Quiet Riot
Website:
Quiet Riot
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Heavy metal, glam metal, hard rock
Quiet Riot is an American heavy metal band. The band was founded in 1973, by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni under the name Mach 1. They then changed the name to Little Women, before settling on Quiet Riot in May 1975. The band’s name was inspired by a conversation with Rick Parfitt of the British band Status Quo, who expressed desire to name a band “Quite Right,” and his thick English accent made it sound like he was saying “Quiet Riot.” The band is ranked at No. 100 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
The original line-up featured Rhoads and Garni with lead vocalist Kevin DuBrow and drummer Drew Forsyth. Their most commercially successful lineup consisted of DuBrow alongside guitarist Carlos Cavazo, bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Frankie Banali, and in 1983 released their breakthrough album Metal Health, which is known for being the first heavy metal album to top the Billboard album chart. Despite several lineup changes and brief breakups, Quiet Riot continued to record and tour until DuBrow’s death from a cocaine overdose in 2007. Banali revived the band in 2010, and the current lineup consists of himself on drums, lead vocalist James Durbin, bassist Chuck Wright and guitarist Alex Grossi, with no founding members remaining.
The band have continued to record as well as tour following DuBrow’s death, and in 2014, they released their first album in eight years titled Quiet Riot 10, with their next album Road Rage set to follow in summer 2017.
Reformation and Metal Health lineup reunion (1990–2003)
Having won the rights to the band’s name, DuBrow teamed up with 21-year-old English born blues guitarist Sean Manning, bassist Kenny Hillery, and drummer Pat Ashby to reform Quiet Riot. Initially using the moniker Little Women (a name Rhoads and DuBrow used in the 1970s before settling on Quiet Riot) on tour to avoid any adverse publicity, DuBrow and Manning compiled songs for a new album, which would eventually turn up on the July 1993 release Terrified. The band played venues throughout the United States until 1990 when Manning left to join the band Hurricane.
Second reformation and death of DuBrow (2004–2007)
Kevin DuBrow released his first solo album, In for the Kill, in May 2004, which was followed by the announcement of a Quiet Riot reunion in October 2004. This reunion line-up included Kevin DuBrow, Frankie Banali, Chuck Wright, and new guitarist Alex Grossi. The band was featured on the 2005 Rock Never Stops Tour along with Cinderella, Ratt, and FireHouse. In December 2005, guitarist Tracii Guns of L.A. Guns briefly joined Quiet Riot. Guns left less than a month later after one rehearsal due to musical differences.
On November 25, 2007, Kevin DuBrow was found dead in his Las Vegas apartment. Frankie Banali confirmed the death in an e-mail to Spain’s The Metal Circus. Banali wrote:
“Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend Kevin DuBrow.”
On December 10, 2007, media reports confirmed that DuBrow was pronounced dead on November 25, 2007, and was later determined to have died of a cocaine overdose approximately six days earlier. On January 14, 2008, Banali issued the following statement via his website regarding the future of Quiet Riot:
“I have been approached to see if I would be interested in contacting Rudy Sarzo and Carlos Cavazo and to audition singers for Quiet Riot. I have also been approached to see if I would be interested in contacting and reforming the version of Quiet Riot that included Paul Shortino, Carlos Cavazo and Sean McNabb. Let me make this very simple and perfectly clear. While I am still actively involved in the business interests of Quiet Riot and will continue in that capacity, I reject any and all suggestions to have Quiet Riot continue as a live performing entity. My friendship, love and respect for Kevin DuBrow as well as my personal love and affection for Kevin’s mother and his family makes it inconceivable for me to ever entertain any ovation to reform or to continue Quiet Riot. Kevin was too important to go on without him. It would also be a disrespect to the fans who have supported Quiet Riot for nearly 25 years. I thank everyone for the wonderful and sometimes unpredictable adventure that I was able to share as a member of Quiet Riot. The only regret that I have is the loss of Kevin. May he rest in peace. I now begin life after Quiet Riot.”
Revival with multiple vocalists (2010–present)
Despite his previous insistence that Quiet Riot could never return as a live performing entity, Banali announced a new version of Quiet Riot in September 2010 with himself on drums, Chuck Wright on bass, Alex Grossi on guitar, and newcomer Mark Huff (formerly of the Van Halen tribute band 5150) on vocals.[28] The band has sought the blessings of the DuBrow family, and DuBrow’s mother encouraged Banali to revive the band. In July 2011, this lineup toured Germany as support for Slayer and Accept.
On January 12, 2012, whilst Huff was awaiting brain surgery, Quiet Riot released a statement, announcing that they had parted ways with Huff, and they were replacing him for upcoming dates with Keith St. John (formerly of Montrose). Huff found out about his firing online. In March 2012, Banali hired unknown vocalist Scott Vokoun to fully replace Huff.
A Quiet Riot documentary movie, titled “Well Now You’re Here, There’s No Way Back” (named after a lyric in the band’s hit song “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)”) and directed and produced by Banali’s fiancee Regina Russell, was completed around this time. It premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival on April 29, 2014.
In June of 2014, the band released their new album, titled 10, their first studio release in eight years and their first since their most recent reformation.
External links:
- Official Quiet Riot website
- Quiet Riot at AllMusic
- Quiet Riot discography at Discogs
- Historic interview with Kevin Dubrow on early days of Quiet Riot
- Interview with Kevin DuBrow
- Interview with Rudy Sarzo
- CC Banana Interview with Frankie Banali
Discography
Studio albums
Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
Quiet Riot (Japan only)
Released: March 2, 1977
1978 Quiet Riot II (Japan only)
Released: December 2, 1978
1983 Metal Health
Released: March 11, 1983
US: 6× Platinum
CAN: 3× Platinum
1984 Condition Critical
Released: July 27, 1984
US: Platinum
1986 QR III
Released: September 8, 1986
1988 QR
Released: October 21, 1988
119
1993 Terrified
Released: July 19, 1993
1995 Down to the Bone
Released: March 1, 1995
1999 Alive and Well
Released: March 23, 1999
2001 Guilty Pleasures
Released: May 29, 2001
2006 Rehab
Released: October 3, 2006
2014 Quiet Riot 10
Released: June 27, 2014
2017 Road Rage
Released: August 4, 2017
Singles/EPs
Year Song US[53] Rock CAN
1975 “Suicidal Show”/”Just How You Want It”/”West Coast Tryouts”[54] – – –
1977 “It’s Not So Funny” – – –
1978 “Slick Black Cadillac” – – –
1983 “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” 31 37 48
“Cum on Feel the Noize” (US:Gold,CAN:Gold) 5 7 8
“Slick Black Cadillac” (re-recording) – 32 –
1984 “Don’t Wanna Let You Go” – 28 –
“Mama Weer All Crazee Now” 51 13 50
“Sign of the Times” – 28 –
“Party All Night” – – –
“Winners Take All” – – –
“Bad Boy” – – –
1986 “The Wild and the Young” – – –
“Twilight Hotel” – – –
1988 “Stay with Me Tonight” – – –
1993 “Little Angel” – – –
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