Meet The Rats (2025)

These Are The Days!

Josh’s Bedroom. (L to R): Mike V., Josh Snuffin, Jake Thompson, Wade Thompson. Photo: Mark Lage

When the opportunity to reform The Rats came about, and I realized founding guitarist and co-songwriter Jason Hampton wouldn't be available to tour, I decided to put the band together in Iowa, where I live.

My first call was to my friend Wade Thompson. We've been playing music, riding bikes, and sharing laughs for years. Having Wade in the band on bass was a no-brainer.

Wade and I agreed to call the kid, Josh Snuffin, for guitar. We'd been following and intersecting with Josh's musical journey for several years—impressed every step of the way by his playing, dedication, and positive energy. We thought, here is a kid, like we were, and are, following his bliss, determined to make a life in music. These are the kind of people you want to be around—be in a band with.

The door for a drummer was left open for a few weeks until Jake Thompson stepped in. Jake had followed and supported my music since he was a kid—he gets it—and having him hold it down behind us gives the songs great strength and power.

Now, we just needed a place to rehearse. Wade and I had just gotten out of our old practice spot and found no new spaces. So, into Josh's basement bedroom in his parent's house we went.

Surrounded by Legos, Batman posters, and Rock 'n' Roll inspiration, we dug into the songs and made them our own. It seemed appropriate to go back to the beginning of my music, to reconnect with the original inspiration in a teenager's bedroom, where the ground is fertile.

I've missed these songs; they are all meaningful to me—mantras. They served me well when I wrote them, and they stand up and seem even more relevant now. The setlist comes together like a story, each song a chapter—a meditation. I sing out the lines—I live them, they resonate.

Now, we are ready to get out in front of audiences and share the songs. We've got a summer of shows in front of us and plenty of activity beyond that in the works. Please check our tour dates and plan to come out and say hello should we come through your town.

These Are The Days!