There are multiple artists that perform under the name:

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.

Wounded Heart
Riot Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yes my father
I'll take your command
So my brother
I'll ride through you hand
All I feel is the painm in my heart, it won't let me be
Save my people from all that you start
Drive them to the sea

Wounded Heart
Sail away on the ocean
Take my hand together we'll fly
From this land
Wounded heart
Spread your wings on the ocean rest your head
For alderman, now you are dead

Run
Our villages burned and destroyed
Runs...resistance
Will soon be employed
Take my mark on the mountain of hope
Now I've com to lead
Blood and vengeance is all that I know
Brothers follow me
Now my people they bargain my soul
And turn their eyes away
They lost freedom that once made us whole
Now I hear them say

Wounded Heart
Sail away on the ocean
Take my hand together we'll fly
From this land
Wounded heart

Spread your wings on the ocean rest your head
For alderman, now you are dead

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Riot's song "Wounded Heart" tell the narrative of a man who is torn between his duty to his father and his loyalty to his people. He is agonized by the pain of knowing that his father's commands have led to the destruction of his village and the death of his people. He seeks to protect what is left of them by leading them to safety, but he is haunted by the thoughts that he is leaving his father behind.

In the chorus of the song, the singer speaks to his wounded heart, urging it to take flight and escape the horrors of their situation. He implores his people to come with him and to take hold of his outstretched hand, as he guides them to safety. The words evoke images of freedom, hope, and determination, as the singer challenges his people to rise up and resist their oppressors.

Overall, the lyrics to "Wounded Heart" touch on themes of conflict, identity, and loss, as the singer struggles to find his place in a world that is tearing itself apart. The song's stirring melody and emotive lyrics make it a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

Yes my father
I will do as you say.

I'll take your command
I will follow your orders.

So my brother
In honor of our family bond,

I'll ride through you hand
I will fight for you.

All I feel is the pain in my heart, it won't let me be
The sadness in my heart is overwhelming.

Save my people from all that you start
I will protect my people from the harm you cause.

Drive them to the sea
I will lead them to safety.

Wounded Heart
My broken and hurting heart

Sail away on the ocean
Escape the pain and strife

Take my hand together we'll fly
Let's leave together to find peace.

From this land
Away from this troubled place.