Quiet Riot is an American
heavy metal band founded in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
in 1973 by guitarist
Randy Rhoads, bassist Kelly Garni, and vocalist
Kevin DuBrow.
The original lineup featured Rhoads and Garni with lead vocalist
Kevin DuBrow and drummer Drew Forsyth, though that version of the band was mired in turmoil that would eventually see Garni fired for making death threats towards DuBrow.
Their most commercially successful lineup consisted of DuBrow alongside guitarist
Carlos Cavazo, bassist
Rudy Sarzo
Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont (born November 18, 1950) is a Cuban-American musician. He remains best known as the bassist for Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, and Whitesnake, and has also played with several well k ...
and drummer
Frankie Banali, and in 1983 released their breakthrough album ''
Metal Health
''Metal Health'' is the third studio album by the American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Quiet Riot, released on February 28, 1983.FMQB New Releases (Feb. 18, 1983) The album spawned two hit singles: the Slade cover "Cum On Feel the Noize# ...
'', which is known for being the first heavy metal album to top the ''Billboard'' album chart. The band had several hit singles which charted on the
Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...
, including "
Cum On Feel the Noize", "
Mama Weer All Crazee Now" (both cover songs of the
glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was primarily defined by the flamboyant clothing, makeup, and hairstyles of its musicians, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists d ...
band
Slade
Slade are a rock band formed in Wolverhampton, England in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The '' British Hit Singl ...
), and "
Metal Health (Bang Your Head)". The band is ranked at No. 100 on
VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
Despite several lineup changes and brief breakups, Quiet Riot continued to record and tour until DuBrow's death from a
cocaine
Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
overdose in 2007. Although there are no original members left in the band, Banali (who had been a member on and off since 1982) reformed Quiet Riot in 2010, and by 2020, it had consisted of himself on drums, lead vocalist
Jizzy Pearl, bassist
Chuck Wright and guitarist
Alex Grossi. The band has continued to record and tour following DuBrow's death. In 2014, they released their first album in eight years, titled ''
Quiet Riot 10'', which was followed by ''
Road Rage'' in 2017
and ''
Hollywood Cowboys'' in 2019. Banali died in August 2020 following a sixteen-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
About three weeks after his death, the surviving members of the band announced that they would move forward without Banali, who wished that they continue by keeping the Quiet Riot name alive; he was replaced by
Johnny Kelly.
In August 2021, Quiet Riot released a statement saying that bassist
Rudy Sarzo
Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont (born November 18, 1950) is a Cuban-American musician. He remains best known as the bassist for Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, and Whitesnake, and has also played with several well k ...
would be rejoining the band, as well as announcing the departure of Wright.
The new lineup plans to release new music and tour throughout 2022 and 2023.
History
Early career, first two albums and first breakup (1973–1981)
Formed in 1973 by guitarist
Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, Quiet Riot became one of the more successful hard rock acts in Los Angeles in the mid-to-late 1970s. Originally known as Mach 1, the name was soon changed to Little Women before the name Quiet Riot was finally settled upon in May 1975. The band's name was inspired by a quote from
Rick Parfitt of the British band
Status Quo
is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the curren ...
. Parfitt stated that he thought the name "Quite Right" would make a good band name, and DuBrow amended this to "Quiet Riot".
Drew Forsyth, who had previously played with Rhoads and Garni in a band called Mildred Pierce, was hired as the new group's drummer, and a Los Angeles photographer named Kevin DuBrow was hired as lead vocalist. DuBrow was not at all what Rhoads had in mind for his new band, and he was not well-liked by his Quiet Riot bandmates, a situation that caused a great deal of tension within the band. Rhoads had envisioned a frontman in the vein of
Alice Cooper
Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
or
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
, but Dubrow was persistent and would not take no for an answer. In the end, Rhoads and Garni decided that if nothing else, DuBrow shared their enthusiasm and he was hired.
Rhoads became the focal point of the band, both musically and visually. The "polka-dot theme" he incorporated onstage became Quiet Riot's visual signature during their time on the L.A. club circuit, with many fans showing up at the band's shows wearing polka-dot
bow-ties and vests in emulation of what the guitarist wore on stage.
Musically, Rhoads' talent as a lead guitarist began to spread by word of mouth, and hard rock fans from across Los Angeles began frequenting the band's gigs to hear what the fuss was about.
In the 1970s, Quiet Riot developed a friendly but intense rivalry with
Van Halen
Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1973. Credited with restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene, Van Halen was known for their energetic live performances and the virtuosity of their guit ...
before either act had signed a record deal. While Van Halen signed to
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
in 1977 and released a debut album that would achieve
Gold certification
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
, Quiet Riot's contract with
Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...
would see their first two albums released only in Japan, albums that to this day have never been released in the US. The band recorded their debut album ''
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band founded in Los Angeles in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads, bassist Kelly Garni, and vocalist Kevin DuBrow.
The original lineup featured Rhoads and Garni with lead vocalist Kevin Du ...
'', or ''QR I'', in 1977.
Coupled with their inability to secure an American recording deal, tensions between vocalist DuBrow and bassist Garni began to tear the band apart. According to Garni, "I was on a constant quest to get him out of the band and get a different singer. I hated him, he hated me and we could not find any way whatsoever to get along which caused a lot of tension in the band and it put a lot of stress on Randy to try to be neutral."
Their second album ''
Quiet Riot II'', or ''QR II'', was recorded at
The Record Plant
The Record Plant was a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and last operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it produced highly influential albums, including the New York ...
and released in Japan in 1978.
As ''Quiet Riot II'' was being recorded, the relationship between Garni and DuBrow finally reached its breaking point. After robbing a bar the previous night and stealing liquor, a drunken Garni unsuccessfully attempted to convince Rhoads to replace the vocalist. Garni drunkenly fired a handgun through the ceiling and a fistfight between him and Rhoads ensued. Garni then hatched a plan to drive across town to the Record Plant and kill DuBrow, who was there recording vocals for ''Quiet Riot II''. Garni was arrested for
drunk driving
Drunk driving (or drink-driving in British English) is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash.
In the United States, alcohol is in ...
before he reached the studio, and the plan to kill his bandmate waned after he sobered up. Nonetheless, Garni's time in Quiet Riot came to a swift end.
Future
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...
founder
Nikki Sixx
Nikki Sixx (born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.; December 11, 1958) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and radio personality, best known as the co-founder, bassist, primary songwriter, and only constant member of the hea ...
auditioned to replace Garni, but Sixx "didn't know the names of the notes and couldn't play the instrument" at that point, according to DuBrow.
Rudy Sarzo
Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont (born November 18, 1950) is a Cuban-American musician. He remains best known as the bassist for Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, and Whitesnake, and has also played with several well k ...
, an acquaintance of DuBrow's, was hired and was pictured and credited on the album ''QR II'', though it was actually Garni who performed on the album. Though he downplayed the inner conflict within the band, DuBrow would confess years later that this period of the band's existence had been extremely frustrating: "We had one of the best guitar players ever in our band and we couldn't get arrested!"
By 1979, Rhoads began to tire of the turmoil within Quiet Riot as well as their failure to sign a US recording deal. Late that year he auditioned for
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...
's band upon the urging of future
Slaughter bassist
Dana Strum. Osbourne said he was immediately blown away by the guitarist's talent and hired him immediately.
Shortly thereafter, bassist Rudy Sarzo followed Rhoads to Osbourne's band and Quiet Riot's future seemed very much in doubt. As Quiet Riot was expected to disband at this point, Rhoads incorporated many riffs and fragments of early Quiet Riot material into the new material he was working on with Osbourne. According to Sarzo "a lot of the Quiet Riot songs ended up on the
sbournealbums under different titles. Obviously Randy thought we'd never use those songs again so he'd give the riffs to Ozzy who'd come up with new words." For example, the main riff of the Osbourne song "
Suicide Solution" originated as a secondary riff during the verse of a Quiet Riot demo recording entitled "Force of Habit".
Juke Magazine
''Juke Magazine'' was a weekly Australian rock and pop newspaper published in Melbourne that ran from 1975 to 1992. It was founded by Ed Nimmervoll (former editor of ''Go-Set'' magazine) who was the editor and one of its writers. ''Juke'' also ...
October 22, 1983 - "America Calling" section featuring Quiet Riot by Tamara Handii, p. 16.
According to DuBrow, Rhoads' departure from Quiet Riot in 1979 appeared to be the end of the line, saying that the loss "didn't derail the band, it ended it."
He and Forsyth attempted to carry on under the Quiet Riot name for a short time with the addition of guitarist
Greg Leon before the band officially broke up in 1980. Leon was very succinct when asked why his time in Quiet Riot was so brief, saying "Kevin DuBrow was impossible to work with."
Following the demise of Quiet Riot, Dubrow recruited former
Gamma
Gamma (; uppercase , lowercase ; ) is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 3. In Ancient Greek, the letter gamma represented a voiced velar stop . In Modern Greek, this letter normally repr ...
drummer Skip Gillette and played shows in the L.A club circuit for approximately two years under the band name DuBrow.
Rebirth and ''Metal Health'' success (1982–1984)
In early 1982, having recruited drummer
Frankie Banali, bassist
Chuck Wright, and guitarist
Carlos Cavazo, DuBrow contacted Rhoads to ask if he had any objections to him reviving the name Quiet Riot for his new band. Rhoads gave him his blessing but said he wanted to check with Rudy Sarzo first. Sarzo had no objections, and Quiet Riot was thus reborn after a two-year hiatus.
[Sarzo, Rudy (2017). Off the Rails (third edition). CreateSpace Publishing. ] Rhoads died in a plane crash while on tour with Osbourne in March 1982, and Sarzo subsequently left Osbourne's band a few months later, having a difficult time coping with the grief of losing his close friend and bandmate.
The reformed Quiet Riot was recording a new song called "Thunderbird" as a tribute to Rhoads, and DuBrow called Sarzo to ask if he'd like to participate in the recording. The lineup of DuBrow, Sarzo, Cavazo, and Banali had so much fun recording the track that they wound up recording more than half of the new album in the process.
Bassist Wright had already been briefly replaced by Gary Van Dyke (Hollywood Stars, Virgin), but the arrangement was not working out and Sarzo was subsequently welcomed back to Quiet Riot as a full time member.
Coming so soon after Rhoads' death, there was some question over the appropriateness of the new band using the Quiet Riot name. Rhoads' mother Delores encouraged the band,
and in the end it was decided that "although Randy wouldn't be in it, the original spirit of the band was back," according to Sarzo.
In September 1982, with help from producer
Spencer Proffer, Quiet Riot finally signed a US recording contract with
CBS Records and the album ''
Metal Health
''Metal Health'' is the third studio album by the American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Quiet Riot, released on February 28, 1983.FMQB New Releases (Feb. 18, 1983) The album spawned two hit singles: the Slade cover "Cum On Feel the Noize# ...
'' was released on March 11, 1983. The group's landmark single "
Cum On Feel the Noize" was released on August 27, 1983. A cover of a 1973 song by
Slade
Slade are a rock band formed in Wolverhampton, England in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The '' British Hit Singl ...
, the single spent two weeks at No. 5 on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' Hot 100 chart in November 1983 and made history as the first heavy metal song to ever crack the Hot 100. The success of the single was instrumental in ushering in a new era of unparalleled success for heavy metal music in the 1980s and helped carry the album ''Metal Health'' to the top of ''Billboard'' album chart, making it the first American heavy metal debut album to reach No. 1 in the United States. On November 26, 1983, Quiet Riot became the first heavy metal band to have a top 5 hit and No. 1 album in the same week. Their success was aided in no small part by the "Cum On Feel the Noize" video's heavy rotation on MTV. Exposure in the popular film ''Footloose'' helped spark airplay of the title track. ''Metal Health'' displaced
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Within a few months of their first gig, the line-up settled as Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar, primary songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussi ...
's ''
Synchronicity
Synchronicity () is a concept introduced by Carl Jung, founder of analytical psychology, to describe events that coincide in time and appear meaningfully related, yet lack a discoverable causal connection. Jung held that this was a healthy fu ...
'' at No. 1 and stayed there for just a week until
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of the Motown group Commodores; writing and recor ...
's ''
Can't Slow Down'' took over the No. 1 spot.
''Metal Healths
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
charted in early 1984 and peaked at No. 31. The song was placed at No. 41 on VH1's ''Top 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs''. The album ''Metal Health'' would ultimately sell over six million copies in the US.
In support of ''Metal Health'', Quiet Riot toured North America as the opening act for
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For almost 56 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard (musician), Frank Beard, and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill prior to his death in 2021. ZZ ...
on their
Eliminator Tour for selected dates in June, July and September 1983, and
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
on their
''Born Again'' tour from October 1983 through March 1984.
Steady decline and DuBrow's firing (1984–1989)
The group's follow-up, ''
Condition Critical
''Condition Critical'' is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Quiet Riot. Released in 1984, it was not nearly as successful as its predecessor (1983's ''Metal Health'') in either fan reaction or sales. However, it did sell over ...
'', was released on July 27, 1984. Though successful, it was a relative critical and commercial disappointment, selling 1 million units and reaching only No. 15 on the Billboard album chart.
[''Billboard'', August 18, 1984: ''Top LPs & Tape''] This release included another Slade cover "
Mama Weer All Crazee Now", which was released as a single alongside a video that was played in heavy rotation on MTV. Frustrated over the album's failure to duplicate the success of its predecessor, DuBrow began expressing his opinion in the heavy metal press that many bands in the Los Angeles metal scene owed their success to what he saw as the doors opened for them by Quiet Riot. At one point, he even compared his band to
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
. DuBrow's verbal assaults angered many of Quiet Riot's musical contemporaries and alienated fans.
DuBrow's tirades led to fan backlash and clashes in the media with several other Los Angeles-based metal bands, which resulted in Rudy Sarzo quitting the group in March 1985. After auditions, Kjel Benner was brought in to complete previously booked South American tour dates in April 1985. Despite any lingering hard feelings between DuBrow and Sarzo, the bassist briefly rejoined his former bandmates in May 1985 for the
Hear 'n Aid sessions, a charity project headed by
Ronnie James Dio to raise money for African famine relief. Sarzo resurfaced with former Ozzy Osbourne bandmate
Tommy Aldridge
Tommy Aldridge (born August 15, 1950) is an American heavy metal and hard rock drummer. He is noted for his work with numerous bands and artists since the 1970s, such as Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesn ...
two years later in
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1978. The group were originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their ow ...
, touring in support of the band's hugely successful
self-titled 1987 album. Sarzo was permanently replaced in Quiet Riot by a reinstated Chuck Wright, after five years' absence from the band. and the group temporarily added keyboardist
John Purdell for their 1986 tour. That year, the album ''
QR III'' was released and became another commercial disappointment.
Fed up with DuBrow's antics and pressure from the band's management and record label, the rest of Quiet Riot fired DuBrow from his own band in February 1987 and replaced him with former
Rough Cutt vocalist
Paul Shortino, leaving no original members in the band. Chuck Wright left the band shortly thereafter, and Sarzo was invited to return. Sarzo agreed, and while technically back in the band and even featured in some press photos for this brief liaison, he was also committed to Whitesnake at the time and could not continue onward. The group then recruited
Sean McNabb for the bassist slot. The revamped band released their second self-titled album, ''
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band founded in Los Angeles in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads, bassist Kelly Garni, and vocalist Kevin DuBrow.
The original lineup featured Rhoads and Garni with lead vocalist Kevin Du ...
'' (also known as ''QR IV''), in October 1988. The album failed to return the band to its commercial glory. In April 1989, the band members went their separate ways. A show from their final tour was shot in Japan and was archived by
Frankie Banali who retained the copyright of the video production master through his Red Samurai Music Production Company and later collaborated with Jack Edward Sawyers in 2004 to create a DVD released for the titled ''
'89 Live in Japan''. Frankie Banali resurfaced on the
W.A.S.P. album ''
The Headless Children'', and played some shows with
Faster Pussycat. Sean McNabb joined
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
in 1991, where he replaced Chuck Wright, the bass player whom he had also replaced in Quiet Riot. Kevin DuBrow subsequently fought in court to keep control of the band's name.
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
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its ...
.
By the early 1990s tempers had cooled between former bandmates Carlos Cavazo and Kevin DuBrow, and they started to communicate again. They eventually formed the band Heat in 1991 with bassist Kenny Hillery and drummer
Bobby Rondinelli. This foursome reverted to the name Quiet Riot the following year, and released the aforementioned ''Terrified'' in 1993 with Banali rejoining on drums after Bobby Rondinelli joined Black Sabbath. Chuck Wright then rejoined on bass for a 1994 tour in support of ''Terrified''.
That same year, DuBrow released ''
The Randy Rhoads Years'', a compilation featuring remixed tracks from Quiet Riot's two Japan-only releases along with previously unreleased material, many of which featured newly recorded vocals. The band released the album ''
Down to the Bone'' in March 1995 and a ''
Greatest Hits'' album in February 1996. ''Greatest Hits'' covered only material from the CBS years, including three tracks from the 1988 album with Shortino and two previously promo-only live tracks. Former bassist Kenny Hillery, who had left the group in 1994, committed suicide on June 5, 1996.
Rudy Sarzo rejoined the band again in January 1997, reuniting the ''Metal Health'' lineup. During a tour that year, one angry fan sued DuBrow for injuries she claimed were sustained during a show. In March 1999 the band released the album ''
Alive and Well'', which featured new songs and several re-recorded hits. The same lineup released the album ''
Guilty Pleasures'' in May 2001. In August 2002, former vocalist Shortino filled in for DuBrow for three concerts when DuBrow became ill with the flu.
In September 2002, the band teamed up with director Jack Edward Sawyers to shoot a concert video at the Key Club in Los Angeles. The live DVD, ''Live in the 21st Century'', was released November 11, 2003. Quiet Riot officially broke up again in September 2003.
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 lineup 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
"Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
,
Ratt
Ratt (stylized as RATT) was an American glam metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum and multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA. ...
, and
FireHouse. In December 2005, guitarist
Tracii Guns
Tracy Irving Richard Ulrich (born January 20, 1966), known professionally as Tracii Guns, is an American guitarist best known as the co-founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns, as well as the Supergroup (music), supergroups Brides of Destruction ...
of
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns are an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1983. The lineup currently consists of Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Phil Lewis (musician), Phil Lewis (lead vocals), Ace Von Johnson (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Johnny Mar ...
briefly joined Quiet Riot. Guns left less than a month later after one rehearsal due to musical differences.
During 2006, Quiet Riot worked on a new studio album that was expected to be released in either 2006 or 2007. The band stated that they had set no timetable for the release of the album, that they were financing the project themselves, and that it would be released when they saw fit and on their terms. Ex-
The Firm and
Blue Murder bassist
Tony Franklin worked with the band in the studio. Quiet Riot released the album ''
Rehab'', featuring a lineup of DuBrow, Banali, Franklin, and Neil Citron, on October 3, 2006. Former
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, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...
bassist and singer
Glenn Hughes made a guest vocal appearance on the album. Dubrow, Banali, Wright and Grossi toured in support of the album. In 2007, Quiet Riot were featured in radio promos for
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio, which is alternatively branded platform-agnostically as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the banner "SportsRadio ESPN". The netw ...
, parodying their status as outdated rock n' roll icons, with commentary from DuBrow and Banali.
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.
Original Quiet Riot bassist Kelly Garni, who had been fired from the band after hatching a plan to kill the vocalist in 1978,
urged fans to be patient and not offer any speculation until authorities ruled on the cause of death. Recognizing the negativity DuBrow's behavior had created among fans over the years, Garni asked fans to, for the sake of family and friends, resist any urge to be critical:
I ask this to all of you not only for myself but for other friends and family. I ask that no one here offer any speculation or opinions, theories or other things that could be construed as negative or, and I'm sorry for this, even sympathetic, right at this immediate time. I am already, within hours of this, having to deal with untrue rumors and speculation and that only adds fuel to that. There is a tendency for the subject of Kevin to incite flames on every board, and now is not the time for that. I will explain to everyone here the facts and the truth in the next 24 to 48 hours as I realize this will affect us all. So please, until then, be patient. All details and other pertinent info will be passed on to you here when it becomes available to me.
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 and death of Banali (2010–2020)
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
Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1973. Credited with restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene, Van Halen was known for their energetic live performances and the virtuosity of their guit ...
tribute band 5150) on vocals. 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
Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style made them ...
and
Accept.
On January 12, 2012, while 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.
Original bassist and founding member Kelly Garni released his long-awaited autobiography in October 2012. The book covers the beginnings and early years of Quiet Riot, as well as details of Garni's friendship with founder Randy Rhoads.
In November 2013, it was announced that Scott Vokoun had amicably parted ways with Quiet Riot, and that his replacement was
Love/Hate vocalist
Jizzy Pearl, who played his first show with the band on December 31 in Flagstaff, Arizona. The band then were reported to be in the recording studio working on a new studio album which was set for release some time in 2014.
In December 2013, Frankie Banali was interviewed by ''
Loudwire
''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive i ...
'', during which he discussed the future of Quiet Riot as well as their upcoming album. He revealed that the album would feature six new songs recorded in the studio, with former bassist Rudy Sarzo and ''Rehab'' session bassist Tony Franklin playing on two songs each, as well as four live songs taken from Kevin DuBrow's final professionally recorded shows with the band in 2007. Banali said of the song choices:
I made a conscious decision not to use the usual songs that people would expect. I picked tracks that were special and of the moment. Let's just say that there will be a familiar track, two unexpected choices and one that really shows the roots of Quiet Riot and how the band interacted in the live arena. I think that Quiet Riot fans will really appreciate my choices.
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 2014, the band released their new album, titled ''10'', their first studio release in eight years and their first since their most recent reformation.
Vocalist Jizzy Pearl departed the band at the end of 2016 to concentrate on his solo career, and was replaced by former
Adler's Appetite and
Icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic, and Lutheranism, Lutheran churches. The most common subjects include Jesus, Mary, mother of ...
vocalist Seann Nicols, formerly known as
Sheldon Tarsha. On February 13, 2017, the band announced that they would release a new album ''Road Rage'' on April 21. However, in March, it was announced that Nicols had left the band and that
James Durbin was the new singer. The band subsequently announced that ''Road Rage'' would be delayed until summer 2017 so that all of Nicols' vocals could be replaced by Durbin's with new lyrics and melodies.
It was then announced that the new version of the album would be released on August 4 by Frontiers Music Srl.
Banali was forced to sit out several Quiet Riot shows throughout 2019 as he was receiving treatment for stage-IV
pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of ...
, though he did not reveal his diagnosis until October of that year. He was replaced by either former
Type O Negative drummer
Johnny Kelly or former
W.A.S.P. drummer
Mike Dupke depending on each drummer's availability. In September 2019, Durbin quit the band to "follow his own path" according to Banali, and Pearl was rehired as the lead vocalist. Two months later, Quiet Riot's fourteenth studio album, and second and last to feature Durbin, ''
Hollywood Cowboys'', was released.
On August 20, 2020, Banali died from pancreatic cancer, which he had been diagnosed with sixteen months earlier,
leaving him as the second member of the ''
Metal Health
''Metal Health'' is the third studio album by the American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Quiet Riot, released on February 28, 1983.FMQB New Releases (Feb. 18, 1983) The album spawned two hit singles: the Slade cover "Cum On Feel the Noize# ...
''-era lineup to die, following DuBrow in 2007.
Johnny Kelly replaces Frankie Banali and return of Rudy Sarzo (2020–present)
On September 9, 2020, Quiet Riot announced on their Facebook page that would continue on without Banali, who had wished that they keep the music and legacy of the band alive. He was replaced by
Johnny Kelly, who had filled in for Banali on the band's 2019 and 2020 tours.
The band embarked on their first tour since Banali's passing in the summer of 2021, and announced, in May of that year, that they were going to release new music in 2022.
On August 2, 2021, Quiet Riot announced that former bassist
Rudy Sarzo
Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont (born November 18, 1950) is a Cuban-American musician. He remains best known as the bassist for Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, and Whitesnake, and has also played with several well k ...
would rejoin the band in early 2022, once again replacing
Chuck Wright.
However, Sarzo played his first show with the band in nearly two decades at The Groove Music Hall in
Woodford, Virginia on November 6, 2021. In December 2021, Sarzo confirmed that new music from Quiet Riot will be released to coincide with their upcoming 2022 tour: "We have a couple of surprises coming up that are already recorded. So they're just waiting to be released. We're gonna release 'em in conjunction when we start touring in February
f 2022"
That same month, he revealed that plans were being made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of ''Metal Health'' in 2023.
Musical style
Quiet Riot has been described as
heavy metal,
glam metal
Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music, heavy metal that features pop music, pop-influenced Hook (music), hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat arena rock, rock anthems, and slow Sentimental ballad#Powe ...
, and
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
,
while their early work has been characterized as
glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was primarily defined by the flamboyant clothing, makeup, and hairstyles of its musicians, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists d ...
.
Legacy
Quiet Riot's "Metal Health" appears as the title theme to the video game ''
Showdown: Legends of Wrestling'' as well as on the soundtrack to ''
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories'' and as a playable song in the games ''
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80's'' and ''
Rock Band Blitz'', while "
Cum On Feel the Noize" is featured in ''
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City''. "
The Wild and the Young" is in the soundtrack to ''
Brütal Legend''.
Ben Folds' 2001 song "
Rockin' the Suburbs" mentions the band in the lines "I'm rockin' the suburbs, just like Quiet Riot did. I'm rockin' the suburbs, except that they were talented." In the 2005 album "Punk Goes 80's",
Relient K
Relient K () is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Matt Hoopes, and Brian Pittman during their third year in high school and time at Malone University in Canton. The band is named after guitarist ...
covered
The Bangles
The Bangles are an American all-female band, all-female pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, in 1981. They are known for hit singles during the 1980s that made them one of the most successful pop rock groups of the decade. The band’s biggest ...
' song "
Manic Monday" and changed two original lines to read "He says to me in his Quiet Riot voice: "C'mon feel the noise." On the
Weezer
Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing ...
track "Heart Songs" from their
self-titled "Red" album, one line goes: "Quiet Riot got me started with the banging of my head."
In the 2005 episode of ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' titled "''
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star''", the band is jokingly depicted as converted to a
religious band called "Pious Riot" and plays a parody of the song "Cum On Feel the Noize" as "Come on Feel the Lord".
"Metal Health" also appeared on the ''
Crank'' soundtrack, as the song played during the film's opening sequence, as well as in scenes for the films ''
Footloose'' and ''
The Wrestler''. "Cum On Feel the Noize" is featured in the musical ''
Rock of Ages'' and in the end credits of
its 2012 film adaptation.
Professional wrestler Necro Butcher
Dylan Keith Summers (born July 13, 1973), better known by the ring name Necro Butcher, is an American professional wrestler. Throughout the years he has worked for various promotions, including Ring of Honor, Full Impact Pro, IWA Mid-South, Pr ...
uses "Metal Health" as his entrance theme in Wrecking Ball Wrestling.
Members
Current members
*
Rudy Sarzo
Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont (born November 18, 1950) is a Cuban-American musician. He remains best known as the bassist for Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, and Whitesnake, and has also played with several well k ...
– bass, backing vocals
(1978–1979, 1982–1985, 1987, 1997–2003, 2021–present)
*
Alex Grossi – guitars
(2004–2005, 2006–2007, 2010–present)
*
Jizzy Pearl – lead vocals
(2013–2016, 2019–present)
*
Johnny Kelly – drums
(2020–present)
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
*''Live at the
US Festival
The US Festival is the name of two early 1980s music and culture festivals held near San Bernardino, California.
Background
Steve Wozniak, cofounder of Apple and creator of the Apple I and Apple II personal computers, believed that the 197 ...
, 1983'' (2012)
*''One Night in Milan'' (2019)
Compilations
*''Winners Take All'' (1990)
*''
The Randy Rhoads Years'' (1993)
*''
Greatest Hits'' (1996)
*''Super Hits'' (1999)
*''The Collection'' (2000)
*''
Live & Rare Volume 1'' (2005)
*''Extended Versions'' (recorded live in Pasadena and Nashville, 1983) (2007)
*''Playlist: The Very Best of Quiet Riot'' (2008)
Singles/EPs
Notes:
Videography
Videos
*''Bang Thy Head'' (1986)
*''Live in the 21st Century'' (2003)
*''
'89 Live in Japan'' (2004)
*''Live at the US Festival, 1983'' (2012)
*''Well Now You're Here, There's No Way Back'' (2014)
*''One Night in Milan'' (2019)
Music videos
*"
Metal Health
''Metal Health'' is the third studio album by the American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Quiet Riot, released on February 28, 1983.FMQB New Releases (Feb. 18, 1983) The album spawned two hit singles: the Slade cover "Cum On Feel the Noize# ...
"
*"
Cum on Feel the Noize"
*"
Mama Weer All Crazee Now"
*"Party All Night"
*"
The Wild and the Young"
*"Twilight Hotel"
*"Stay with Me Tonight"
*"Can't get enough"
*"In the blood"
Bibliography
* Gett, Steve (1985). ''Quiet Riot: The Official Biography''. Cherry Lane Music. .
* Prato, Greg (2025). ''Bang Your Head, Feel the Noize: The Quiet Riot Story''. Kindle Direct Publishing. .
* Whitney, Missy (2022). ''Keep On Rollin' - My Fan Club Years with Kevin DuBrow & Quiet Riot''. Mima Publishing. .
See also
*
List of glam metal bands and artists
References
External links
Official Quiet Riot website*
*
*
ttp://www.famousinterview.ca/interviews/kevin_dubrow.htm Interview with Kevin DuBrowbr>
Interview with Rudy Sarzo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quiet Riot
1973 establishments in California
Glam metal musical groups from California
Hard rock musical groups from California
Heavy metal musical groups from California
Musical groups established in 1973
Musical groups disestablished in 1989
Musical groups reestablished in 1991
Musical groups disestablished in 2003
Musical groups reestablished in 2004
Musical groups disestablished in 2007
Musical groups reestablished in 2010
Musical groups from Los Angeles
Musical quartets from California