MICKEY RAT IS DEAD!

The battle cry of Metal Machine Music resonates across the land. Posters of Mickey Rat cover the walls of buildings. He is the ‘Mao’ Rat – his ears are tied close to his head to give him the look of a prophet. But he is a prophet of doom to a band of rebels who scrawl “Mickey Rat is Dead” over the posters claiming “Long Live Mickey Rat.” Anti-animation meets newsreel footage meets bootlegged live action on a graffiti screen that is defaced with the terrorism of banality. No movie has ever looked like this except for the brainiac cinema of poets and madmen. The wasteland of product placement, theme parks and fascist history meet to battle the glorious freedom fighters of Nirvana. Our heroes are Iggy Dog, Monkey Man, Mustang Sally and B-B-Boy who lead the rebels trying to undermine Mickey Rat’s reign. All across America Mickey has built “Ratlands” – a series of ugly underground tunnels that tourist line up to explore. Each visit infects the tourist more until “Ratland” becomes a place the tourist must visit: an infection of addiction. Mickey’s human spokesman is the “Uber-man” – a bald fascist in Armani with an almost pig face who utters such logos as: “Banality is Best”, “Mediocrity is Magnificent”, “Inferiority is Superior”, and “The Best Human Being is a Rat.” There is a floating skull of William (Uncle Bill) Burroughs that rises to guide or console our Rebels. A banner quotes him: “Language is a Virus.” The rebels must infiltrate the evil headquarters of Mickey Rat and convert one of his many children to the joyous total abandon of Rock and Roll. They know if their seed of rebellion is spread, it will undermine the Ratworld. But Uber-man under Mickey Rat’s guidance plans to neutralize the power of rock and roll with a synthetic rock that mesmerizes the listener inducing a false sense of rebellion. Mickey Rat begins to sell “Rebellion” – the Uber-man says “Rebel Rats Rule!” Confusion confronts our true rebels – realizing they must assassinate Mickey Rat, they prepare for their mission with injections of the anti-infection serum stolen by B-B-Boy from a Ratlab. A delirious state of ecstasy swirls around them. A radio signal is sent out from deep in the heart of their brains. Flocks of birds answer the signal as Iggy, Monkey, Mustang and B-B-Boy become Vangogh in the vast cornfield of consciousness that grows within the heart and soul of all transformers. The rebels decide in their clarity and union that they must meet Mickey Rat to discuss reasonably their objectives. Uber-man agrees to this arrangement buy B-B-Boy is not permitted to attend because he is too human. Once the three are inside “Ratland Supreme” they are held as prisoners and identified as traitors to the rat rebel’s cause. On huge screens across the country they are paraded for the populace to detest. Flocks of birds shit on the screens. B-B-Boy befriends the flying monkeys from Oz and they attack the board meeting where Uber-man is explaining financial charts while Mickey Rat is bemoaning the falling sales of Mickey Rat dolls. Smashing through the glass tower, B-B-Boy frees Iggy, Monkey and Mustang from their prison cell. (Al Pacino in DOG DAY AFTERNOON yells: “Attica!” Attica!”) So war rages (newsreel footage with animation on top of it), destruction, suicides, commercials intercut with atrocities, the heads of the Brady Bunch exploding into blood and gore, riots at “Ratlands”, Mickey Rat struggling to climb on top of his dead and dying troops, Uber-man not far behind, holding onto Mickey’s tail. Ronald Reagan says, “We begin bombing in five minutes.” Blowjobs in the White House. Mickey Rat’s ears break free of their restraints as our heroes enter the scene of carnage. Uber-man grabs Mickey’s ears and slits his throat, cutting off Mickey’s head. Uber places the bloody rat head over his own head. Uber announces: “Mickey Rat is dead! Long Live Mickey Rat!” Wild celebrations in the cities – there is a new rat king! Iggy, Monkey, Mustang and B-B-Boy escape the bloody boardroom through a rat tunnel leading through a treacherous route to a ledge above a deep primitive valley. Defeated they settle on the edge of the world. A single eagle glides into their vision, circling and landing on the ledge. A few other eagles follow. Now some flying monkeys arrive. Out of the escape tunnel a stream of freed rats file on to the ledge. All along the ledge the rebels stand poised wondering when the battle over who will wear the crown. The “om” of being resonates as all look upward at a hologram of Uber-man in his bloody Mickey head proclaiming a new world order of true rat men. Our heroes lead all the rebels chanting “Liar!” at the floating evil godhead. Their resolve to continue the struggle grows and they dance joyously the ledge crumbling beneath their feet as the rising skull of Uncle Bill (like a pale green moon) reminds them to be like a possum. With a hole in their heart the size of a truck. Prequel and Sequel to follow. © 2004 by Richard Sassin	Download MICKEY RAT IS DEAD.MP3
	The Songs Metal Machine Music I Don't Wanna Go Down In The Basement Beat On The Brat I Wanna Be Your Dog Rape Me Cure Pills Youth Against Facism Call Me Animal See No Evil The Rolling People The Gift Right Here, Right Now Radio Ethiopia Purple Haze Monkey Man Love Comes In Spurts Malibu The Ledge What Difference Does It Make? Wait When The Battle Is Over Liar!
	The Poster