Riot V, formerly known as Riot, is an American
heavy metal band formed in New York City in 1975 by guitarist
Mark Reale
Mark Reale (June 7, 1955 – January 25, 2012) was an American guitarist who was the sole consistent and founding member of the heavy metal band Riot (now known as Riot V).
Biography
Reale was born in Brooklyn, New York City, in 1955. He gr ...
. Reaching peak in popularity in the early 1980s, the band has continued a long-running successful career. Riot's sound initially started out as straightforward heavy metal, but since their 1988 release ''
Thundersteel
''Thundersteel'' is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Riot, released after coming back from a period of inactivity in the mid-1980s. It features a totally different line-up from that of the previous work, with guitarist ...
'', their musical style has shifted a little towards
power metal
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...
.
In 2013, surviving members of the band re-incarnated the band to Riot V, after the death of founding member, guitarist, main songwriter and leader
Mark Reale
Mark Reale (June 7, 1955 – January 25, 2012) was an American guitarist who was the sole consistent and founding member of the heavy metal band Riot (now known as Riot V).
Biography
Reale was born in Brooklyn, New York City, in 1955. He gr ...
.
The group uses a baby seal face as a logo on its album covers.
History
Early years (1975–1983)
Riot was formed in 1975 in New York City, when Kon-Tiki guitarist
Mark Reale
Mark Reale (June 7, 1955 – January 25, 2012) was an American guitarist who was the sole consistent and founding member of the heavy metal band Riot (now known as Riot V).
Biography
Reale was born in Brooklyn, New York City, in 1955. He gr ...
and drummer Peter Bitelli recruited bassist Phil Feit and vocalist
Guy Speranza
Guy Speranza (March 12, 1956 – November 8, 2003) was an American singer best known as New York City-based metal band Riot's original frontman from 1975 to 1981.
He played at the first Monsters of Rock festival in 1980 and sang on their first t ...
.
The line up recorded a four-track demo, which they hoped would be included in a proposed compilation of new rock bands. While waiting for the project to get off the ground, they added Steve Costello on keyboards.
Reale took the various demos to New York-based producers Billy Arnell and Steve Loeb, who also owned
Greene Street Recording Studio and the independent label Fire-Sign Records. Arnell and Loeb turned down the compilation proposal but signed Riot. The band added second guitarist Louie Kouvaris and replaced Feit with Jimmy Iommi, though both bass players participated in the recording of its debut album, ''
Rock City'';
the record was recorded and produced by Arnell and Loeb and released on their Fire Sign Records. After a promising start and support slots with
AC/DC
AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
and
Molly Hatchet
Molly Hatchet is an American rock band formed in 1971 by guitarist Dave Hlubek in Jacksonville, Florida. They were a popular band during the late 1970s and early-to-mid 1980s among the southern rock and hard rock communities. The band released ...
, the band were unable to maintain momentum and were on the verge of breaking up by 1979.
In that year, however, the
new wave of British heavy metal
The new wave of British heavy metal (commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Journalist Geoff Barton coined the term i ...
broke mainstream, and the band came to the attention of influential DJ
Neal Kay
Neal Kay (born 10 February 1950) is a former London-based disc jockey, who was an important factor in the rise of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM), along with Tommy Vance, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Career
Neal Kay has alwa ...
who spread the word about them in Britain where fans bought imported copies of ''Rock City''. Encouraged, Arnell and Loeb, now Riot's managers, recorded the band's new album ''
Narita''. In the course of recording, Kouvaris was replaced by roadie Rick Ventura .
Subsequent to a successful support of
Sammy Hagar
Samuel Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose and subsequently launched a successful solo car ...
on his US Texas tour,
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
offered Riot a worldwide deal for ''Narita,'' mostly to support Hagar. Capitol and Hagar needed a harder, younger edge to associate with him, so Riot was chosen if they agreed to support Hagar on his UK tour. Hagar and Riot had a successful tour, but Riot was dropped by Capitol as soon as they were finished promoting Hagar.
Arnell and Loeb spent the remaining Capitol Records advance while retaining important indie FM radio promotions to promote the last Riot album. Arnell and Loeb put the album on as many radio stations around the country as possible, thus raising the radio profile enough to where Capitol picked up their option for another record, which led to Riot's biggest selling album, ''
Fire Down Under
''Fire Down Under'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Riot, released in 1981, it's the last album to feature original vocalist Guy Speranza. The song "Flashbacks" is dedicated to Neal Kay, a British DJ who supported heav ...
''.
When the record was completed some months later, Capitol turned the record down calling it "commercially unacceptable", which put the band in contractual limbo. Capitol refused to release the band from the contract. A campaign was organized and financed by producers Arnell and Loeb, and engaging fans around the world. Fans picketed the offices of EMI Records, especially in the UK.
Finally,
Elektra Records
Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...
reached an agreement with Capitol Vice President
Rupert Perry Rupert Perry is a high-ranking member of the EMI Record Corporation. After joining EMI Music in 1971, he was given various promotions. 1976 earned him a title as Vice President of Artist and repertoire for Capitol Records in the US. 1982 landed ...
and immediately released ''Fire Down Under'', which then soared into the
Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...
chart.
Breakup, the "Reunion" and Reale's death (1983–2012)
Singer
Guy Speranza
Guy Speranza (March 12, 1956 – November 8, 2003) was an American singer best known as New York City-based metal band Riot's original frontman from 1975 to 1981.
He played at the first Monsters of Rock festival in 1980 and sang on their first t ...
(March 12, 1956 – November 8, 2003) had difficulty melding his religious convictions with his role in the band and was replaced by
Rhett Forrester
Rhett Forrester (September 22, 1956 – January 22, 1994) was an American musician best known as the lead singer for New York-based band Riot from 1981 until 1984.
Biography
Forrester was born on September 22, 1956, in Tucker, Georgia. His m ...
(September 22, 1956 – January 22, 1994) for the next album, ''
Restless Breed'' (1982).
Though a striking frontman, any hope of a major breakthrough was sunk by a combination of Forrester's erratic behaviour on the road, a changing of the guard at Elektra, and the 1983 success of
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band founded in Los Angeles in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni.
The original lineup featured Rhoads and Garni with lead vocalist Kevin DuBrow and drummer Drew F ...
's cover of "
Cum on Feel the Noize". The next album, ''
Born in America
''Born in America'' is the fifth studio album released by the American heavy metal band Riot, released in 1983. After getting dropped by Elektra Records the band signed with Canadian indie label Quality Records for what was to be the second a ...
'', (1983) was self-financed by Steve Loeb and was released on
Quality Records
Quality Records was a Canadian entertainment company which released music albums in Canada on behalf of American record labels. They also released recordings by Canadian artists.
The company operated between 1950 and 1985 with offices in Toron ...
, an independent Canadian label.
A note on the reverse of the album tried to explain away would-be fans' confusion between Riot and the now No. 1-selling Quiet Riot, but support melted away, leading to the band's disintegration.
Reale relocated to San Antonio, Texas, where he recruited former
S.A. Slayer
S.A. Slayer, originally known as Slayer, was an American heavy metal band formed in San Antonio, Texas, in 1981 by the former Blitzkrieg (not to be confused with the UK band Blitzkrieg) guitar duo Robert "Bob Dog" Catlin and Art Villarreal, ba ...
members Steve Cooper, Don Van Stavern, and Dave McClain (now with
Sacred Reich
Sacred Reich is an American thrash metal band based in Phoenix, Arizona, that was formed in 1985. The band split in 2000, but reunited in 2006. Sacred Reich has been credited, along with Testament, Destruction, Death Angel and Dark Angel, for ...
) for a short-lived new band called Narita. By 1986, Reale and Van Stavern had made their way out to Los Angeles in an attempt to resurrect Riot along with former members Sandy Slavin and Rhett Forrester. Harry 'The Tyrant' Conklin (
Jag Panzer
Jag Panzer is an American power metal band from Colorado Springs, Colorado.
History
Jag Panzer came together in late 1981, being inspired by the onslaught of the new wave of British heavy metal. The original line-up consisted of Harry Conkl ...
) handled vocals for a short time but was dismissed after losing his voice on the second night of back-to-back gigs due to excessive drinking. Eventually, Reale reunited with producer Steve Loeb and moved back to New York. Drummer Mark Edwards (
Steeler, Third Stage Alert) was recruited to complete the new rhythm section with bassist Don Van Stavern, while Greene Street Studio manager Dave Harrington brought in
Tony Moore (real name: Tony Morabito) on vocals.
Loeb cut a four-track demo at his Greene Street Studio in Soho, New York and along with real estate maven turned rock manager Vince Perazzo, brought the band to
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
Associated, who offered the band a worldwide deal. Edwards elected to leave the band as his own Los Angeles-based group
Lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
was getting signed to Scotti Brothers. He was superseded by San Antonio, Texas native
Bobby Jarzombek
Bobby Jarzombek is an American musician of Polish and German ancestry who is currently the drummer for country music legend George Strait. Bobby also has been a drummer for: vocalist Sebastian Bach, and progressive metal band Fates Warning. ...
, formerly with
Juggernaut
A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originated in the mid-nineteenth century and was adapted from the Sanskrit word Jagannath.
...
, who cut the rest of the drum tracks for what became the ''
Thundersteel
''Thundersteel'' is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Riot, released after coming back from a period of inactivity in the mid-1980s. It features a totally different line-up from that of the previous work, with guitarist ...
'' album, released in 1988.
It was followed by the more experimental ''
The Privilege of Power
''The Privilege of Power'' is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Riot. It was more experimental than their previous work, being an attempt at a concept album and also including a horn section on some of the tracks.
"Racing wi ...
'' (1990),
which saw the band augment their state-of-the-art heavy metal sound with horns, courtesy of the
Brecker Brothers
The Brecker Brothers were a jazz fusion music duo consisting of siblings Michael Brecker, Michael and Randy Brecker, Randy. Michael played saxophone, flute, and EWI (musical instrument), EWI, and Randy played trumpet and flugelhorn. The brothers ...
and
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the b ...
. The album also featured a guest vocal appearance by
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner (born Joseph Arthur Mark Linquito, August 2, 1951) is an American singer known for his work in the hard rock bands Rainbow, Yngwie J. Malmsteen and Deep Purple.
During his career, Turner fronted and played guitar with pop ro ...
of
Rainbow
A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...
fame. Second guitarist Mike Flyntz joined the ranks for the band's 1989 ''
Thundersteel
''Thundersteel'' is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Riot, released after coming back from a period of inactivity in the mid-1980s. It features a totally different line-up from that of the previous work, with guitarist ...
'' tour of Japan where Riot maintained their strongest subsequent following. Along with hiring tour manager Joey Batts who toured with them through the U.S and Japan. Bassist Don Van Stavern quit the band after the US leg of the ''Privilege of Power'' tour and was replaced by fellow Texan Pete Perez (ex-Karion).
In 1992, vocalist Tony Moore left the group over disagreements with manager/producer Steve Loeb. Reale recruited newcomer
Mike DiMeo
Mike DiMeo (born November 29, 1968, in New York City) is an American hard rock/ heavy metal vocalist, best known for his work in the band Riot, which he left in late 2006. He recorded six studio albums and one live album with the group before de ...
, who had played with
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern (born January 12, 1954) is an American radio and television personality, comedian, and author. He is best known for his radio show, ''The Howard Stern Show'', which gained popularity when it was nationally syndicated on terre ...
sidekick
Stuttering John
John Edward Melendez (born October 4, 1965), also known as Stuttering John, is an American radio personality, comedian, singer, actor, television writer, announcer, and podcast host.
He is best known for being on ''The Howard Stern Show'' from ...
Melendez in a local band named Josie Sang, with a view toward making a more hard rock-oriented solo album. Eventually, those plans were dropped and the proposed solo effort turned into another Riot album, 1993's ''
Nightbreaker
''Nightbreaker'' is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Riot. It was the band's first release with vocalist Mike DiMeo, as well as the studio debut of guitarist Mike Flyntz and bassist Pete Perez.
The album was released in ...
'',
which featured a remake of the ''
Fire Down Under
''Fire Down Under'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Riot, released in 1981, it's the last album to feature original vocalist Guy Speranza. The song "Flashbacks" is dedicated to Neal Kay, a British DJ who supported heav ...
'' track "Outlaw", as well as covers of
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...
's "
Burn
A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ultraviolet radiation (like sunburn). Most burns are due to heat from hot liquids (called scalding), solids, or fire. Burns occur mainl ...
" and "
A Whiter Shade of Pale
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is a song by the English rock band Procol Harum that was issued as their debut record on 12 May 1967. The single reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, i ...
" by
Procol Harum
Procol Harum () were an English rock music, rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex in 1967. Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have List of best-selling singles, sold over ...
. The following LP, the Native American-themed ''
Brethren of the Long House'' (1996), which saw
John Macaluso
John Macaluso (born January 21, 1968) is an American drummer who has played for bands such as Ark, TNT, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Born in Commack, New York, Macaluso started playing drums at age 11. He has recorded over 200 records and played multi ...
(
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
,
Powermad
Powermad is an American thrash/speed metal band formed in Minneapolis in 1984. The group has been called an "innovative and often forgotten speed metal band...who infused progressive metal styles and European styles into abstract American speed ...
) briefly take over for Bobby Jarzombek on drums, marked the final collaboration with long-time associate Steve Loeb who stepped down from the production chair in 1995. All told, Loeb produced or co-produced 13 Riot albums in his 19-year association with Reale and the different configurations of Riot. For the rest of the decade Riot maintained a stable line-up for the first time in its history, resulting in a steady output of high-quality albums, i.e. ''
Inishmore
Inishmore ( ga, Árainn , or ) is the largest of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland. With an area of and a population of 762 (as of 2016), it is the second-largest island off the Irish coast (after Achill) and ...
'' (1998), ''
Shine On'' live (1998), and ''
Sons of Society
''Sons of Society'' is the eleventh studio album by American heavy metal band Riot, released in Japan on July 15, 1999, and in the US on September 7, 1999, with a missing track.
Track listing
* "Queen" is a standard track on the original Ja ...
'' (1999). Jarzombek left again in late 1999, this time to join former
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...
vocalist
Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. He has b ...
in his new venture
Halford. Pat Magrath (Prototype, Killing Culture) filled in for Jarzombek on the following European tour before being replaced by veteran skinsman
Bobby Rondinelli
Robert Rondinelli (born July 27, 1955) is a rock drummer best known for his work with the hard rock/ heavy metal bands Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, Quiet Riot, Black Sabbath, The Lizards, The Handful, and Rondinelli. In July 2013, Rondinelli wa ...
(Rainbow,
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
,
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult ( ; sometimes abbreviated BÖC or BOC) is an American Rock music, rock band formed on Long Island in Stony Brook, New York, in 1967, and best known for the singles "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", "Burnin' for You", and "Godzilla ( ...
) with whom the band recorded ''
Through the Storm'' (2002).
In 2006, Riot returned with yet another album, ''
Army of One'', featuring new addition Frank Gilchriest (
Virgin Steele
Virgin Steele is an American heavy metal band from New York, originally formed in 1981.
The band released a few career highlights albums (''Noble Savage'', '' The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I'', '' The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II ...
, Gothic Knights) on drums. It marked the final album with vocalist
Mike DiMeo
Mike DiMeo (born November 29, 1968, in New York City) is an American hard rock/ heavy metal vocalist, best known for his work in the band Riot, which he left in late 2006. He recorded six studio albums and one live album with the group before de ...
who had earlier announced his departure in order to concentrate on his work with retro rockers The Lizards after a 12-year run with Riot. DiMeo was succeeded by the New York area singer Mike Tirelli, whose Riot live debut came in early 2005 at the band's Atarfe Vega Rock Festival appearance in
Granada
Granada (,, DIN 31635, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the fo ...
, Spain.
Riot with Tirelli toured the United States for most of 2005, and made an appearance in Japan in both 2006 and 2007, and undertook an extensive tour of Spain in 2007.
In 2008, it was announced that the classic ''
Thundersteel
''Thundersteel'' is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Riot, released after coming back from a period of inactivity in the mid-1980s. It features a totally different line-up from that of the previous work, with guitarist ...
''-era line-up would reunite for a tour, starting in June 2009 with high-profile shows at the
Sweden Rock and Metalway festivals, followed by a tour of Japan in the fall. A new studio album, tentatively scheduled for a late 2009 release, failed to materialize and on December 4, 2009, Tony Moore announced that he was no longer a member of Riot.
Nothing further was heard from the band for most of 2010 until on September 28, 2010, it was reported that Tony Moore had rejoined the band, with a new album set for release sometime in 2011.
On August 12, 2011, it was reported that final mixing was underway for the band's new album, ''
Immortal Soul
Christian mortalism is the Christianity, Christian belief that the human Soul (spirit), soul is not naturally Immortality of the soul, immortal and may include the belief that the soul is “sleeping” after death until the Resurrection of the ...
'', which was released first in Japan on October 18 by Marquee Inc., Japan's Avalon label. It was released in Germany on October 28 and in Europe on October 31 and in November in North America, on the SPV label. Riot was to open for
HammerFall
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from Gothenburg. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.
History
Early days (1993–1996)
HammerFall was formed when rhythm guitarist Oscar Dronjak quit Ceremonial ...
on their "European Outbreak 2011" tour, with October and November dates confirmed, but this tour was canceled due to Tony Moore requiring emergency oral surgery.
On January 25, 2012, founding band member
Mark Reale
Mark Reale (June 7, 1955 – January 25, 2012) was an American guitarist who was the sole consistent and founding member of the heavy metal band Riot (now known as Riot V).
Biography
Reale was born in Brooklyn, New York City, in 1955. He gr ...
died of complications resulting from
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody if inflammation is severe), fever, abdominal distension ...
at the age of 56. Immediately following his death, the band, featuring the "Thundersteel" lineup, performed several previously-booked east coast shows and the "70,000 Tons of Metal" cruise ship gig without him. A new Riot compilation was released following the shows, and at the request of Mark's father, the name "Riot" was put to rest. However, some former members of the "Thundersteel"-era lineup began work putting together a new band performing music in the same vein as Riot.
Second reunion as Riot V (2013–present)
![Riot V – Headbangers Open Air 2014 06](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Riot_V_%E2%80%93_Headbangers_Open_Air_2014_06.jpg)
The band was officially re-launched as "Riot V", the name alluding to the addition of
Todd Michael Hall
Todd Michael Hall (born September 27, 1969, in Saginaw, Michigan) is an American musician best known as the lead singer for New York-based band Riot V.
Life
He has been in the band since 2013 and is their fifth official singer. Hall has also ...
as the fifth official singer, replacing Moore. Van Stavern revealed that Moore had chosen not to continue with the band to spend more time with his family.
In 2014, Nick Lee, a former student at the guitar classes run by Flyntz, joined as the new co-lead guitarist for the band, replacing deceased Reale, and Frank Gilchriest rejoined the band in place of Jarzombek, who had quit the band to focus on his activities with
Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman. There have been numerous lineup ...
. Their new album ''Unleash The Fire'' was released in Japan, under the name Riot, in August 2014. This is the band's first release since the death of Reale.
Todd Michael Hall
Todd Michael Hall (born September 27, 1969, in Saginaw, Michigan) is an American musician best known as the lead singer for New York-based band Riot V.
Life
He has been in the band since 2013 and is their fifth official singer. Hall has also ...
said about the "V" letter: "The official name for the band is Riot V, but we do have this confusion with the Japanese release versus the European release. I was told that the Japanese record label considered the release to be a continuation of the previous contract with "Riot", so they did not want to use the V".
[Interview with Todd Michael Hall](_blank)
Grande-rock.com retrieved on November 13, 2014.
Members
Current
* Mike Flyntz – lead guitar (1989–2012, 2013–present)
* Don Van Stavern – bass (1986–1990, 2008–2012, 2013–present)
*
Todd Michael Hall
Todd Michael Hall (born September 27, 1969, in Saginaw, Michigan) is an American musician best known as the lead singer for New York-based band Riot V.
Life
He has been in the band since 2013 and is their fifth official singer. Hall has also ...
– lead vocals (2013–present)
* Frank Gilchriest – drums (2003–2007, 2014–present)
* Nick Lee – rhythm guitar (2014–present)
Former
;Vocalists
*
Guy Speranza
Guy Speranza (March 12, 1956 – November 8, 2003) was an American singer best known as New York City-based metal band Riot's original frontman from 1975 to 1981.
He played at the first Monsters of Rock festival in 1980 and sang on their first t ...
– lead vocals (1975–1981; died 2003)
*
Rhett Forrester
Rhett Forrester (September 22, 1956 – January 22, 1994) was an American musician best known as the lead singer for New York-based band Riot from 1981 until 1984.
Biography
Forrester was born on September 22, 1956, in Tucker, Georgia. His m ...
– lead vocals (1981–1984, 1986; died 1994)
*
Tony Moore – lead vocals (1986–1992, 2008–2009, 2010–2012)
*
Mike DiMeo
Mike DiMeo (born November 29, 1968, in New York City) is an American hard rock/ heavy metal vocalist, best known for his work in the band Riot, which he left in late 2006. He recorded six studio albums and one live album with the group before de ...
– lead vocals, keyboards (1992–2004)
* Mike Tirelli – lead vocals (2005–2007)
;Guitarists
*
Mark Reale
Mark Reale (June 7, 1955 – January 25, 2012) was an American guitarist who was the sole consistent and founding member of the heavy metal band Riot (now known as Riot V).
Biography
Reale was born in Brooklyn, New York City, in 1955. He gr ...
– lead guitar (1975–1984, 1986–2012; died 2012)
* Louie "L.A." Kouvaris – rhythm guitar (1975–1978; died 2020)
* Rick Ventura – rhythm guitar (1978–1984)
* Joey Villalobos- rhythm guitar (2016)
;Bassists
* Phil Feit – bass (1975–1976, 1979–1980)
* Jimmy Iommi – bass (1976–1979)
* Kip Leming – bass (1980–1984)
* Pete Perez – bass (1990–2007)
;Drummers
* Peter Bitelli – drums (1975–1979)
* Sandy Slavin – drums (1979–1984, 1986)
* Mark Edwards – drums (1986–1987)
*
Bobby Jarzombek
Bobby Jarzombek is an American musician of Polish and German ancestry who is currently the drummer for country music legend George Strait. Bobby also has been a drummer for: vocalist Sebastian Bach, and progressive metal band Fates Warning. ...
– drums (1987–1995, 1997–1999, 2008–2014)
*
John Macaluso
John Macaluso (born January 21, 1968) is an American drummer who has played for bands such as Ark, TNT, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Born in Commack, New York, Macaluso started playing drums at age 11. He has recorded over 200 records and played multi ...
– drums (1995–1997)
* Pat Magrath – drums (1999–2000)
*
Bobby Rondinelli
Robert Rondinelli (born July 27, 1955) is a rock drummer best known for his work with the hard rock/ heavy metal bands Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, Quiet Riot, Black Sabbath, The Lizards, The Handful, and Rondinelli. In July 2013, Rondinelli wa ...
– drums (2000–2002)
;Additional live musicians
* Randy Coven – bass (2005–2007)
* Gerard T. Trevino – guitar
* Ronnie 'Eggman' Eggers – guitar
Timeline
;Notes
*
Rhett Forrester
Rhett Forrester (September 22, 1956 – January 22, 1994) was an American musician best known as the lead singer for New York-based band Riot from 1981 until 1984.
Biography
Forrester was born on September 22, 1956, in Tucker, Georgia. His m ...
was shot and killed in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
on January 22, 1994, at the age of 37 after he refused to give up his vehicle in an attempted carjacking. His murder went unsolved for some time.
*
Guy Speranza
Guy Speranza (March 12, 1956 – November 8, 2003) was an American singer best known as New York City-based metal band Riot's original frontman from 1975 to 1981.
He played at the first Monsters of Rock festival in 1980 and sang on their first t ...
died from pancreatic cancer on November 8, 2003 in
Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
at the age of 47.
* Mike Tirelli was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2008 and underwent what was announced to be his final surgery in March 2009. He is reportedly recovering well. As of 2018, he is frontman for the band 'Rising Five'.
* Lou "L.A." Kouvaris died of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
on March 28, 2020 at St. Joseph Hospital in
Bethpage, New York
Bethpage (formerly known as Central Park) is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 16,429 at the 2010 United States Cen ...
at the age of 66.
Discography
* ''
Rock City'' (1977)
* ''
Narita'' (1979)
* ''
Fire Down Under
''Fire Down Under'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Riot, released in 1981, it's the last album to feature original vocalist Guy Speranza. The song "Flashbacks" is dedicated to Neal Kay, a British DJ who supported heav ...
'' (1981)
* ''
Restless Breed'' (1982)
* ''
Born in America
''Born in America'' is the fifth studio album released by the American heavy metal band Riot, released in 1983. After getting dropped by Elektra Records the band signed with Canadian indie label Quality Records for what was to be the second a ...
'' (1983)
* ''
Thundersteel
''Thundersteel'' is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Riot, released after coming back from a period of inactivity in the mid-1980s. It features a totally different line-up from that of the previous work, with guitarist ...
'' (1988)
* ''
The Privilege of Power
''The Privilege of Power'' is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Riot. It was more experimental than their previous work, being an attempt at a concept album and also including a horn section on some of the tracks.
"Racing wi ...
'' (1990)
* ''
Nightbreaker
''Nightbreaker'' is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Riot. It was the band's first release with vocalist Mike DiMeo, as well as the studio debut of guitarist Mike Flyntz and bassist Pete Perez.
The album was released in ...
'' (1993)
* ''
The Brethren of the Long House
''The Brethren of the Long House'' is Riot's ninth studio album. It was first released in Japan on November 11, 1995, in Germany in 1996, and eventually in the United States in 1999. The album is dedicated to the lost culture of American India ...
'' (1995)
* ''
Inishmore
Inishmore ( ga, Árainn , or ) is the largest of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland. With an area of and a population of 762 (as of 2016), it is the second-largest island off the Irish coast (after Achill) and ...
'' (1997)
* ''
Sons of Society
''Sons of Society'' is the eleventh studio album by American heavy metal band Riot, released in Japan on July 15, 1999, and in the US on September 7, 1999, with a missing track.
Track listing
* "Queen" is a standard track on the original Ja ...
'' (1999)
* ''
Through the Storm'' (2002)
* ''
Army of One'' (2006)
* ''
Immortal Soul
Christian mortalism is the Christianity, Christian belief that the human Soul (spirit), soul is not naturally Immortality of the soul, immortal and may include the belief that the soul is “sleeping” after death until the Resurrection of the ...
'' (2011)
* ''
Unleash the Fire
''Unleash the Fire'' is the fifteenth studio album by the American heavy metal band Riot, now called Riot V, released on August 27, 2014 through Steamhammer Records in Europe. It is Riot's first album not featuring long-time guitarist Mark Rea ...
'' (2014)
* ''
Armor of Light
''Armor of Light'' is the sixteenth studio album by the American heavy metal band Riot, now called Riot V, released on April 27, 2018, through Nuclear Blast Records. It is Riot's second album not featuring long-time guitarist and founder, Mark ...
'' (2018)
References
External links
Official Riot V websiteOfficial Riot Thundersteel Reunion websiteOfficial Riot Army of One websiteOfficial Riot Thundersteel Reunion MySpaceOfficial Riot Thundersteel Reunion Facebook pageOfficial Riot Thundersteel Reunion YouTube channelEncyclopedia Metallum – Riot*
* as 'Riot'
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riot
Hard rock musical groups from New York (state)
Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state)
American speed metal musical groups
Musical groups from New York City
Musical groups established in 1975
Musical groups disestablished in 1984
Musical groups reestablished in 1986
Musical groups disestablished in 2012
Musical groups reestablished in 2012
Metal Blade Records artists