Quiet Riot

American heavy metal band

Quiet Riot is an American heavy metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Cum On Feel the Noize" and "Metal Health". The band was started in 1973 by guitar player Randy Rhoads and bass player Kelly Garni, first calling themselves Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet Riot in May 1975.[1] The first line-up featured lead singer Kevin DuBrow, Rhoads, Garni, and drummer Drew Forsythe. The lineup now has no starting members and includes lead singer Scott Vokoun, drummer Frankie Banali, bass player Chuck Wright, and guitar player Alex Grossi. Both Banali and Wright played on the band's most successful album Metal Health era, but Wright played bass on only two songs including the hit song "Metal Health", but did sing backup on the whole album.

Quiet Riot
Background information
OriginLos Angeles, California, United States
GenresHeavy metal, hard rock, glam metal
Years active1973–1979, 1982–1989, 1993–2003, 2004–2007, 2010–present
LabelsPasha, Sony Music, Chavis
MembersFrankie Banali
Chuck Wright
Alex Grossi
Scott Vokoun
Past member(s)Kevin DuBrow
Carlos Cavazo
Rudy Sarzo
Drew Forsythe
Randy Rhoads
Greg Leon
Kelly Garni
Kenny Hillery
Paul Shortino
Sean McNabb
Neil Citron
Mark Huff
Keith St. John

The band's name came from a conversation with Rick Parfitt of British band Status Quo in which Parfitt said he'd like to name a band "Quite Right".[2] With his thick English accent, it sounded like he was saying "Quiet Riot". They are ranked at number 100 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".

History change

The 70s - The band started in the mid 70s by guitar player Randy Rhoads and bass player Kelly Garni. Lead singer Kevin DuBrow and drummer Drew Forsyth joined later on. They made two albums that only came out in Japan, called Quiet Riot and Quiet Riot II. Kelly Garni left after Quiet Riot II was recorded, but before the album cover was made, so the cover has his replacement, Rudy Sarzo, on the cover. Randy Rhoads left later to play with Ozzy Osbourne who was starting a solo band after being kicked out of Black Sabbath. Drew Forsyth left later.

The 80s - Kevin DuBrow made a new band, with drummer Frankie Banali, guitar player Carlos Cavazo and bass player Chuck Wright, although they called themselves Quiet Riot. Rudy Sarzo came back in the band to record on the band's album Metal Health. It was very successful because of the songs "Bang Your Head" and "Cum On Feel The Noize". The band brought out another album the next year called Condition Critical, although it didn't do quite as well. Kevin DuBrow started taking cocaine, and also started insulting bands similar to Quiet Riot which harmed the band's popularity. Their next album, QR III, had Chuck Wright playing bass as Rudy Sarzo left the band, and didn't do very well. Kevin DuBrow was kicked out as the band was fed up with his insults. The band's new singer was Paul Shortino and they released QR to try to become a well known band again. However, it failed in the charts and was even less successful than QR III. The band split up, but DuBrow had a court battle to own the band's name, and won.

The 90s - DuBrow started another new band, that went through a few brief names before being Quiet Riot again. Old members Banali and Cavazo came back, and the reformed band released Terrified and Down To The Bone. Rudy Sarzo rejoined, therefore bringing together the whole Metal Health lineup again. They released Alive And Well in 1999. The album has many re-recorded versions of older hits.

The 2000s - The Metal Health lineup released another album in 2001 called Guilty Pleasures, the first album by the lineup not to have any covers of other band's songs. They broke up in 2003. DuBrow and Banali started the band again the next year with Chuck Wright and new guitar player Alex Grossi. They started on a new album, but Wright and Grossi left and DuBrow and Banali had many other bass and guitar players join and leave quickly. The band's new album, Rehab, came out in 2006. Wright and Grossi rejoined to play concerts for the album.

On November 19th, 2007, Kevin DuBrow died of an accidental cocaine overdose, and his body was found six days later, on the 25th. Frankie Banali later said the band would never come back because of this.

The 2010s - although Banali said the band would not reform, they did in 2010, with new singer Mark Huff. They toured over the next year, before Huff was fired in 2012. He had to find out he was fired online. Banali hired a new singer called Scott Vokoun in March 2012. Right now, the band are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Metal Health by playing concerts around the world.

Discography change

Compilations change

Singles change

  • 1977 "It's Not So Funny"
  • 1979 "Slick Black Cadillac"
  • 1983 "Metal Health"
  • 1983 "Cum On Feel The Noize"
  • 1983 "Slick Black Cadillac"
  • 1984 "Mama Weer All Crazee Now"
  • 1984 "Party All Night"
  • 1984 "Winners Take All"
  • 1984 "Bad Boy"
  • 1986 "The Wild and the Young"
  • 1986 "Twilight Hotel"
  • 1988 "Stay With Me Tonight"
  • 1993 "Little Angel"

Videography change

References change

  1. Randy Rhoads: A Life, by David A. Bene, c.2005
  2. Daily Pilot: Quieting the noize