Who We Are?

We’re The Riptide Rats — an instrumental action-surf-western-rock’n’roll combo from Kungsbacka City, Sweden. Think trad surf riffs, spaghetti-western swagger, and dirty rock’n’roll power — all drenched in reverb and punk rock attitude.

The band started as three guys from Lunatones and The Chuck Norris Experiment messing around in the studio… and it turned into something way louder and a lot more fun than expected. Sometimes our buddy Erik jumps in on guitar — turning us into a four-piece surf machine.

We record almost everything at our own place, Shed Studios — our little shed of big noise and glowing tubes.

Our first release, The Eastwood EP, came out October 31, 2023 on Ghost Highway Recordings (Spain). Limited to 300 copies — 150 orange, 150 black.
👉 ghosthighwayshop.com

Our track “The Riptide Rats Theme” also appeared on the Short & Swede 7” compilation from GHR.
In 2024, we dropped our “Shed Sessions” series and the 5” single “Reef Rumblin’” with Under The Sun Fanzine.

Then in 2025, we teamed up with the legendary swedish surfrockers Langhorns for a 5” split single released by Colorado Instrumental Fanzine and Ghost Highway Recordings.

And the big one’s coming — our debut full-length album lands this fall 2025. As always, play it loud!

The Rats:
Gustav Wilhelmsson – Guitars
Fredrik Wallgren – Drums
Jocke Olsson – Bass
Erik – Extra Guitar (the honorary 4th Rat)