"One Step Away" by Ratt

L.A. band Ratt helped launch the rise of hard rock in the 80s, beginning with their smash hit, "Round And Round," which soared to #12 in 1984. Ratt seemed poised to be a mainstay on the charts, but the follow-up single "Wanted Man" stalled at #87. Nothing else charted from their landmark record, "Out Of The Cellar," although cuts like "Back For More" and "Lack Of Communication" are now classics. The band would enjoy only one more top 40 appearance when "Lay It Down" barely made it at #40 in 1985.

In 1990, Ratt released their fifth album, "Detonator," which became the last to feature all the founding members. The band retooled in an attempt to ride the wave of hairband rock, sounding more polished and radio-friendly than ever. They brought in big guns like Desmond Child and Diane Warren to help with songwriting, and their bud Bon Jovi to sing backing vocals on "Heads I Win, Tails You Loose." The band even broke down and recorded their first (and only) power ballad, the rather excellent "Givin' Yourself Away."

"Detonator" seemed to have all the right ingredients to give the band a badly needed second wind, but the record did not "blow up," so to speak. It is a shame, shame, shame, because songs like "One Step Away" should have easily made the top 10.