Members Andrew Matheson (vocals), Eunan Brady (guitar), Wayne Manor (bass), Louis Sparks (drums), and legendary Norwegian keyboardist Casino Steel, played a brand of trashy but melodic rock 'n' roll that brought comparisons to the 'Dolls, as well as the Flamin' Groovies. Brady was found after responding to a Melody Maker ad seeking a guitarist "drunk on scotch and Keith Richards". They were originally called The Queen, but an angry Freddie Mercury clashed with them at the Marquee in London shortly before 'Seven Seas of Rhye' hit the UK charts, which inevitably meant they were forced to reconsider.
The band crashed and burned their way through regular live sets in the summer of 1973, when their flamboyant makeup, female attire, and attitude-laden bluesy rock began to attract a following. "The whole point of the Brats was to annoy and disturb!" as their vocalist was later to announce.
Championed and helted by Keith Moon from the Who, the band signed a deal with NEMS Records and recorded an album of pure rock fun with fuzzy, garage-flavored guitar solos, cowbell accents, and snotty lyrics populated by gold diggers and tramps, but no record label was willing to release the finished product.
By the time their single 'Then He Kissed Me', released by Cherry Red Records in 1979 hit the racks, the band had long split. Matheson and Brady went on recording for the Tools and Wreckless Eric, and Steel joined another legendary group the London SS, before forming the Boys in 1976.