QUIET RIOT is a rock & roll phenomenon. Famously described as the first heavy metal band to top the pop chart at #1 on Billboard magazine, the Los Angeles quartet became an overnight sensation thanks to their monster 1983 smash album Metal Health.
Legendary bassist and Metal Health founding member RUDY SARZO has returned QUIET RIOT after almost a 20 year absence. As per the wishes of Frankie Banali who passed away in 2020, and the Banali estate QUIET RIOT continues its historic journey in 2022. The lineup is composed of QUIET RIOT guitarist ALEX GROSSI, vocalist JIZZY PEARL and is now joined by Type O Negative drummer JOHNNY KELLY.
The story of QUIET RIOT begins in 1980 when Kevin DuBrow formed a new band under his own name, working with Frankie Banali and a variety of musicians over the next few years before signing with Pasha/CBS Records, reverting back to the QUIET RIOT moniker, and entering the studio with new guitarist Carlos Cavazo and bassist Chuck Wright to start work on a new album. The year was 1982 and, following Randy Rhoads’ well-documented death, former henchman Rudy Sarzo left Ozzy, replacing Chuck Wright who is the bass player on record for both the “Metal Health” and “Don’t Wanna Let You Go” tracks, to complete the lineup and sessions for what would become 1983′s Metal Health. Driven by the irresistible double whammy of the title track’s muscular bass line and a raucous rendition of the old Slade chestnut “Cum on Feel the Noize,” the album stormed up the U.S. charts, duly reaching the number one spot and going platinum five times over in the process at that time. The sales of Metal Health have now exceeded the 10 million mark worldwide to date.
QUIET RIOT returned to the studio to record 1984′s Condition Critical, which went on to sell over 2 million copies in the US and included another chart-ready Slade cover in “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” and the selfpenned “Party All Night.” In 1986 QUIET RIOT re-grouped to launch the QR III record, Sarzo had been Quiet Riot Bio 2022 Page 2 of 2 replaced by former bassist Chuck Wright. Vocalist Paul Shortino stepped in and recorded 1988′s simply named Quiet Riot with Banali, Cavazo, and new bassist Sean McNabb.
In 1991, DuBrow and Cavazo began working together once again, joined by Frankie Banali and eventually recording 1993′s Terrified with bassist Kenny Hillery. Down to the Bone followed two years later with Chuck Wright back on bass, and in 1997, a one-off performance at an after show party hosted by industrial shock rocker Marilyn Manson who had requested to Banali that QUIET RIOT perform, lured bassist Rudy Sarzo back to the fold.
With that lineup once again, QUIET RIOT hit the road playing venues across America, Europe and Asia. This lineup was captured on 1999′s Alive and Well album, and 2001 saw the release of Guilty Pleasures. QUIET RIOT officially parted company with Rudy Sarzo and Carlos Cavazo in October of 2003. In 2004 DuBrow and Banali recruited guitarist Alex Grossi and bassist Chuck Wright and continued to tour nonstop throughout 2006 in America, Europe, South America and Asia. For the recording of Rehab in 2006, DuBrow and Banali entered the studio with bassist Tony Franklin and guitarist Neil Citron, both long time friends of Banali. QUIET RIOT with the lineup of DuBrow, Banali, Wright and Grossi continued to perform live worldwide until November of 2007 when sadly, Kevin DuBrow’s singing career was cut short with his passing on November 25, 2007.
After nearly three years since the loss of his friend and bandmate Kevin DuBrow, and with careful consideration, soul searching and with the blessings and support of Kevin DuBrow’s family, Frankie Banali decided to continue his journey and the musical legacy of QUIET RIOT along with bassist Chuck Wright, guitarist Alex Grossi and vocalist Jizzy Pearl and continued to play live as much as he could through his courageous cancer battle up until December of 2019. He chose Johnny Kelly to sub for him on dates he could not play and Mr. Kelly has now taken the reins behind the drums going forward as per Frankie’s wishes. The band is excited to welcome RUDY SARZO back into the band and are looking forward to touring and recoring into 2022 and beyond.
QUIET RIOT:
Over 15 Million Records Sold Worldwide
METAL HEALTH - The First Heavy Metal Album in History to go to NUMBER 1 on the BILLBOARD TOP 200 Chart
Over 2.8 Million Monthly SPOTIFY Listeners
Over One Million Social Media Followers
The Critically Acclaimed QUIET RIOT Documentary “Well Now You’re Here, There’s No Way Back” recommended by ROLLING STONE and spent 2 years in rotation on SHOWTIME
QUIET RIOT IN POP CULTURE:
Quiet Riot’s song “Cum On Feel The Noize” was the first heavy metal song to reach Billboard magazine’s top FIVE.
Quiet Riot’s Album “Metal Health” was the first heavy metal album to reach Billboard magazine’s number ONE.
Quiet Riot’s Album “Metal Health” was also the first DEBUT heavy metal album to reach Billboard magazine’s number ONE.
Quiet Riot’s video “Metal Health” was the first video to bring an album cover to life.
In 2008 movie, The Wrestler, the song “Metal Health” was used in the movie’s opening sequence and also as Randy “The Ram” Robinson’s entrance theme.
In 2008, the song “Cum On Feel the Noize” was played in the opening scenes of the movie “Tropic Thunder” during the movie preview parody scenes.
In 2007, Quiet Riot were featured in radio promos for ESPN Radio, parodying their status as dated rock and roll icons with commentary from both DuBrow and Banali.
Quiet Riot are mentioned in Ben Folds’s song “Rockin’ the Suburbs” in 2001, 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 episode of The Simpsons entitled +The father, The Son and the Holy Guest Star”, the band is 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”. When Bart calls them “a crappy rock band from the 1940s,”Kevin DuBrow responds, “We’ve played more state fairs than The Beatles.”
Quiet Riot’s track “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” is used as the title theme to the video game Showdown: Legends of Wrestling. The same song also appears in the soundtrack to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, while their version for Slade’s “Cum On Feel the Noize” is featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, both playing on Rock radio station V-Rock. “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” was also used in the Crank soundtrack, as the song played during the film’s opening sequence. It was also used in a scene for the film Footloose. The song “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” is a playable song in the game Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80′s.
On the Weezer track “Heart Songs” from their self-titled “Red Album”, lead singer Rivers Cuomo sings “Quiet Riot got me started with the banging of my head”, as part of a list of heavy metal bands who have inspired him.
In the 2005 album “Punk Goes 80′s”, Relient K covered The Bangles’ song “Manic Monday” and changed two original lines to read “He says to me in his Quiet Riot voice: “C’mon feel the noise”.
Professional Wrestler Necro Butcher uses “Metal Health” as his entrance theme in Wrecking Ball Wrestling.
“Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” is a playable song in “Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80′s”.
Quiet Riot song, “The Wild and the Young” is in the soundtrack to “Brutal Legend”.
The song “Cum On Feel the Noize” is featured in the musical and the movie, “Rock of Ages”.