been 23 years, and we just finished a 64-date tour and the demographics of the crowds were great. It's really been an unbelievable ride."

On today's music scene:

"Today's music scene? I'm disgusted because all this hip-hop music is like a plague. I just don't understand how they can glamorize this prison mentality. When we were on the charts, rock bands glamorized cars and girls and fun - not guns and all this shoot-'em-up stuff."

On the fact the RATT bandmembers could soon be as popular as ever if things go their way:

"We're like old dogs. You look at bands like the STONES and AEROSMITH, and they're becoming stronger every year. There's a lot of power behind hard rock."