ASIA was hit by feline frenzy this month as Australian pop-grunge sensation Ratcat made their second tour of the region, introducing a wild new sound: grunge-rap.
Before the band, which calls itself The Cat, left Hong Kong on their way to the Philippines International Music Festival, members Simon Day, Andrew Polin and Marc Scully told how grunge-rap developed in Australia.
''No one in Australia has ever done it before,'' said lead guitarist and vocalist Day, as he explained the marriage of the two ''opposite'' forms of music.
''It all started because we like to make friends with musicians,'' Day said.
When Ratcat was playing a few bar gigs in the WhitSundays Islands of Australia, they met Rosanno Martinez of the Australian band Sound Unlimited.
''He joined us and started rapping with us,'' Day said.
When Ratcat manager, Joe Segreto, heard the grunge-rap sounds, he instinctively knew the band had to make a recording.