HISTORY

"The MICKEY RAT Band" has been one of Windsors premier live acts for nearly the past fifteen years. Founded in 1992 by original & current member Scott Giles , "The MICKEY RAT Band" is one of the very few of Windsors longest surviving bands. After spending 6 years as founder and lead guitarist and vocalist, for Leamingtons ever famous "Bad Apples", Scott along with newly aquired bassist Mark Robert decided it was time to venture out on their own and create a band that would portray their lust for killer vocals and musicianship. After rounding up some of Windsors finest musicians, "The MICKEY RAT Band" was born!

After a month of rehearsing and polishing the show, and weeks before their first gig, original drummer Glenn Burger quit due to the aquisition of a day job (Whats up with that??) So in the wake of all this turmoil drummer Donny Dummer was hired, and the band played their first gigand continued with this line up for the next 2 years.

In 1994 after some disagreements and differing opinions, lead guitarist Mike Jokimacki left the band. In his place guitarist Randy Falsetta was hired, and the band continued on, playing regular gigs around the city at clubs like the Lions Head where the band continued to be a huge draw and build its following.

After a couple more years of packing in the crowds on the local scene, Bass player Mark Robert decided to take a break and left the band. Bass player Tommy Chaplin was hired in his place. The band played on for another 6 months before disbanding in 1996.

After a couple months of playing solo acoustic, Scott hooked up with friend and fellow musician Tyra Marion, and the two played as a duet for the next 6 months before hooking up with Bassist Mark Robert once again at an impromptu jam, and decided to continue on as a 3 piece acoustic act calling in Mickey Rat Jr.

After great sucsess as a 3 piece acoustic act playing popular folk hits from CSN, James Taylor, Loggins & Messina, just to name a few, we decided to put the band back together, and once again "The MICKEY RAT Band" was back!

With Scott, Ty, and Mark already in line former guitarist Randy Falsetta was recruited as well as local drummer John Zuliani, and former keyboardist Stan Zdziarski. This line up continued for another two years, until Guitarist Randy Falsetta left and was replaced by Guitarist Brian Alexander, and the band continued on for another couple years, until Brian , John, and Stan all quit at the same time leaving Scott, Ty, and Mark as a 3 piece acoustic act once again.

So finding ourselves as a 3 piece once again and after taking a couple months off, Ty answered an add in the paper for an audition call at Casino Windsor. We auditioned and got the job, and once again MICKEY RAT was back in action.

After playing at Casino Windsor and local clubs like Kokopellies & Fidels Havana Lounge for 6 months, we hired another guy who new how to program MIDI. So now we have the drums programed on the computer, and this opened up the door once again for us to play dance music and the band became a huge hit downtown Windsor all over again, as well as across the river at the Detroit Casino's. Once again the band continued on like this for another year and a half, untill the new guy we hired decided he wanted to run things all on his own, which led to Scott keeping the "The MICKEY RAT Band" name and hiring new musicians Mitch Lewis, and Danielle Samson, and once again kept the legacy going. Now the band is once again rejoined by original bassist Mark Robert

Mark stayed with the band for not even a full year befor he decided to retire totally from the music buisness in early 2003, and become a painter. Now what do we do??. Well I'll tell ya! After much discussion as to which route to take, we decided to hire back my old friend Ty Marion. He had been off for a year starting a family with his wife Lisa, so now that his little girl Tia is almost a year old, Ty also once again rejoins MICKEY RAT. ( its kind of an addiction I think). So Ty dusted off his bongo's and with a little help from some modern technology, Bongo Boy is back!!

DECEBMBER 2005..............Mitch has decided to take what some people call semi retirement. His plan is to set up a buisness in St. Lucia and live ther 6 months out of the year, Returning to perform with "The MICKEY RAT Band" from May - December. So we decided to hire a live drummer and thus we have our newest member Mr. Chris Osborne.

SEPTEMBER 2006...............Ty has decided to retire from the music buisness all together (but will be back for a BUFFETT show now & then) and has been replaced by Richard Sennema, former guitarist & band leader for local Windsor act Revival, while drummer Chris Osborne has been replaced by Mitche's old drummer from the Rebels, Mr Jack Lehoux.

And the band played on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!