Music Time Capsule #6 Living in Metal Germany Part 2
Music Time Capsule #6 Living in Metal Germany Part 2
08 July 2018
Mark Antony Rossi
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Music events stand out more when linked to personal milestones or tragedies. Maybe it’s the blessing or curse of the human condition. I was excited to see Ratt come to town especially when Keel opened up for them. I was always a sucker for a screamer and Ron Keel can scream right up there with the best of them.
Their performance was professional and impressive and the German audience responded in kind. A real connection formed and i made a few friends that night. Thankfully I didn’t make any enemies that night as Ratt stumbled on stage late, drunk and the lead singer forgetting his lyrics. This pathetic spectacle was upsetting on a number of levels the first being rock stars are foreign ambassadors to other nations. Thus when you’re standing there and your countrymen are acting like total fools in front of 10,000 pissed off Germans it becomes an unhealthy experience.
I tried to enjoy the show as much as possible and resist wanting to jump on stage, punch out the lead singer and then sing the rest of the set myself. (It was that ridiculous.) Thank God, Keel made the night worth all the travel, hassle and international discomfort. On the drive back we heard on the radio, the Armed Forces Network, that the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded killing all hands aboard including US Air Force servicemen.
The news hit us hard and made me more angry when thinking of Ratt’s unprofessional conduct. I reported the situation to my recreational contact and he managed to reach the road manager for Ratt. They expressed regret and offered condolences. The next week Ratt sent the base a few cases of T-shirt’s, albums, autographed guitar, etc. We auctioned it all off and gave the money to the memorial fund for Challenger families.
*** Afternote: I salute Keel for being classy and dedicating their next album to the Challenger Crew. And I respect that Ratt tried to do the right thing at the end. It does count. Thanks Ron and Stephen.
Mark Antony Rossi
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