Intro (Edit)

Quiet Riot was an American heavy metal band formed in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni. They are best known for songs, ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ and ‘Metal Health.’ The band also has a trademark mascot. The mascot resembles a man in a straight jacket and he is wearing a metal facial plate over his face.

The singer, Kevin DuBrow, was found dead in his Las Vegas home on November 25, 2007, apparently of a cocaine overdose. The band disbanded after this.

The band was formed in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni. They soon found vocalist Kevin DuBrow and drummer Drew Forsyth. They started under the name of ‘Mach 1.’

While talking with Rick Parfitt, of the British band Status Quo, he said that he would like to name a band ‘Quite Right.’ But it sounded like ‘Quiet Riot’ so the band adopted that name.

Quiet Riot started to record their self-titled debut in 1977. The album was only released in Japan. The album wasn’t a big success.

1978 saw the release of Quiet Riot II. The album was recorded at ‘The Record Plant’ from August to November. It was released in December of 1978, again, only in the country of Japan.

In 1979, Randy Rhoads auditioned for the gig as Ozzy Osbourne’s lead guitarist. After six months, Ozzy hired Randy. After Randy left Quiet Riot, DuBrow and Forsyth tried keeping the band together, but couldn’t.

Following Rhoads death in a plane crash in 1982, DuBrow tried resurrecting Quiet Riot. None of the original memebers wanted to, so he turned to some other people. Carlos Cavazo has played with DuBrow in a LA locals show before, so DuBrow asked him to join on lead guitar and he did. Rudy Sarzo did re-join the band on bass guitar, and Rudy’s friend, Frankie Banali, completed this line-up as a drummer.

In September of 1982, the band got signed to CBS records in America, and March 11, 1983 saw the release of their American debut album, Metal Health. In August of 1983, the band released their second single from the album, a cover of Slade’s ‘Cum On Feel The Noize.’ The song spent two weeks at number 5 on the US Billboard Charts. The success of the single rocketed the album up the charts as well. It was the first American heavy metal debut album to ever reach number 1 in the US. The video for ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ was in constant play on MTV, which helped the success of the band.

The album, Metal Health, was crucial in paving a way for heavy metal in the commercial markets.

The bands next release, Condition Critical, was released on July 7, 1984. It wasn’t received by the critics or the commercial market. The album sold 3 million copies, compared to the debut selling over 6 million. Frustrated, Kevin DuBrow began telling newer bands in the LA metal scene that they were only getting success because of Quiet Riot. That lead to Rudy Sarzo leaving the group in 1985. The bass position was filled with Chuck Wright.

In 1986, the band released Quiet Riot III, or QRIII. This album featured keyboardist John Purdell. He also went on tour with the band in support of the album. The lead single was the song, ‘The Wild And The Young.’ The song had a music video as well. The music video took place in the future, while militarist tried to wipe out rock ‘n’ roll. That was reference to the Senate hearings of the time to ban explicit lyrics in heavy metal songs. Despite the song, the album was another commercial failure.

During this time, the band began fed-up with DuBrow’s antics, so they fired him from his own band in early 1987. Up until 1988, the band went through two vocalists. Then in 1988, the band released Quiet Riot. The album was another poor seller. This album had the same name of the band’s debut, so most people just refer to it as ‘QR IV.’ This is the only album not to have Kevin DuBrow on vocals. It featured Paul Shortino of Rough Cutt. Then, after the tour ended in 1989, the band went their separate ways, while DuBrow fought to keep the name.

Kevin DuBrow tried reforming the band again with Sean Manning, Kenny Hillary, and Pat Ashby. This time around, DuBrow chose the name ‘Little Women’ to avoid any publicity. DuBrow and Manning wrote and compiled songs for a new album. The band played throughout the US until 1990, when Manning left to join the band Hurricane.

During this time, tempers had cooled between Carlos Cavazo and Kevin DuBrow. They began talking again and formed the band Heat. To finish up the line-up, they added bassist Kenny Hillary and drummer Bobby Rondinelli. In 1991, the band became Quiet Riot again. By the time their 1993 album, Terrified, was released, Frankie Banali rejoined. By the time the tour rolled around, they rehired Chuck Wright back on bass. Then they hit the road in 1994.

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History (Edit)

In 1993, DuBrow also released ‘The Randy Rhoads Years.’ It was a compilation featuring songs from Quiet Riot’s Columbia released album. It also has some previously unreleased songs, but with newly recorded vocals.

In 1995, the band released the album ‘Down To The Bone.’ The album did not do well and it was a commercial failure.

1996 saw the release of a greatest hits compilation. The album featured no songs from the Rhoads era and no songs from the two albums from the 1990’s. It did have some songs from the Shortino album of 1988. In 1997, Rudy Sarzo rejoined the band and they continued touring.

The tour of 1997 was a disaster. The band was arrested several times and one fan sued DuBrow for injuries he got during a show. Despite the troubles, the band managed to release ‘Alive & Well’ in 1999. The album reunited the classic line-up of Quiet Riot. The album had nine new songs and updated versions of a few of their classic songs such as ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’, ‘Metal Health (Bang Your Head)’, Mama Weer All Crazee Now’ and more.

‘Alive & Well’ was followed up by ‘Guilty Pleasures’ in 2001. The album did not sell well, but got fairly good reviews. While on tour, supporting ‘Guilty Pleasures’, the band shot a video concert at the Key Club in LA. The DVD was released on November 11, 2003 as, Quiet Riot Live In The 21st Century.

In 2003, the band officially broke up with Rudy Sarzo joining up with Dio. But in 2005, the band reunited. They line-up featured DuBrow on vocals, Banali handling the drums, Chuck Wright on bass guitar, and a new guitarist Alex Grossi. The band was featured on the 2005, ‘Rock Never Stops Tour.’ They toured along with Cinderella, Ratt, and Firehouse.

In 2004, Kevin DuBrow released a solo album called ‘In For The Kill’.

In January of 2006, Alex Grossi and Wright left the band. Replacing Grossi was former LA Guns guitarist, Tracii Guns. But two weeks later, Guns left because of musical differences. Between January and August, there was a rapid fire of line-up changes. Then in August, Frankie Banali announced that Grossi and Wright were in the band again.

On October 3, 2006, the band released their final album, Rehab. The album is a departure from their trademark ‘party-rock’ sound. This album has more of a ‘mature’ sound. The album has received mixed reviews from the fans.

On July 13, 2007, Quiet Riot performed at ‘Rocklahoma’ which is a glam metal festival.

On November 25, 2007, Kevin DuBrow was found dead in his apartment. The autopsy said that he had died of an accidental cocaine overdose. On January 14, 2008, drummer Frankie Banali said this, concerning the end 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.”

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