Quiet Riot
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Quiet Riot is a heavy metal band, one of the first to become a pop sensation in the 1980s. Founded in 1975 by vocalist Kevin DuBrow, the original lineup featured Randy Rhoads (guitar), Kelli Garni (bass guitar) and Drew Forsyth (drums). After failing to break out of the Los Angeles metal scene with a record contract (unlike their contemporaries Van Halen), the group eventually scored a deal with Columbia Records in Japan. After Quiet Riot (1977) and Quiet Riot II (1978), Rhoads left to collaborate with Ozzy Osbourne in the latter's nascent solo career. The band fell apart and Dubrow changed the band's name to Du Brow. With Drummer Drew Forsyth, Guitarist Greg Leon and Bassist Tony Cavazo, this band lasted for two years.
Following the death of Randy Rhoads in a plane crash on March 19, 1982, DuBrow attempted to reform Quiet Riot. None of the other original members were interested, so Tony Cavazo's brother Carlos joined as lead guitarist, Rudy Sarzo re-joined the band on bass and Rudy's friend, drummer Frankie Banalii, completed the line up.
In September 1982 they were signed to CBS records in America and on March 11, 1983, their American debut album Metal Health was released. Taking numerous cues from Judas Priest, the album hit #1. On August 27, 1983, Quiet Riot's second single "Cum on Feel the Noize" (a remake of one of Slade's big U.K. hits from 1973) was released; it spent two weeks at #5 on the chart. The title cut was released as "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" and peaked at #31.
The group's follow-up, Condition Critical, was a relative disappointment critically and commercially, selling only 2 million units. Reportedly frustrated, DuBrow began making disparaging remarks about newer bands on the L.A. metal scene, his bandmates, fans, reporters and business executives in interviews and in public. Sarzo quit the group in 1985 (eventually, in 1987 going on to Whitesnake) and was replaced by erstwhile collaborator Chuck Wright (of Giuffria), releasing QRIII, another dismal failure. Fed up with DuBrow's antics, the rest of Quiet Riot fired him from his own band and replaced him with former Rough Cutt vocalist Paul Shortino. Wright was also fired and was replaced by Sean McNabb. The band released Quiet Riot 88, which was another failure. The band fell apart after a tour that ended in Hawaii in 1989 and DuBrow fought to keep control of the name. By 1991, tempers had cooled enough for the former bandmates to communicate. DuBrow and Cavazo formed Heat, but eventually switched to "Quiet Riot" again and released Terrified (1993) with Banali and Kenny Hillary (bass guitar). That same year DuBrow released The Randy Rhoads Years featuring tracks from their Columbia albums and some previously unreleased material.Hillary left in 1995(according to sources, Hillary commited suicide in 1996) and Wright returned. The band released Down To The Bone that same year. Rudy Sarzo joined up again in 1997, and the band began touring. The tour was not successful, though, and the band was arrested several times; an angry fan sued DuBrow for injuries sustained during a show. The group still managed to release Alive and Well in (1999) which featured new songs and several rerecorded hits. They followed this up with Guilty Pleasures (2001).
Quiet Riot officially broke up in February, 2003 (Sarzo joined Dio the following year) and reunited 2005. The line-up includes DuBrow, Banali, Wright, and guitarist Alex Grossi. The band is now on the Rock Never Stops 2005 tour along with Cinderella,Ratt, and Firehouse.