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The Pear Ratz

The Pear Ratz are from the Texas Coastal Bend, but do not let that fool you into thinking they have any "Margarita" mix in their sound. Only hard driving, Texas Southern Rock will be found! The Ratz have a high energy, in-your-face show that is causing their already large fan base to spread across Texas and other parts of the U.S., as well as Internationally. Catch a Pear Ratz show and be ready to party as they will rock all night with their unique sound.  Be prepared for mostly original songs; however, an occasional classic is slipped in the list for good measure. Songs like John Lennon's "Imagine", to Robert Earl Keen's "Dreadful Selfish Crime" are included in the mix. Give the Ratz a chance to rock, and they will show you the way it's suppose to be done.

With the release of their 2007 sophomore album, Holier Than Thou, it is extremely evident this band will stop at nothing to make a name for itself in the Texas Music Scene.  The first single from the new album, “Holier-Than-Thou” proved that these guys will not hesitate to take on a fresh country-rockin’ sound, with a Ratz Rock touch.  This, “play what you play the way you play it” attitude has landed them gigs with Reckless Kelly to manning a stage at Robert Earl’s Texas Uprising and headlining the now infamous annual Ratzfest.  Hailing from the George West, Texas area, it hasn't taken long for this Texas band to reach and exceed the outermost boundaries of the Lone Star State and beyond..

A Look at the Ratz Boys

BOB STRAUSE
Bob StrauseBorn and raised in George West, Texas, Bob Strause, (Lead Vocals, Guitar) lists one of his first musical experiences at age 7, as filling glasses with different levels of water and recording “I can see clearly now” on a small cassette recorder. By age 12, he figured out that bailing hay just wasn’t the career path he wanted to follow. At 19, the Thrash Metal Band Scene was “the happening thing” and Bob was influenced by the sounds of bands like Pantera and Slayer.  So, along with friends Rodd and Chris, they formed the band Defiance, and living up to the name, began the process of defining a sound that was to become the predecessor of “Ratz Rock.”  Somewhere in the middle of Metal Mania Bob met his soul mate, Valerie, and now wife of 21, years..  Settling down in George West, Texas, they had a beautiful Daughter and lived the working mans life. “Hey everybody’s got bills to pay,” says Bob. Finally, in 2004, that sleeping Rat awoke, brought to life from its hibernation by the influence of Steve Earle. 

RODD DAWS
Rodd DawsRodd Daws, (Bass Guitar, Vocals) was born in Corpus Christi and raised in Mathis Texas. He received his first guitar at age 11 and instantly upon grasping it in his hands began jumping wildly up and down in the air. Bouncing from his Mothers couch to his Fathers favorite easy chair and back again, Rodd knew that performing was his destiny. Listening to and watching Eddie and David Lee of Van Halen and Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS, taught him that standing still was not to be. Jobs like pumping gas, delivering beer, and being a crane operator, did not set well with him since it wasn’t musical in nature. Defiance was his first real shot at performing live and with the help of his fellow musicians, the Daws style of bass guitar was born, never at rest and always moving.  Rodd was also into the Dwight Yokum sound, which he thought was cool, but it didn’t allow him to carve up a stage playing it. The Pear Ratz allows the opportunity to mix Metal, Rock, Country and Southern rock into one unique sound that soothes the soul and pounds it at the same time.

CHRIS NELSON
Chris NelsonDown in Portland Texas is where Chris Nelson (lead Guitar) resides. A self-professed farm boy, you’d never know it listening to his guitar rifts. His first job as a tractor hand led to farming; working at a grain elevator and cotton gin and most recently, as he puts it, “Power generation.”  But when the sun goes down, power generation is the perfect description of his musical addition to the Pear Ratz sound, as evident in his influences by Billy Gibbons and Eric Johnson. A career highlight to date was playing Willie’s pre-picnic party and meeting Billy Joe Shaver.  Chris hates to fail and through his energy and powerful guitar style, failure is not an option when it comes to the Pear Ratz.  As a matter of fact, this will be the only time the word “Failure” and “Pear Ratz” will ever be used in the same sentence. Chris is normally the quiet and reserved one, but when those lights come on, stand back.

JOHN STAREK
John StarekThe newest member of the Pear Ratz is Corpus Christi native, John Starek. As an avid surfer, fisherman, and skateboarder who’s “once in a lifetime” experience would be to “Surf the World,” Corpus is the perfect place to live. For the past ten years John has performed and recorded with various artists, including David Prader, The UNT Jazz Guitar Ensemble, to recently touring with fellow gulf coast native, Jarrod Birmingham. Musical influences are a smorgasbord of sounds from rock to funk, jazz to fusion and includes The Police, American Jazz Drummer Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, and Dave Grohl. As a matter of fact his first musical performance was jamming to Guns N Roses with his Lincoln Logs.

The Ratz enjoyed much success with their first CD, Rat Now, and are finally running on the energy of the release of their new album, Holier Than Thou. The title track written by Rodd Daws is a personal experience story that sure to hit home with a lot of people.  Make no mistake; this second recorded offering is the next best thing to hit the shelves since Webster’s dictionary. The Ratz are on the Rize!