Rat Boy Internationally Unknown

After making waves with his debut album ‘SCUM’ and the seven-track ‘CIVIL DISORDER’, RAT BOY has teamed up with Tim Armstrong for his new project ‘INTERNATIONALLY UNKNOWN’. The 12-track collection will be released on January 25th via Parlophone and Armstrong’s Hellcat Records label and is today previewed with a video for its title track.

RAT BOY first found Armstrong’s punk/hip-hop band The Transplants in his father’s record collection, and subsequently delved into his back catalogue with Rancid and Operation Ivy. RAT BOY had repeatedly mentioned his admiration of Armstrong in interviews, which led to the L.A. punk veteran discovering the young Essex upstart.

Separated by 30 years of age and the Atlantic Ocean, RAT BOY and Armstrong sound like the very definition of an odd couple. But they immediately connected on their first phone call, through a shared love for mixing the visceral energy of punk with hip-hop beats. In many ways, it’s hardly surprising: both musicians share similar influences and often reflect on their upbringing in their lyrics.

The pair met in Los Angeles and immediately captured three demos on their first day together, with members of The Interrupters backing them on bass and drums. Not only did they have chemistry but they had a wealth of unorthodox creative ideas, such as chopping up live drums before filtering them through an old tape machine or RAT BOY playing Armstrong’s left-handed guitar upside down.

The momentum was such that the project was entirely written and recorded during three visits, which amounted to a total of two months’ work. RAT BOY’s live band joined him in Los Angeles, while other collaborators include former Aggrolites bassist J Bonner and The Interrupters’ vocalist Aimee Interrupter. John King of The Dust Brothers (Beastie Boys, Beck) also contributed production.