Rat Patrol

Rat Patrol

Rat Patrol is a Dutch punk band from Groningen, active since 1988. The group is made up of Pieter Köhne, Henk Mulder, Roelof Oldenburger and Jan Plenter. It takes its name from a song by Naked Raygun.

Style and influences

The band plays straight hardcore punk and rejects metal influences. Its stated range of influence stretches from 1977 punk to hatecore. The lyrics are presented as something meant to prompt discussion and reflection rather than direct accusation.

Earlier bands and other projects

Several members have played in other groups. Jansel and Roelsel are linked with Deluxe Green, a punk rock band active from 1978 to 1989. Henry plays drums on recordings by De Verkouden Olifant, M.B.P. and Kotton Krown, and also sings in Chronicore and Larry Speaks. He later plays drums for Over The Moon from 1996 to 1998.

Recordings

Rat Patrol records two albums between its early years: Rat Patrol and Not a youth cult, issued in 1989 and 1992. Both are recorded at Joke's Rent-a-Cow in Amsterdam and released on the band’s own label, Highly Obscure Records, with each also appearing on a single CD. The studio album Painkiller follows in 1997 and is recorded at Bunt's studio in Utrecht.

Later activity

The band remains active and continues to record and perform. In the summer of 2007, it is working on a further studio album at The Gatehouse in Ommelanderwijk and Casa el Gordo in Harkstede, with Tszar Fat Peter Sharky the Great handling the recording.