Former QUIET RIOT Drummer FRANKIE BANALI: Insights From A Metal Legend

The Ludwig Drums web site recently conducted an interview with drummer Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT, FREAKSHOW). An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Ludwig: What is your schedule like for the next few months?

Frankie Banali: I continue to do sessions. I expect the usual slowdown in November, and then the habitual music industry grinding to a halt in December for the holidays; which invariably continues through January. Then, slowly, the industry resuscitates itself back to some abnormal sense normality in February. I am involved in a new project called FREAKSHOW, which I am excited about. The tracks have now been recorded and mixing will commence around the middle of September. I am really happy with the drum tracks for these recordings and I love the songs. I used the Ludwig reissue Amber Vistalite Zep Set, and they recorded amazingly well. It's not the first time I've used the Ludwig V's in the studio; having done so with both the Amber set, and two of my vintage kits (a yellow 1975 and a clear 1976.) The Vistalites are largely considered by most recording engineers, producers and some musicians as unrecordable; but I beg to differ and I play them wide open.

Ludwig: QUIET RIOT was the first metal band to break through to the mainstream with a chart-topping single and album. What was it like for you to reach this level of success so early in your career?

Frankie Banali: I was fairly realistic when we reached the pinnacle of success, with the "Metal Health" record reaching #1 on the Billboard Top LPs and Tapes chart, and #5 with the single "Cum On Feel The Noize" on Billboard's Hot 110 chart on November 26, 1983. To put into perspective how historic this was, "Metal Health" had to climb over albums by LIONEL RICHIE, MICHAEL JACKSON, THE POLICE and BILLY JOEL — all established hitmakers — which no one would call an easy feat. I also understood that the elusive elevator of success travels both up, and eventually and invariably down. Having said that, I had already been fortunate enough to have recorded the hit single "Mony Mony" for BILLY IDOL's debut EP "Don't Stop", as well as drum tracks for the HUGHES/THRALL record. I had just returned from Germany where I recorded with keyboardist Tony Carey (fresh out of Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW) I was already both somewhat experienced and very fortunate. Perspective was somewhat easier for me to comprehend.

Ludwig: Were there any drawbacks?

Frankie Banali: No more than there are in life in general or any other profession. With success comes a lot of demands, which are to be expected. You can't dream of being a successful musician and then complain about the constant touring, which feeds the industry and your career. Yes, the touring was exhausting early on, because we toured under the worst possible circumstances. First in two station wagons and a rental truck, then a Winnebago, then a low end Eagle bus that spewed more exhaust inward than outward. But we were touring! It improved as we earned more money, and time off from the road usually meant that we would fly to L.A. to shoot a video or a TV show. But it was great, it was wonderful and I would not trade one single experience — neither good or bad — because I achieved many of my dreams as a musician along the way. If you look at life as neither being fair or unfair, you get the sense that life is just life; so do the best you can while you can and make the best of it. Enjoy the ride, as much as the ride and you allow it to.

Read the entire interview from Ludwig Drums.