The Number One album in Australia on the 6th June 1991 was Blind Love from Ratcat.
This Sydney band combined energetic punk-style guitar with indie pop songwriting – a musical nod in the direction of bands that had gone before them such as Blondie, The Buzzcocks & The Ramones or that were around at the time such as The Primitives from the UK – winning them a legion of loyal indie & skate punk fans.
Throughout the band’s career the mainstay of the band was frontman Simon Day:
Simon Day – vocals, guitar, bass, main songwriter (1985–present)
Trevor Wintle – drums (1986–1987)
Andrew Polin – drums (1985–1986,1987–2011)
Victor Levi – bass (1985–1988)
Cathy Webb – bass (1988)
John McAteer – bass (1988–1989)
Amr Zaid – bass (1989–1992)
Marc Scully – bass (1992–1996)
Nic Dalton – bass (1998–present)
Ratcat were originally signed to one of the great Australia independent record labels – Waterfront Records which was set up by Steve Stavrakis and Chris Dunn – and released a number of singles / EP’s and their debut album This Nightmare in 1988.
Waterfront Records – Singles and EPs:
Ratcat EP (1987)
Baby’s Got A Gun (1988)
I Think I Love You (1988)
Saying Goodbye / Tura Satana / Overdrive (1989)
I Love Ratcat To Death EP (1989)
Waterfront Records – Album:
This Nightmare (1988)
Ratcat signed to the rooArt label in 1990, with their first release being the 6-track EP Tingles.
Tingles was a huge success – the combination of the strong songs, Triple J going National [as it had only been broadcasting in Sydney before that], the marketing of the CD EP being available for only $5 [at the time a very aggressive price point for an Australian CD release] and the strong visuals from the artwork that Simon Day designed saw the Tingles EP reach #1 on Alternative charts.
Momentum built and the release topped the Australian national singles chart.
Ratcat’s next album Blind Love,& the single Don’t Go Now both also reached #1 in 1991.
Ratcat then toured extensively overseas playing shows in the U.K., Europe & the States supporting bands such as Teenage Fanclub, Violent Femmes, Iggy Pop, Ride & the Wonder Stuff.
Don’t Go Now – wp.me/p3uHDF-eT
Baby Baby – wp.me/p3uHDF-eO
That Ain’t Bad – wp.me/p3uHDF-eZ
Blind Love TVC – wp.me/p3uHDF-f3
Tracklisting – Tingles:
| 1. | That Ain’t Bad | 4:05 |
| 2. | Tingles | 3:26 |
| 3. | Don’t Go In The Water | 3:49 |
| 4. | Getting Away (From This World) | 5:20 |
| 5. | Skin | 3:21 |
| 6. | My Bloody Valentine | 3:22 |
Credits
Producer – Nick Mainsbridge
All songs written by Simon Day except track 3 written by – A. Zaid, A. Polin, S. Day
Tracklisting – Blind Love:
| 1. | Yes I Wanna Go | 2:39 |
| 2. | Run & Hide | 3:07 |
| 3. | Baby Baby | 3:45 |
| 4. | Hopeless Mind | 4:17 |
| 5. | Pieces | 3:19 |
| 6. | Racing | 3:33 |
| 7. | That Aint Bad | 4:03 |
| 8. | The Wonder Of You | 3:03 |
| 9. | Don’t Go Now | 3:12 |
| 10. | Strange | 4:05 |
| 11. | The End | 5:14 |
