Rat Pack

Rat Pack

Rat Pack is an American hardcore punk band associated with nardcore and punk. It forms in 1984 around singer and founder Matt Ratt, who is covering vocal duties for Rich Kids on LSD while Jason Sears is on medical leave. When Sears returns, Rat Pack becomes a separate recording project for Mystic Records’ Nardcore compilation, then continues as a band.

Early recordings and label work

The group records three releases for Mystic Records: a self-titled 7-inch in 1985, Ice Cream Acid and Cigarettes in 1987, and a self-titled full-length LP in 1990. Although it begins as a short-term project, it goes through long periods of inactivity and many line-up changes.

Line-up and connections

People who play in and record with Rat Pack include current and former members of NOFX, Social Distortion, Stalag 13, Adolescents, D.I., Sugarcult, Hollywood Hate, Foo Fighters, Rubber Neck, Lagwagon, Rich Kids on LSD, No Use for a Name, and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. The original early sessions involve Chris Rest, Alpo D. from Rich Kids on LSD, Dave Casillas from Stalag 13, and Mike Torres from Narthex Structure.

Name and broader usage

The name Rat Pack is also used for the nickname of the well-known group of entertainers active in the mid-1950s and mid-1960s, led by figures including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop, with later references also including Shirley MacLaine, Lauren Bacall, and Judy Garland. Another act using the name appears as a four-piece indie-rock band from Silver Spring, Maryland, which releases the four-track EP 2.49 in 2016.