Sixteen years in, Ratboys have passed the usual breakup window for bands with members in their 30s. That’s the upside of hearts uncorroded by entitlement or a major label’s promise of fame. Around here, Ratboys are known among local bands and stagehands for their Midwestern kindness and good humor, with calloused hands from doing the work. But with Nuccio and Neumann officially in the lineup for that LP, Ratboys were hitting their stride and falling in love with being in a band. To hash out the demos that would become Empty Chair, Ratboys booked a cabin in Richland Center, Wisconsin, in 2024.