Stephen Pearcy: In my early teens, I was run over by a car while riding my bike and at the time, I actually wanted to be a top fuel race car driver. I had no interest in music except for listening to it and going to concerts in the 1970's. Somebody gave me an acoustic guitar while recuperating in the hospital and I started practicing and found it interesting. I then started a band in San Diego when I was 15. I remember, from where I lived, I could look out my window and see the San Diego Sports Arena. When I was finally able to go to a Led Zeppelin show, I thought to myself, 'This is it.' I went through a couple of informal bands and then started my own band in 1976, Mickey Ratt.

Pearcy: Well, hopefully we accomplished that through good music! We set our own standards and we were very image conscious. We made it a point not to alienate audiences when music was real hard with leather and studs back in 1981. We thought we should cater more to the female fans rather than being a Metallica-type club band so we made a decision to throw some fashion in there. A lot of bands probably hated us for doing that, but we didn't care. [The Late] Robbin Crosby and I were always into fashion anyway; we even sang about it. We took a bit from Adam Ant, some from rock 'n roll and my influences stemming from Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith. At that time, you had to include the whole ball of wax. Having one certain image works nowadays... for maybe a minute! (Laughs)

Pearcy: I started Top Fuel Records in 1995 because in the early 90’s I realized that with all the 80’s excess, I had to ask myself, 'How long is this going to last?' I have always had business sense and Robbin and I both knew this whole business was crazy as it just kept getting bigger and bigger for us. Eventually it halts and in our situation it sure did. I immediately started a new band in '92 and felt these major labels were making all the money and they weren't giving much attention to music direction. Even if you were really successful like RATT was, there were new bands coming in during the 1990's and they would ignore us because we were technically from the '80's, per se, and the industry was no longer interested - even though we were still selling millions of records! I knew that was the time to start doing what I wanted to do on my time and on my dime. I really do like the ‘business’ aspect of the business. And by the way, it is an entertainment business now; there is no ‘music business’ anymore. I did my fair share of spending the money I made, but I knew I wanted to stay in the game and develop my label, Top Fuel Records, which I created and began releasing different breeds of music, like my band Vicious Delite. I was not only singing, but also playing electric guitar again like in my early Mickey Ratt days. It was so enjoyable to get my own license here and in Japan, make my own deals and do my own art directing, which I did a lot of in RATT. Then I started signing other bands and it has turned into a media company where we write for commercials, movies, television and develop live shows.

Pearcy: Top Fuel is always developing and I use myself as the ultimate guinea pig! (Laughs) I am releasing compilations from previous projects like Arcade and Vicious Delite with different production mixes, as well as RATT and my solo releases like Before And Laughter. Just today my Stripped CD was released, which is a montage of RATT hits performed live, my way, and recorded at the Keyclub in Hollywood. You know, the Keyclub actually used to be Gazzari's, where I founded Mickey Ratt and eventually RATT. It was great to go there this time around and let people know about each song. Then there's Rat Attack along with my latest solo release Fueler out there now. This year I plan on releasing Back In The Cellar, a RATT tribute record, where I will be using the talents of some great 90's era singers/guitar players in which I will produce. I can't divulge who we've got lined up yet because it is in the development stages, but people will be surprised who ends up on this!

Pearcy: (Laughs) Probably because I just tell it like it is. And the circus that I was in and am still involved with, you know, rock 'n roll, Ratt 'n Roll, is still a very interesting topic.

Pearcy: Yes, I fly out to Charlotte, NC for NASCAR’s Speed Street Festival to perform a big show out there later this month. After that I'll be doing some fly-in's until I put together the second half of my Metal In America Tour Part 2 for this summer, which will include Los Angeles dates.

Pearcy: Oh, NHRA Drag Racing 100%! I'm all for speed on wheels and full-blown motor head; anything fast, colorful and exciting. My company always has interesting things going on as well. I am trying, to this day, to make drag racing more a part of music.

Pearcy: My mom is so sweet. Her attitude when I was a kid was always “Whatever he's got to do to keep himself busy” because I was so hyper. She let me rehearse in every room in that house until we [Mickey Ratt] ended up taking over the garage to rehearse in. She was always very supportive even though our neighbors complained for years. Then one day I just blew her mind… I was back at my parent’s house in San Diego in 1984 because they were coming to see me play and I remember looking out that same window and saying to myself, “I'm headlining that Sports Arena tonight!” (Smiles)