New RIOT Documentary 'Immortal Soul' To Be Made Available In Four Parts

NYC Rocks TV has premiered Chapter 1 of a new documentary film series on RIOT, titled "Immortal Soul: A Riot Tribute & Concert Film Series". Check it out below.

RIOT formed in the mid-1970s in Brooklyn, New York. By 1980, the band was poised to make it big and toured with many of the heavy hitters of the day. But poor management and bad timing created the perfect storm of missed opportunities for what should have been the East Coast's VAN HALEN. The band continued carrying on into the 21st Century in various formations with the only constant being founder and lead guitarist/songwriter Mark Reale. A cult fan following exists today that is extremely passionate about RIOT's musical legacy and believes the band deserves significantly more recognition.

This four-part documentary mini-series will explore the history and archives of the different eras of the band, spotlighting specific live performances from each era. The film centers around the Keep It True festival in Germany, where interviews with RIOT fans young and old illustrate this passion for the band. "Immortal Soul" also features interviews with longtime RIOT members Don Van Stavern and Mike Flyntz, as well as "New York rock" author/historian Steven Blush and Keep It True festival founder Oliver Weinsheimer. The final chapter of the series tells the origin story of the current day formation of the band, RIOT V, and how they are well suited to carry on the musical legacy of Reale for a new generation of fans.

Upcoming chapters:

* "Immortal Soul" chapter 2 "The Crimson Storm" premieres Saturday, January 13 at 2 p.m. New York time

* "Immortal Soul" chapter 3 "Riot Metal" premieres Saturday, January 20 at 2 p.m. New York time

* "Immortal Soul" chapter 4 "Shine On" premieres Saturday, January 27 at 2 p.m. New York time

* Bonus chapter: "Mark & Guy Writing Jam 1994" (to be determined)

For more information, click here.

Reale died in January 2012 in a San Antonio hospital due to complications of Crohn's disease — an ailment he had battled for most of his life. He was 56 years old.

RIOT's original singer Guy Speranza died on November 8, 2003 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 47 years old. Often regarded as the best RIOT vocalist, he sang on the group's first three full-length albums — "Rock City" (1977),"Narita" (1979) and "Fire Down Under" (1981) — before being replaced by Rhett Forrester. Forrester himself left in the mid-'80s to pursue a solo career, only to be murdered on January 22, 1994 in Atlanta.

Singer Mike Tirelli, who toured with RIOT after Mike DiMeo officially left the band in 2007, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2008 and underwent treatment for this life-threatening illness. All the treatments were reportedly a huge success in eradicating the disease.