Interview with the Riptide Rats

January 26, 2026

Interview with the Riptide Rats

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
Jocke: Thank you very much for having us!

CV: Every artist experiences highs and lows. Many struggle just to move from one level to the next, and some, unfortunately, never do. What would you consider to be a pivotal point in an artist's career which would take them from one level to the next that a struggling artist should be aware of? Is it an individual mindset or does it equate more to opportunity? Or is it something altogether different in your opinion?

Jocke: Wow, starting up with the million-dollar question, ha-ha!

I personally think it all comes down to talent, if you have the power to create something that other people really want to listen to. Making music is the easiest thing in the world but making music that people actively search to find and listen is a rare thing.

CV: What have you found to be the balancing point between relevance and over saturation when it comes to being an artist? Is there a fine line between the two or can it be looked at to some degree as the two essentially being one in the same?

Jocke: I think we need to go back to the previous question here. If you are relevant and people are interested, you will rise above saturation.

CV: Is there any level of consideration, or even concern, to deliver on expectations, whether it being your own or that of the fans, when working on new material?

Jocke: Oh yes! Personally, I have been doing this too long (maybe without rising over the saturation 😉), but I have no concern at all about what anyone else thinks about the music we create. But we are very picky within the band, we always want to do a better song, better arrangement. It is the worst thing in the world to stand on the stage and play something you know you could have done better.

CV: For you, what’s first when it comes to songwriting…is it a matter of lyrics melody, chords, beat, attitude? Or is it more organic than that where the moment dictates the process and outcome?

Jocke: Since the Riptide Rats don’t have any lyrics we aim to get a nice and groovy flow into our songs. And yes, I think our songs are finished in the moment. Usually, a band member brings a song to the rehearsal room, and we play it or parts of it until we get that Riptide Rats feeling we aim for, and then we move on to the next part or song.

CV: What do you believe makes songwriting more honest and impactful...that something that both the artist and listener can share?

Jocke: I think you always can hear when a song is written with feeling and not just “we need to write a song”, or we “need to write a song that sounds like this band”. When you do something for real, I think you can hear and feel it.

CV: What do you feel has been the greatest contribution to your success as an artist?

Jocke: We act in a very small genre of music, so there are only a few artists who reach and enjoy success in the surf rock communities.

I think we are appreciated because we stay true to old school rock’n’roll, we are all grown up on it, and that is nothing you can fake.

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming up?

Jocke: Our debut album “Waves of Steel” has just been released, and we have already started writing album no. 2. And We will play shows in Finland, Sweden and Spain during the next year.

And we got some more still secret releases/shows in the works.

CV: Thank you again for spending some time talking and sharing with

our readers. I wish you all the best and continued success.

Jocke: Thank you very much, we appreciate it a lot!!

Check out The Riptide Rats at:

www.riptiderats.com

New album on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4qwOctwC9etKAkhIpx00jr?si=QzE5BMkBQb6sIB5_ay0x6A

LP/CD/Stream webshop: https://theriptiderats.bandcamp.com/merch

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RiptideRats

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theriptiderats

Instagram: https://instagram.com/theriptiderats

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, author, show host, big dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.