简介：RatSkates(a.k.a.LeeKundrat)isbestknownastheoriginaldrummerofNewJerseythrashmetallegendsOverkill.Ratabruptlyleftthatbandin1987andthenseeminglyvanishedoffthefaceoftheEarthforalmosttwodecades.Sowherehashebeenallthistime?ItseemsRatmarriedhisgirlfriendLoriandhasgoneintoindependentfilmandvideoproduction.He'sjustreleasedBORNINTHEBASEMENT,hisownDVDdetailingtheformativeyearsoftheThrashMetalmovementasseenthroughhisowneyes.It'skindalikeahomemade"BehindTheMusic:Overkill,"butwithamorepersonaltouchthanyou'dgetfromoneofthosesterilizedVH1productions.Rat(stilllonghairedandoldschooltothebone!)isthegood-humoredhostandnarratorofBORNINTHEBASEMENTandwejoinhimashetellsthestoryofOverkill'searlydays,goingallthewaybacktotheirrootsinRat'shigh-schoolpunkband"theLubric*nts."DuringtheirLubric*ntsperiod,RatandfutureOverkillbassistCarlo(a.k.a.D.D.)Vernigainedtheirfirston-stageexperienceandlearnedabouttheD.I.Y.(DoItYourself)punkspiritofself-promotionthatwouldserveRatwellwhenthebandeventuallyrevampeditslineup,changeditsnametoOverkill,and"wentMetal,"eventuallybecomingoneofthepremierThrashMetaloutfitsintheworld.OnethingIwassurprisedtolearnfromBORNINTHEBASEMENTwashowintegralRatSkateswasingettingthatband'snamearoundintheirunsigneddays.Yourarelythinkofthedrummerasbeingthe"go-to"guyinaband,butRatlived,breathed,andbustedhisassforOverkill24-7inthosedays!!Hedesignedthelogothattheystillusetoday,silk-screenedtheband'sfirstT-shirts,copiedandmailedoutthousandsofdemotapesandpresskits,filledmerchandiseorders,anddesignedbackdropsandstageprops,allonashoestringbudget!Whenyouseesomeoftheearlylivefootageoftheband,it'samazingtothinkthattheirimpressive,professionallookingcastle-and-dungeonstyleddrumriserandbacklinewasmadeupofmilkcratescoveredinhomemadeStyrofoam"bricks,"orthatthegigantic"OVERKILL"logoatthebackofthestagewasmadebyRathimselfwithmagicmarkers,scissors,andaLOTofpatience!InadditiontothoseamazinglycoollivevideosofOverkillintheirformativeyears(whentheywereabitmore,shallwesay,"theatrical"lookingthantheyarenow…)you'llseekillerphotosoftheotherearlythrashbands(Metallica,Anvil,Venom,Slayerandmanyothers)playingatsuchlong-gonetri-stateareadivesastheShowplaceinDover,NJ,Club516inOldBridge,NJ,andtheParamountTheateronStatenIsland,NY.TheoverwhelmingfeelingIgotfromBORNINTHEBASEMENTwashowmuchfun(andhardwork)itmust'vebeentogetabandoffthegroundinthemidstoftheearly80sthrashmetalexplosion.(Sadly,eventhoughI'velivedinNewJerseyformywholelife,Iwasamerepre-teenageratthetimesoIdidn'tgettoexperiencethethrashmovementtillitwasalreadyinfullswing…)It'sfascinatingstuffforanoldschoolmetaltriviageeklikemyself.Ofcourse,sincethisisRat'sownvideo,it'sHISviewpointsandopinions,thoughI'msureifyouaskedBobby"Blitz"EllsworthorD.D.VerniaboutcertainpivotalmomentsinOverkillhistory,theirtakesonthingswouldprobablybequitedifferentfromRat's.Itwould'vebeennicetoseeeitherofthoseguysmakeanappearanceinthisdocumentary,butfromwhatIgatheritdidn'tendwellbetweenthemwhenRatleftthebandsothere'sprobablystillsomebadbloodthere.Onthewhole,however,Rat'sDVDisfascinatingviewinganditmakesforanicecompanionvolumetoOverkill'sBATMEN:THERETURNdocumentarythatwasincludedontheWRECKINGEVERYTHINGliveDVD,becauseitfilledinalotofblanksaboutOverkill'searlyhistory.IhavebeenanOverkillfan(atic)sincetheFEELTHEFIREdaysandIthoughtIkneweverythingabouttheband,butIlearnedafewnewthingsfromBORNINTHEBASEMENT!!Don'tskipoverthebonusfeaturesonthisDVD,bytheway,becauseyou'llmissoutonevenMOREcoolstuff,liketheinterviewswithLubric*ntsvocalistBillyVector(abso-f**kin-lutelyhilarious!!)andoriginalOverkillguitaristRiffThunder(nokidding),someclipsfromanunfinishedvideodocumentaryfrom1986("EscapeFromStalag13"),liveclipsandaninterviewfromaNewYorkCitypublic-accesscablemusicshow("RockPipeline')in1984,andtonsmore…IusuallyignorethebonusfeaturesonDVDsbutI'veactuallywatchedsomeofthisstuffmorethanonce!Iguessit'sprettyobviousbynowthatIlovedthisvideo,huh?IfIhaven'tmadeitabundantlyclearbynow,BORNINTHEBASEMENTiswellworthcheckingoutifyou'veeverbeenanOverkillfanorifyougrewupintheNewYork/NewJerseyareaduringthe80s...orboth,likeme.Thanksforthememories,Rat,andwelcomeback!!…