1. Riot spra… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists that perform under the name:
1. Riot sprang from the basement of Mark Reale's home in Brooklyn, NY in the summer of 1976. In 1977 they had recorded and released their first album "Rock City" for New York's Firesign Records. Able to to obtain various licensing deals throughout the world, "Rock City" quickly found an audience. Capitol Records quickly signed Riot, who soon entered the studio to record their second album "Narita" which would be released in 1979. It was in 1981, however, that Riot released what is considered by most fans to be the band's most definitive album "Fire Down Under".
Early History
Riot began when Kon-Tiki members Mark Reale (guitar) and Peter Bitelli (drums) recruited Phil Fiet (bass) and Guy Speranza (vocals) and recorded a four-track demo which they hoped would be included in a proposed compilation of new rock bands. While waiting for the project to get off the ground they added Steve Costello on keyboards.
Reale took the various demos to New York based producer Steve Loeb, who also owned Greene Street Recording Studio and the independent label Fire-Sign Records. Loeb turned down the compilation proposal but signed Riot. The band added second guitarist Louie Kouvais, replaced Fiet with Jimmy Iommi and recorded its debut album, Rock City. After a promising start and support slots with AC/DC and Molly Hatchet, the band were unable to maintain momentum, and were on the verge of breaking up for good by 1979.
In that year however, the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal took off, and the band came to the attention of Neal Kay who spread the word about them in Britain. British fans bought imported copies of Rock City which was recorded and produced by Steve Loeb and released on Loeb's Fire Sign Records. Encouraged, Loeb recorded the band's new album Narita. In the course of recording, Kouvaris was replaced by band roadie Rick Ventura.
Subsequent to a successful support of Sammy Hagar on his US Texas tour Capitol Records offered Riot a worldwide deal for Narita, mostly to support Hagar. Capitol and Hagar needed a harder, younger edge to associate with him, so Riot was chosen if they agreed to support Hagar on his UK tour. Hagar and Riot had a successful tour, but Riot was dropped by Capitol as soon as they were finished promoting Hagar.
Riot's management, Billy Arnell, Ezra Cook and producer Steve Loeb spent their last dollars remaining from the Capitol advance retaining important indie FM radio promotions to promote the Riot album. They put it on as many radio stations around the country as possible, thus raising the radio profile enough to where Capitol picked up their option for another record. And thus began Riot's biggest selling album titled Fire Down Under.
When the record was completed some months later, Capitol turned the record down calling it "commercially unacceptable" which put the band in contractual limbo. Capitol also refused to let the band out of the contract and insisted if the band wanted off Capitol, they would have to sue. A campaign was organized and financed by producer Steve Loeb and managers Ezra Cook and Billy Arnell with fans around the world, but especially in the UK where the fans picketed the offices of EMI Records. Finally Elektra Records worked things out with Capitol's Rupert Perry and signed Riot and immediately released Fire Down Under which then soared into the Billboard Top 100 chart.
Breakup and Resurrection
Singer Guy Speranza had difficulty melding his religious convictions with his role in the band and was replaced by Rhett Forrester (b. 22 September 1956 – d. 22 January 1994) for the next album, Restless Breed (1983). Though a striking frontman, any hope of a major breakthrough was sunk by a combination of Forrester's erratic behaviour on the road and a changing of the guard at Elektra. The next album, Born in America, (1984) was self- financed by Steve Loeb and was released on Quality Records, an independent Canadian label. Support melted away, leading to the band's disintegration.
After stints with his own band (Narita) and abortive reformations of Riot, Reale mended fences with producer Steve Loeb in New York. He kept Don Van Stavern from Narita on bass, recruited Bobby Jarzombek (1988 - 1999) on drums and Greene Street Studio Manager Dave Harrington brought in Tony Moore for vocals. A resurrected Riot was born. Loeb cut a four track demo at his Greene Street Studio in Soho NY and along with real estate maven turned rock manager Vince Perazzo brought the band to CBS Associated, who offered the band a worldwide deal. Resultant albums Thundersteel (1988) and Privilege of Power (1990) renewed fan interest around the world, particularly in Japan, where they maintained their strongest subsequent following.
The revived band was from then on dogged by continual personnel and record company changes. But, by virtue of Loeb's willingness to self finance every record that followed until his departure from the production chair in 1995, Riot was able to continue making records. All told, Loeb produced or co-produced 13 Riot albums in his 19 year association with Mark Reale and the different configurations of Riot. Reale continued to steer the band into the turn of the century, releasing albums roughly every couple of years.
Rhett Forrester was shot dead during a robbery in Atlanta Georgia in 1994, and original vocalist Guy Speranza died of pancreatic cancer in 2003.
On January 25, 2012, founding band member Mark Reale died of complications resulting from Crohn's disease at the age of 56. Immediately following his death, the band, featuring the "Thundersteel" lineup, performed several previously-booked east coast shows and the "70,000 Tons of Metal" cruise ship gig without him. A new Riot compilation was released following the shows, and at the request of Mark's father, the name "Riot" was put to rest. However, some former members of the "Thundersteel"-era lineup began work putting together a new band performing music in the same vein as Riot. The band was officially re-launched as "Riot V", the name alluding to the addition of Todd Michael Hall as the fifth official singer, replacing Moore. Van Stavern revealed that Moore had chosen not to continue with the band to spend more time with his family.
In 2014, Nick Lee, a former student at the guitar classes run by Flyntz, joined as the new co-lead guitarist for the band, replacing deceased Reale, and Frank Gilchriest rejoined the band in place of Jarzombek, who had quit the band to focus on his activities with Fates Warning. Their new album Unleash The Fire was released in Japan, under the name Riot, in August 2014. This is the band's first release since the death of Reale.
Todd Michael Hall said about the "V" letter: "The official name for the band is Riot V, but we do have this confusion with the Japanese release versus the European release. I was told that the Japanese record label considered the release to be a continuation of the previous contract with "Riot", so they did not want to use the V"
2. Composing of Tom Davidson & Daniel Magid, is a duo of dubstep producers based in Los Angeles, California. They were originally from Israel.
They have released songs on Monstercat, Dim Mak and Insomniac records.
Tokyo Rose
Riot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The game is not a good one, it's the only one she knows.
Jet black hair, lipstick glowin' red.
Caviar and bourbon, goin' straight to her head.
When you lay your money down, she'll play her games
With you.
Don't gamble with you heart, she'll take it right from you.
Gonna wind up face flat down, not a cent in your pants.
Tokyo Rose, Tokyo Rose, Tokyo Rose.
Back street crawler, is what she'll always be.
I can't live without her love, it's the cure for me.
Day after day, I was warned of the danger.
A little bit of love, give it away to strangers.
Tokyo Rose, Tokyo Rose, Tokyo Rose.
Tokyo, Tokyo Rose,
Tokyo, I wanna know, about you, Tokyo.
I wanna know, about you, Tokyo.
Tokyo Rose, Tokyo,
Tokyo Rose, Tokyo.
Mmmm, you sure are a strange one.
Hey, hey Tokyo.
Oh, never get too close.
Tokyo, hey Rose.
The lyrics of Riot's song "Tokyo Rose" describes a seductive and deceitful woman who goes by the name of Tokyo Rose, and whose only skill is playing with men's hearts and taking all their money. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting involved with someone who only wants to use and discard you. The singer of the song recognizes that Tokyo Rose is dangerous, but he cannot resist her allure and is willing to risk everything, even his heart, to be with her. The lyrics also suggest that the singer has been warned about the danger of falling in love with Tokyo Rose, but he chooses to ignore the warnings, driven by his desire for her love.
Line by Line Meaning
They all called her Tokyo, the boys know her as Rose.
She is commonly referred to as Tokyo, but the men who know her well call her Rose.
The game is not a good one, it's the only one she knows.
She has only ever played this dangerous game and will continue to do so despite its risks.
Jet black hair, lipstick glowin' red.
She has striking black hair that contrasts with her vibrant red lipstick.
Caviar and bourbon, goin' straight to her head.
She indulges in luxurious things, such as caviar and bourbon, which have a strong effect on her.
When you lay your money down, she'll play her games With you.
She will engage in her risky games with you if you're willing to bet your money.
Don't gamble with you heart, she'll take it right from you.
If you become emotionally invested, she will take advantage of you and leave you heartbroken.
She'll take you for a ride, with some wine and romance. Gonna wind up face flat down, not a cent in your pants.
She will lure you in with drinks and romance, only to leave you broke and embarrassed in the end.
Tokyo Rose, Tokyo Rose, Tokyo Rose. Back street crawler, is what she'll always be.
She is known as Tokyo Rose, and she will always be considered a shady figure who operates in the back alleys.
I can't live without her love, it's the cure for me.
He is so in love with her that he can't imagine living without her, even though she poses a danger to him.
Day after day, I was warned of the danger. A little bit of love, give it away to strangers.
He has been warned about the danger of being involved with her, but he still gives his love away freely to strangers like her.
Mmmm, you sure are a strange one. Hey, hey Tokyo. Oh, never get too close. Tokyo, hey Rose.
He recognizes that she is a strange and dangerous individual and warns himself and others to not get too close to her.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GUY SPERANZA, M. REALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheToekutter
This song kicks some serious ass. Riots first 3 albums are so underappreciated.
Ronald Plummer
even Restless Breed (#4) rocked!
FreeMTrider
A group of my friends and me all got into Riot after one of the older brothers told us about it. He used to get all the imports and underground bands music from someone he knew in the industry. I remember when he got the first Iron Maiden album and other rare stuff at the time. Pretty cool when it was hard to come by here in Northern California.
Jorge Martínez
Tremendo album, los 3 primeros de Riot son Hard Rock en su estado más puro!!!
Ronald Plummer
I agree! Even #4 Restless Breed rocked!
dattebenforcer
Man, Riot is so good.
VideoGameMetal01
Thundersteel will always be my favorite album, but the early albums are classics, and should be in everyones metal collection.
Tacomadome24
Awesome! Too bad the world has forgotten this excellent band.
Jacob Antony
The blues influence can be heard all through this album
L Huggins
Dude, I saw this band with UFO one year in SA. Helluva concert bro !