They were founded in 1975 by guitarist Randy Rhoads (later associated with Ozzy Osbourne) with the original lineup of Kevin DuBrow (whose Steve Marriott influenced vocals powered most of their hits) alongside Kelly Garni (bass) and Drew Forsyth (drums). They initially released albums in 1977 and 1978, featuring heavy covers of British invasion era acts The Small Faces and Dave Clark Five, and their work was picked up for release in Japan only.
After Rhoads left, with him replaced by guitarist Carlos Cavazo, Quiet Riot had still had failed to break out of the Los Angeles metal scene with a record contract (unlike their hit British Invasion covering contemporaries Van Halen). Quiet Riot eventually scored a deal with Columbia Records, and their second stateside single was "Cum on Feel the Noize", a remake of the U.K. hit tune by Slade in 1973. Quiet Riot's version opened up a new world for the group. Their song became the first heavy metal single to make the 'Top 5' on Billboard Magazine's 'Hot 100' singles chart, spending two weeks at the #5 slot.
The band was reportedly reluctant to record the song, as none of them were Slade fans, and recorded it in one take, trying to play their worst. The success of the single helped carry parent album 'Metal Health' to the top of Billboard Music Charts pop album charts, making it the first heavy metal album to ever reach the #1 slot. Fortunately, lightening also struck twice as their song "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" (also known as "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" or "Metal Health") also received significant airplay, peaking at the #31 slot on the 'Hot 100'.
A #1 album and a top 5 single was unheard of for a heavy metal band in 1983. The 'Metal Health' album also displaced Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'' on the charts, shocking critics, and it paved the way for a new, stronger commercial viability for the whole genre. Still, the band members were arguably unprepared for the spotlight put on them, with acrimony between them and the record company people to come.
The group's follow-up, 'Condition Critical' was a relative disappointment critically and commercially, selling only 3 million units. This release included another Slade cover ("Mama Weer All Crazee Now", which was a UK chart topper for Slade) and numerous musical and lyrical nods to the aforementioned act; whether this was a decision made with the band's support or forced upon them by their producer is still subject to debate, as evidenced in their VH1 'Behind The Music' documentary. As well, frontman DuBrow's combative behavior both in public and in private burned numerous bridges between the band and other musicians as well as the press. The other band members felt that DuBrow had turned what would had been middling or mixed critical reviews into scorn as well as ruined chances at future musical collaborations.
Various factors led to bassist Rudy Sarzo quitting the group in 1985 and joining up with Ozzy Osbourne. The bass slot in Quiet Riot was filled by Chuck Wright. Next, the band released 'QRIII' in 1986, which became another commercial failure and left the group frustrated in terms of where to go. 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 revamped band released 'Quiet Riot' in 1988, which also failed to gain much traction. This 1988 album technically has the same name as their original first album with Randy Rhoads. The band fell apart after a tour that ended in Hawaii in 1989 and DuBrow fought to keep control of the name; Quiet Riot appeared to be in shambles.
By 1991, tempers had cooled enough for the former bandmates to communicate. DuBrow and Cavazo formed Heat, but they eventually switched to Quiet Riot again and released 'Terrified' (1993) with Banali and Kenny Hillery (bass). That same year, DuBrow released a work titled 'The Randy Rhoads Years', featuring tracks from Quiet Riot's Columbia albums and some previously unreleased material (many of which included newly recorded vocals). Hillary left Quiet Riot in 1995, and he committed suicide on June 5, 1996.
Wright rejoined Quiet Riot to play bass. The band released Down to the Bone that same year. The following year (1996), the band released a 'Greatest Hits' album, which included nothing from the original two Rhoads albums and nothing from the two 90s albums but did have a few tracks from the 1988 Shortino album. After that, Rudy Sarzo joined up again in 1997, and the band began touring.
The tour was not successful, and the band was arrested several times; one 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' in 2001. Although their days of commercial success had come and gone, those albums received some mixed to positive critical reviews.
Quiet Riot officially broke up in February 2003, and Sarzo joined Dio in the following year. However, they reunited in 2005, with the line-up being made up of DuBrow, Banali, Wright, and guitarist Alex Grossi. The band joined the 'Rock Never Stops Tour' in 2005 alongside Cinderella, Ratt, and Firehouse.
Soon afterwards, Chuck Wright and Alex Grossi had left the band and former L.A. Guns/Brides of Destruction guitarist Tracii Guns had joined, only to leave two weeks later under musical differences. Other recent members of Quiet Riot have included guitarists Billy Morris and Neil Citron, and bassists Tony Franklin, Sean McNabb and Wayne Carver. In an interview with rock & roll comic C.C. Banana in August 2006, Frankie Banali attempted to clarify the matter of Quiet Riot's recent rapid-fire membership rotation, indicating that both Alex and Chuck were both back in the band again.
Quiet Riot's latest album with a line-up somewhat akin to their glory days was released on October 3, 2006, entitled 'Rehab. The band on the album consisted of DuBrow, Banali, Franklin, & Neil Citron. Former Deep Purple bassist and singer Glenn Hughes also made a guest vocal appearance on the album.
On July 13, 2007, Quiet Riot performed at glam metal festival "Rocklahoma." Then on September 19 they gave a free show to service members on Keesler AFB in Biloxi. DuBrow (vocals), Banali(drums), Wright(Bass), & Alex Grossi(guitarist), was the then line-up.
Kevin DuBrow died November 25, 2007, at his home in Las Vegas. He was 52 years old. The cause of death was an accidental overdose of cocaine, and that tragedy appeared to be the end of the group once and for all.
Despite his previous insistence that Quiet Riot could never return as a live performing entity, in September 2010, Frankie Banali announced a new version of Quiet Riot: himself on drums, Chuck Wright on bass, Alex Grossi on guitar and newcomer Mark Huff on vocals. The band sought the blessings of the DuBrow family, recorded new versions of classic hits with Huff singing, and resumed touring. The group has experienced somewhat of a 'broken base' as many fans are unwilling to accept a version of the band sans DuBrow.
The group's latest work is '10', which came out on June 27, 2014 through RSM Records. That incarnation of Quite Riot Made its live debut on December 31, 2013 at Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort in Flagstaff, Arizona. Jizzy Pearl of Love/Hate and L.A. Guns among other groups is the current vocalist.
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 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, 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-era lineup to die, following DuBrow in 2007. 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 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 [of 2022]." That same month, he revealed that plans were being made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Metal Health in 2023.
The Joker
Quiet Riot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hit me
I am the joker in the pack
Fun to be around
Bring you luck, full of love
When the chips are down
It ain't no use, now
Man, I'm not your king
Cause when there's a joker
In your hand
This card can't be beat, oh no
(Ohohoh, I'm the joker)
Don't you know I'm the coolest
(Ohohoh, this joker's wild)
And you know I'm fun
(Ohohoh, I'm the joker
Everybody everywhere's talking about me
(Ohohoh, this joker's wild)
Oh, 5 card stud in a loaded deck
With one card up my sleeve
That one-eyed jack is lookin' back
This joker takes his queen
Aces high, the deuce is down
The joker's having fun
You see, win or lose
I'm the face card, dude
I'm the talk of the town
That's right
Repeat Chorus
Oh yeah
Hey the face card's cool
The king is mean
And what do you know
That queen she's kind of sexy
So we'll play it right
Hit this hole in one
You and me in the back of the taxi
Oh oh
(Ohohoh, I'm the joker)
I'm so cool, ha ha
Repeat Chorus
The joker's wild
Oh yeah
(Ohohoh, I'm the joker)
Ah, don't you know I'm the coolest
(Ohohoh, the joker's wild)
(Ohohoh, the joker's wild)
Hey mmhmm
G-g-g-g-get it
G-g-g-g-get it down
Oh yeah, ow
G-g-g-g-get it
G-g-g-g-get it
Oh oh oh get it down
G-g-g-g-get it
G-g-g-g-get it down
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
The lyrics of Quiet Riot's song, The Joker, are about a confident individual who sees themselves as the "joker in the pack" and the life of the party. The joker in the pack, in this case, is a metaphor for a wild card, someone who can't be underestimated, and can turn the game around with their presence. The lyrics indicate that the joker brings luck and love to others around them, especially when the chips are down. The joker is aware of the power they possess and knows how to play their cards right to win.
The second verse of the song talks about the benefits of being the joker; they can manipulate situations in their favor, and they always have an ace up their sleeve. The lyrics allude to the idea that the joker can often come out on top in any situation, even when the odds are against them. The chorus of the song emphasizes the joker's confidence, coolness, and unpredictable nature. The lyrics also suggest that the joker is popular and well-known, as everyone everywhere is talking about them.
In summary, the lyrics of The Joker by Quiet Riot are about an individual who sees themselves as a wild card who can't be beaten, and they bring luck and love when things are tough. They know how to play the game and can come out on top even when the odds are against them. The lyrics emphasize the joker's confidence and popularity, as their presence is well-known and talked about.
Line by Line Meaning
Cut it
Start/Begin the song
Hit me
The song begins
I am the joker in the pack
The singer is the joker and is referring to a deck of cards
Fun to be around
The joker is enjoyable company
Bring you luck, full of love
Being around the joker is lucky and enjoyable
When the chips are down
When the situation is bad
It ain't no use, now
It is of no use now
Play the game
Play along with life
Man, I'm not your king
Do not treat me like a king
Cause when there's a joker
Because when there is a joker in your hand
In your hand
In your possession
This card can't be beat, oh no
The joker card is unbeatable
(Ohohoh, I'm the joker)
Singer laughing while emphasizing he's the joker
Don't you know I'm the coolest
The singer boasts about being cool
(Ohohoh, this joker's wild)
Laughing whilst emphasizing the joker is unpredictable
And you know I'm fun
The singer is fun to be around
(Ohohoh, I'm the joker
Laughing and boasting once again
Everybody, everywhere's talking about me
People are talking about the singer
(Ohohoh, this joker's wild)
Laughing and emphasizing again how the joker is unpredictable
Oh, 5 card stud in a loaded deck
Playing poker with a stacked deck
With one card up my sleeve
Singer is cheating in the game with a hidden card
That one-eyed jack is lookin' back
Singer has a Jack of Spades in his hand with one eye showing
This joker takes his queen
The joker wins by beating the queen
Aces high, the deuce is down
Cards are being revealed
The joker's having fun
The singer is having fun
You see, win or lose
Regardless of winning or losing
I'm the face card, dude
The joker is the most important card
I'm the talk of the town
The joker is famous
That's right
Emphasizes that the singer knows what's going on
Chorus
Repeating the chorus
Hey the face card's cool
Singer thinks the face card (joker) is cool
The king is mean
The king card is intimidating
And what do you know
Singer questions in anticipation
That queen she's kind of sexy
Singer finds the queen card attractive
So we'll play it right
Playing the game correctly
Hit this hole in one
Trying to get a hole in one
You and me in the back of the taxi
Two people in the backseat of a taxi
Oh oh
Voice audio
(Ohohoh, I'm the joker)
Laughing about being the joker again
I'm so cool, ha ha
Singer reinforcing that the joker is cool
The joker's wild
Emphasizing the unpredictability of the joker
Repeat Chorus
Repeating the chorus
Oh yeah
Voice audio
G-g-g-g-get it
Get it
G-g-g-g-get it down
Get it down
Oh yeah, ow
Interjection to show excitement
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
Laughing at the end of the song
Contributed by Jayden K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.