RATT "Lay It Down" Inside the Song w/ Producer Beau Hill - full in bloom Interview Excerpt

Beau talks about RATT's hit single, "Lay It Down," taken from the band's sophomore multi-platinum album, 'Invasion of Your Privacy.'
This excerpt was taken from PART II of the full in bloom interview with
RATT producer / engineer Beau Hill.
Invasion of Your Privacy (entire interview):
fullinbloom.co...
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Make sure to listen to PART I, where Beau talks about the band's
1984 debut album, 'Out of the Cellar,' and PART II, where he talks about
'Invasion of Your Privacy,' @ fullinbloom.com.
Song by FOOL OF FATE

[@scott6828]

One of the greatest opening riffs in metal.

[@drftsnvk]

Metal? RATT was glam pop!

[@PedroLopezBeanEater]

Metal?

[@gstar7686]

@@drftsnvk They were "glam" metal.

[@rking3724]

Glam?

[@FenderTeleDeluxe]

Who cares. Label Ratt’s music however you wish. Their riffs were as good as any band of the genre.

[@TheBoondoggler]

The background/textural vocals on a lot of Ratt's stuff is pure genius

[@rayfabris2512]

when I first heard lay it down I thought wtf this is the shit and love the album cover too.

[@jerrycampbell2445]

These interviews are great! Keep em coming brother!

[@adamwarlock3530]

Juan once said Beau wanted to hire another guitarist to do all DeMartini's parts. They told him no way. That's Warren DeMartini!

[@jerk_store]

I also remember reading that in an interview. Juan has said a lot of shit over the years. He once said the band was rushed during their sessions so Beau could use the leftover (and already paid for) studio time to record his girlfriend, which I found out later was Fiona Flanagan. That woman could light a room on fire simply by entering it. Anyway, as with most things, I'm sure the truth is somewhere in the middle.

[@williamsizemore98]

Lsy it Down is Way Stronger than Your in Love. Very 1st band i was in we did both of those Tunes.

[@fauxreal9739]

You need the stretchy hand to play Lay it down One of the the most interesting riffs

[@dspencer1201]

That's what I've always said. Crue's Shout was so hot and such an influence on this 13 yr old but then Theatre was rubbish, I was so disappointed. But Crue never looked better than '81 - '82. Ratt always looked good and have more great songs.

[@YFitnessMan]

...And, it's the greatest opening riff ever!

[@phillamoore157]

I'd love to know Beau's secrets to recording that album. Short of the riffs themselves, the magic of Invasion was the ambience, and depth of the album. This, IMO was the epitome of Beau Hill's genius. He took great songs to an entirely different level. I wish Cellar had that same vibe.

[@bassplayer807]

There’s been some amazing legendary producers/ mixers in the genre of pop/rock over the years, Beau Hill is awesome so was Michael Wagener ( he’s retired as of now and not accepting new clients, he sold his studio In Nashville) I’d say the best ones that come to my mind are Terry Brown ( worked with Rush on all their big selling records up until GUP) Frank Filipetti ( Produced/ mixed Foreigner’s Agent Provocateur, and Inside Information) Ron Nevison ( did The Who- Quadrophenia, worked with Zeppelin, did the Tommy soundtrack, worked with Jefferson Starship). All these guys had amazing secrets to craft amazing recordings! Also the bands they’ve worked with were pretty talented too, so that’s a plus.

[@phillamoore157]

@@bassplayer807 AMEN!!!! Beau Hill was mentored by Keith Olsen. Now, just think of the records produced by just those two alone, and how good those bands sound, while being recorded on all analogue gear. Michael Wagner, and Mutt Lang as well. There was an ambience, and a “depth” (for lack of better words) to the records back then. It was beautiful. High-maintenance, but beautiful.

[@bassplayer807]

@@phillamoore157 R.I.P Keith Olsen! I think he was probably one, to only work with bands that were signed to a record label or had some management company behind them, not too sure!

[@phillamoore157]

@@bassplayer807 Absolutely!

[@bassplayer807]

@@phillamoore157 Oh I forgot to add Mike Fraser to my list, who did pretty much all of AC/DC Razors Edge and on, and he also mixed Aerosmith “Permanent Vacation” Mutt Lange did amazing wonders with Def Leppard and early Foreigner, then Frank Filipetti did the mid 80’s Foreigner which he made sound awesome for what they were doing at the time composition wise.

[@Stab_Knifewind]

That opening riff!

[@amoruzz]

Invasion was always my favorite album. Great songs written on each album though. 👍

[@robintaylor7355]

#waycooljr is their finest moment that song is killer it really is above and beyond anything they ever wrote in my opinion.

[@image30p]

Crosby doesn't get enough credit for writing those riffs

[@markherring3513]

Warren wrote Lay It Down riff....stated at 1:22 mark

[@mmc5040]

Well he is discussing Warren specifically for this riff.

[@daveg4236]

Yeah he did. Calm down

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

68 Rockaway Ave. Valley Stream, NY (old Slipped Disc Records)

[@BigOleOgre]

What is he talking about? Lay It Down was the first single

[@BigOleOgre]

@@surfsunsand No it wasn't. Lay It Down was released in June 1985. You're In Love Aug. 1985. You're In Love is the 1st track on the album but wasn't the 1st single.

[@bigassdummy46]

I thought you're in Love was

[@jerk_store]

That's the way I remember it. Wasn't a huge fan of the video so I was looking forward to the next single, hoping it wouldn't be You're In Love. Turned out to be a better video but IMO there were betters songs on Privacy. Even on the Ratt home video, I believe Lay It Down is the only video included, along with the Cellar vids, because You're In Love had not been released as a single yet.

[@frankblunt2482]

Beau 'I was wronged' Hill.

[@willd4731]

How exactly do we know for sure that these albums sold as much as they did. The riaa certifications only go by millions. IE, 1 million, two million Etc. Nothing in between.

[@fullinbloom]

Beau told me he researched the numbers at that time.

[@MetalMaster101]

@@fullinbloom Are those numbers accurate up to 2019? What year where they certified? I imagine the numbers are higher than what was showed.

[@fullinbloom]

@@MetalMaster101 Yes, much higher. Beau said he gathered those numbers in 2005.

[@gregc8483]

Just throwing this out there. They were handing out Skid Row's 1st album on cassete, in some random tent, at the Illinois state fair back when it was already on the charts. Probably gave a way 500 that day. I would run across this all the way up until Wildsides first album. Who were the ones doing this? How many were given away? Across the country? Plus all the 10 cassettes for 1 penny in magazines. Were the bands being compensated at all for this? I woukd say that during the 70s and 80s, bands had lots of records sold, without any compensation. When I see some of these numbers, they are astonishing low compared to the fact of how many people had them and were at shows. Just saying 🤔

[@JohnDoe-rz9tk]

Greg C I would imagine they were paid for before they were given out. Either as give aways to help spread the world (the ole it takes money to make money adage) or if they were selling them probably just to cover the expenses hoping to break even. I can’t imagine record companies giving away stuff for free.

[@TheodorusRex]

Invasion was the best record.

[@JohnFFox12]

All the members but Bobby get a writing credit on that one they showed.

[@jerk_store]

If memory serves me correctly, Bobby didn't get one writing credit because the dude didn't write. And at that point in time, he also didn't understand the business because if he had, he would have at least written some lyrics or melodies, to which one is required to receive credit, which in turn gets you royalties. That's unless Sharon Osbourne is involved, who then outright steals all your work and then profits on it lol...

[@sobaydrummer666]

from what i understand, it goes back to an argument on their first tour between bobby and stephen, and basically, he'd have to do more than help arrange a song (like Lay, where he basically crafted the whole breakdown mid 8) Drive me crazy was something King fought for him basically saying they had to give him a credit, and it wasnt till Detonator and One Step Away did they use anything that was 100% his (which it was, I know.)

[@Metaldad87]

The song is amazing, Ive started and stopped learning to play it a few times idk why. The chords are really stretchy and kinda hard on your hands to be honest, at least on guitar.

[@rocktopuss9279]

I wish this guy would narrate Bigfoot videos and TV shows.

[@Pianodean]

Shame Shame Shame was a heck of a riff too

[@philvalade2437]

Lay it down sounds like Unchained by Van Halen!!!

[@jerk_store]

Both songs are in drop D tuning. Also, Warrens legato sounds a like like EVH's tapping. Check out their "Pro shot" footage and you'll see what I mean.

[@PaulyV56]

ratt Consistant hard Rock Still Good,

[@controlledswapposition814]

Only two riffs even come close..."Voodoo Chile (Slight)" and "Black Dog".

[@richw3010]

Way Cool Jr. was Ratt's worst song. It was the crap like that and Def Leppard's Pour some sugar on me that caused 80's metal to die a painful death!

[@patrickfraley4545]

It at least didn't help things did it?

[@jerk_store]

I was like, _"WTF are these Love In An Elevator horns doing on a Ratt record?"_

[@disseminationnetwork]

I agree, on The Best of...Way Cool is the worst song...

[@clinterz]

I always thought this song was a rip of UFO's No Place to Run. That's why it's the only Ratt song I really like.