It s circa mid-1970s. The Rolling Stones are recording in the luxury of the Caribbean and the New York Dolls are in the midst of their death throes ... but in Hollywood, CA the Berlin Brats are torching the Sunset Strip all before the Sex Pistols played a single note. They played the raucous launch party of L.A. radio dynasty KROQ, performed legendary anthem Psychotic in Cheech & Chong s Up In Smoke, and were soon headlining the Sunset Strip. They released a 45 (featuring Psychotic and Tropically Hot ), catching the attention of the annual Playboy Rock Census, who listed the band as one to beat in the industry s largest market. But the flame was burning too hot, and the band broke up on the way back from headlining a Mabuhay Gardens show in San Francisco with the Avengers. Bobby Thomas went on to join Johnny Thunders & Wayne Kramer in Gang War, while Rick Wilder and Rick Sherman went on to form the notorious punk band the Mau Maus. But as they say, only the strong survive, and in this case it s true of both the musicians and their music. The new Ratchet Blade release Believe It Or Rot: 1973 1976 presents 13 digitally restored, scorching tracks culled from lost tapes, vinyl recordings, and assorted bootlegs!