Backstory:
Raw Rat was formed in the grungy heart of New York City, where the four members: lead vocalist Brian ‘Rat’ Mathews, guitarist Rusty ‘Fang’ Jackson, bassist Danny ‘Rough’ Smith, and drummer Jimmy ‘Pulse’ Franklin, met each other in a shabby underground music club. Combining their passion for music and their love for the city’s rawness and vitality, they formed Raw Rat in 2013. Their music is a tribute to the disheveled beauty of their city, capturing its essence through energetic performances and gritty lyrical narratives. Over the years, Raw Rat has grown from playing in murky clubs to headlining music festivals around the world.
Genre:
Punk Rock
Title:
“Trash Can Dreams”
Full Song Lyrics:
(V) [Cmaj] I was born in the [Gmaj] city grit,
[Dmaj] Raised on the [Emaj] streets, where rats [Fmaj] sit.
[Cmaj] Can’t shake off the [Gmaj] dirt,
[Dmaj] It’s a part of me, it’s my [Fmaj] shirt.
(V) [Cmaj] Got no money, [Gmaj] got no fame,
[Dmaj] But this city knows my [Emaj] name.
[Fmaj] I’m a creature of the [Cmaj] night,
[Gmaj] In the shadows, out of [Dmaj] sight.
(Chorus)
[Cmaj] We are the [Gmaj] Trash Can Dreams,
[Dmaj] Not as broken as we [Emaj] seem.
[Fmaj] In the city’s [Cmaj] grime and gleam,
[Gmaj] We find our [Dmaj] self-esteem.
(V) [Cmaj] With a guitar in my [Gmaj] hand,
[Dmaj] I’m the king of this [Emaj] trashy land.
[Fmaj] City’s noise is my [Cmaj] song,
[Gmaj] In its chaos, I belong.
(Chorus)
[Cmaj] We are the [Gmaj] Trash Can Dreams,
[Dmaj] Not as broken as we [Emaj] seem.
[Fmaj] In the city’s [Cmaj] grime and gleam,
[Gmaj] We find our [Dmaj] self-esteem.
Fan Testimonial:
The band’s number one fan, Maddie ‘Punk Princess’ Lawson, first saw Raw Rat perform in a small, dingy club in Brooklyn. She has been devoted to them since, attending every concert she could manage. “Raw Rat is more than just music to me,” Maddie says. “Their songs, they speak to me, encapsulating the struggle and beauty of living in this city. They’re raw, real, and unapologetically themselves. Being a part of their journey, singing along to their anthems, it makes me feel alive, makes me feel seen. They’re not just my favorite band; they’re a part of who I am.”