Bratz were a late 1970s/1980s/early 1990s pop band featuring singer Paul Shaffer and guitarist Jack Butler that opened for many major touring acts. the Bacchanal, the Rodeo and the Halcyon. “I was a student teacher at the time,” says Shaffer, who gave up his teaching career after one year to sing. “Our first gig was at Dick’s at the Beach in Solana Beach,” he says about the long defunct biker-friendly bar on Coast Hwy.
Butler, who was working at Guitar Center, joined Bratz in ’78. He had already left Glory, which included Beat Farmers guitarist Jerry Raney. The 1981 lineup included bassist Lee Knight, along with drummer Paul Nichols (Jo Baker and the Boys, Neon Vanilla), Paul Shaffer (vocals, guitar), Jack Butler (lead guitar), and Keith Loveland (keyboards). After Mike Jacobs became their manager, the group replaced Nichols with Mark Spriggs on drums, and other latterday members included John Lusitana (guitar) and Mike Peters (keyboards).
The band split in 1982. Shaffer and Butler later cofounded Private Domain and signed to Gold Mountain/A&M Records, which never put out their record. They eventually signed with Priority/Universal, which resulted in the single “Absolute Perfection,” recorded with reggae star Pato Banton.
Mark Spriggs later passed away from cancer at the age of 52. Mike Peters has also passed away. As of 2018, Private Domain guitarist Jack Butler and frontman Paul Shaffer had been playing together locally, nonstop, for 40 years.