Interview with Frankie Banali OF Quiet Riot
By: Scott Redeker

Why did Quiet Riot break up a while back and what changed that you are back in the group?
So many different reasons. On the business side, QUIET RIOT had been constantly touring since I rejoined the band in 1993 and that schedule actually accelerated from 1997 through the demise of the band in September of 2003. The end result was an overplayed market especially domestically.

On personal levels, not everyone in the band got along as well as anyone initially really knew. I am very business minded, so I had no problems with the band continuing, but I'm just one member and so powerless from keeping the band from imploding.

Were Rudy and Carlos asked to rejoin Quiet Riot?
As everyone already knows, Rudy is now a member of Dio and very happy being a part of the band and I am very happy for him as well. Carlos is part of another musical situation as well and I wish him success with it.

How did the show at the Orlando Hard Rock Hotel go? Was that the start of getting Quiet Riot back on tour?
The show was great and a lot of fun, but it was not a QUIET RIOT show, it was a Kevin DuBrow solo date in support of his solo release "In For The Kill" which is on Shrapnel records. It was also great to have Pat Travers come up and do a few songs with us. Pat is a great guitarist. Lou Carrier at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando is a class act and everything is first class with him and his organization. That event was not a catalyst for a regrouping of QUIET RIOT because the notion of a continuation of the band was never a subject for discussion. Kevin and I have been living our own lives apart from QUIET RIOT.

Why did you choose Chuck Wright and Alex Grossi in the band?
Chuck Wright has an on again off again relationship with QUIET RIOT which dates back to the pre Metal Health period and he's a great bass player, so that was natural. Alex Grossi is the new kid on the block for QUIET RIOT and is a really good guitarist with great potential. This version of QUIET RIOT is the beginning of another chapter in a band that is not unfamiliar to changes.

How will having two new members change the live show?
Chuck has vast experience as a performing bass player and a large musical presence, so I think the live performances will be more musical. Alex is young and full of energy, so he will give the front lines a run for their money, but don't underestimate his musical abilities. Kevin will always be Kevin, over the top and a great performer, so I think the fans know what to expect and what they will get from Kevin. I will continue to keep the whole thing together musically and otherwise.

Will you be playing songs that you haven't played in a while?
Yes, that is one of the things that everyone involved is looking forward to. Being able to do material that for one reason or another did not work musically in the past. That will make it more rewarding for us.

What are the touring plans for Quiet Riot?
Unlike previous QUIET RIOT tours, we will do dates when we want to and when they make sense to do, not just go out and accept every date that is offered. However, this time around we will concentrate more on International dates which in the past we participated to a lesser degree than we did with US dates.

Why put out "QUIET RIOT Live & Rare Volume 1" now? Will the live portion be from recent shows or shows from the past? The reappearance of QUIET RIOT at this time was as much a surprise to me as it was to almost everyone else so the timing of this release had nothing to do with it. In March of 2004 I was approached by Cleopatra Records to see if I had any live or demo QUIET RIOT material. I went through my archives and found suitable material and over time negotiated the deal, mix and mastered the content and moved forward with the release. Since there was no active QUIET RIOT, there seemed to be renewed interest in something QUIET RIOT, so a retrospective of live and demo material made sense to release.

Are there plans for more volumes to be put out?
I chose the title "Live & Rare" because as trite as that may sound, that is exactly what it is, and added the "Volume I" because if the interest exist in the future for more of this type of material, it certainly does exist.

Will you be recording a new Quiet Riot cd with the current lineup?
Yes, that is one of the main goals and musical motivations for QUIET RIOT. There is no question in my mind that QUIET RIOT will continue playing the songs from our past that the fans are familiar with because that is what they want and it is a great part of the band's history. QUIET RIOT have periodically continued to record and release new material weather the industry cared or not, so this will not change.

Do you prefer studio recording or touring?
I enjoy both equally. The studio recording process is very rewarding. You do the best that your abilities and the songs will allow and you get to hear the results very quickly. I like that kind of artistic pressure. Playing live is great because you also get to stretch out a little more. I rarely play any song exactly the same each time because I enjoy having fun with the song, making it interactive rather than static while at the same time not changing things purely for the sake of change.

How did you end up doing so much recording for W.A.S.P. but you did not do much touring with the band?
Probably because I am a better musician that what may have been available to the band each time they recorded. Likely because I brought a level of creativity to those songs that another drummer might not bring to the musical table.
I am very proud of all my musical and drumming contributions to the band. The only tour in which I participated was the 1989 world tour in support of "The Headless Children" CD.

Are there plans for more recording with Blackie Lawless in the future?
No. The boss and I don't agree on a great many issues. So much so that although I recorded all of the tracks for the Neon God Part I with the exception of one song, and all of the drum tracks for Part II, my drumming credit has been given to their current drummer. He may claim otherwise.

Are you currently working with any other groups besides Quiet Riot?
I try to do sessions as often as I am available because I love to play the drums. Other than being with my family and friends, there is no other place I rather be than sitting behind my drums and hammering out a groove.

I recently did tracks for a new band called Torrent, a record for blues guitarist Steve Fister and a rock record for guitarist Neil Citron. I also just completed the recordings which are already mixed and mastered for my own solo project which includes many of my musical friends who participated with great performances.

Did you ever do any touring with Heavy Bones, Billy Idol, Gary Hoey or one of the many other groups you recorded with?
Heavy Bones did a total of about six dysfunctional dates before it fell apart, never toured with Billy Idol, so Billy, call me, and did a handful of dates with Gary Hoey along with bass playing great Tony Franklin while opening up for Joe Satriani.

How did you become a part of Hear N Aid? What was the recording like? I got a call from Vivian Campbell early on when the song was first written. He came up to my house and played the song which I thought was great and I played along on said whenever you are ready, give me a call. Ronnie Dio called me up and asked if I was available the day after QUIET RIOT returned from a South American tour and I said of course. I went to the studio, set up my drums next to Vinny Appice's set and we just started playing. It was all very natural, very professional, very musical. How did you end up playing on so many Tribute cds? Did you record for the tribute cds just for the work or because you wanted to pay tribute to certain bands? I love to play, so when I get a call, I do them if available and if I think I can do the song justice and maybe bring a little bit of myself to the song. If I got a call to do one for a band that I didn't like their music or if I was a bad choice to represent the music, I would pass and have done so numerous times. It's good to earn a living as a musician, but up to a point.

How has touring changed from when Quiet Riot started to current tours?
It has changed in the same way as the music industry has dictated change. Major labels for the most part don't invest in music careers anymore, radio has become the plaything of a few programmers who will only allow what their musical taste will allow the rest to consume, so the changes in touring are a byproduct of no tour support from labels, no radio support for the programming conglomerates, and a much narrower touring field of opportunities. But, you still go out and tour because it is the only alternative in order to take the music to the fans. Generally labels and radio disrespect that fans needs, so it is up to the bands to tour and bring the music to the fans. QUIET RIOT largely does the so called "weekend warrior" dates where you fly out, do one to perhaps fours shows and return home just in time to clean the cat box and throw out the garbage.......

Do you prefer to be the headliner or go out as an opening act on a package tour?
The best possible spot strategically on a package tour is the middle spot, either second on a bill or just prior to the headliner. It gives you the opportunity to play for more people than what may be there early the evening of a show.

The word "headlining" has different meanings to me. Headlining on a major tour means that all the responsibility rest squarely on your shoulders, so you better be worthy of the title "Headliner." Headlining in a club just means you go on late and last.

Which has been your favorite tour in the past few years?
When QUIET RIOT were on the Glam Slam Metal Jam for the Poison tour. It was professionally run, the routing wasn't terrible and Poison and their touring personal treated us great. We did a couple of Rock Never Stops tours that did well also.

Do you ever get sick of playing some of the same songs every show?
Of course, everyone does, and no one is good every night or each time they play a song. I just have fun with the songs and change a little thing here or there as far as the drums are concerned to keep it interesting for myself as well as the band.

Did you have anything to do with the release of "Quiet Riot - 89' Live in Japan" show with Paul Shortino on DVD?
I heard about it on the Internet when I started getting e-mail requests to comment on it. My understanding is that it is part of a volume of different music DVD releases which QUIET RIOT happened to be one of those. I remember the show, it was a pro-shot production and it was also the last show that version of QUIET RIOT did while on tour in Tokyo, Japan. I guess one could say it documents the closing of another QUIET RIOT chapter.

Will there be other past Quiet Riot shows released on DVD?
I don't know that there is much on film to release.

Will you be filming any of the upcoming shows?
I am in the process of negotiations to explore that eventuality.

How well did Guilty Pleasures sell?
I don't know, but probably not well at all for what I think is one of the best records the band ever released.

What happened to the promotion for cds like "Terrified" or "Down To The Bone"? Many people have never heard of these cds.
I thought Terrified was a great cd. I still listen to it all the time.
Both were independent releases with no real budget for promotion. Terrified had some great material on it, and Down To The Bone also had some good songs but it was too long of a record as far as I'm concerned. Both of these were released at a most unpopular time for rock records during the hey day of grunge.

Do you run your own website?
Depends on what the definition of "run"means. The mechanics themselves is something that doesn't interest me as far as learning how to do it. I have a fantastic Webmistress in Jen Yonts/Vision Dance Design who operates the site marvelously. I am a real hands on person, so I reply to all the fan mail and drum questions personally, I choose the content of what goes on the site such as images, interviews, updates, ideas for the look of the site which Jen then makes into reality and makes it all creatively and artistically work. You can see for yourself at:
www.frankiebanali.com which is, of course, my shameless plug......