Quiet Riot

With a decades-spanning career marked by internal turmoil and tragedy, Quiet Riot are generally credited with helping popularize glam metal during the late 70s and early 80s. Formed in 1973 by vocalist Kevin DuBrow and guitarist Randy Rhoads, the band’s lineup was consolidated in 1975 with the addition of bassist Kelly Garni and drummer Drew Forsyth. During those years, Quiet Riot cut their teeth on the L.A. club circuit alongside other hard rock acts such as Van Halen, Xciter, and London. Towards the end of the decade, they finally struck a recording deal with Sony in Japan and released their eponymous debut in 1977, which was followed by Quiet Riot II in 1978. Inner tensions within the band led to Garni’s departure after being accused of plotting to kill DuBrow. After losing Rhoads to Ozzy Osbourne’s band in 1979, DuBrow recruited guitarist Carlos Cavazo, bassist Rudy Sarzo (who had also played with Osbourne), and drummer Frankie Banali for their 1982 breakthrough album, Metal Health. Propelled by the Slade covers “Cum On Feel the Noize” and “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” Metal Health turned out to be an absolute blockbuster, selling over 6,000,000 copies and becoming the first heavy metal LP to top the Billboard 200. Despite Quiet Riot’s newfound fame, follow-up albums Condition Critical (1984) and QRIII (1986) failed to meet their predecessor’s success. DuBrow’s abusive behavior resulted in him getting fired from the group in 1987, which in turn led to a legal dispute for the rights to the band’s name. Quiet Riot’s classic lineup reunited in the early 90s and issued the albums Terrified (1993), Down to the Bone (1995), Alive and Well (1999) before breaking up once again shortly after the release of 2001’s Guilty Pleasures. The band reconvened once more to record Rehab (2006), their eleventh studio album and the last one featuring DuBrow, who died of a cocaine overdose in 2007. Following DuBrow’s death, Quiet Riot soldiered on with a different lineup, releasing the LPs Quiet Riot 10 (2014), Road Rage (2017), and Hollywood Cowboys (2019), recorded a year before Banali passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2020.

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