QUIET RIOT Blasts 'Unauthorized' And 'Illegal' Album Reissue

QUIET RIOT has blasted the upcoming reissue of the band's ninth album, "Alive And Well", calling it "unauthorized" and "illegal", and has urged the group's fans not to buy it.

Last month, Cleopatra Records announced that it would reissue "Alive And Well" as a deluxe 2CD set and a 2LP vinyl package on June 17. The 1999 album remains an important cornerstone in the band's history as it reunited the classic lineup of singer Kevin DuBrow, guitarist Carlos Cavazo, bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Frankie Banali, the same quartet which coalesced during the recording of the blockbuster multi-platinum-selling "Metal Health" album and went on to record much-lauded follow-up, 1984's "Condition Critical".

Earlier today, Regina Banali, widow of Frankie Banali, manager of his estate and owner of the QUIET RIOT brand, posted the following statement on the band's social media: "Please do NOT purchase the unauthorized illegal 'reissue' of one of our past albums from the 90's that a record company is attempting to release tomorrow. They are in breach of contract. The contract QUIET RIOT signed with them prohibits reissues, repackaging and rereleasing. This is fraudulent and we are taking legal steps to shut this down. Please don't send money anywhere to purchase this thinking this is a legitimate product. We really appreciate our fans so much and hope none of you will buy this. Thank you."

Cleopatra Records has since issued the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding the dispute: "Regina Russell has been paid for years along with all estates and band members of QUIET RIOT. We are dealing with this issue now, just like we dealt with the Axl Rose situation years go," referring to Rose's 2004 legal action against Cleopatra over the release of the album titled "Hollywood Rose – The Roots Of Guns N' Roses" featuring original HOLLYWOOD ROSE recordings from early 1984. HOLLYWOOD ROSE is the band Rose formed with Izzy Stradlin, Chris Weber and Johnny Kreis before Rose and Stradlin went on to become part of one of the biggest rock 'n' roll bands in the world, GUNS N' ROSES.

When Cleopatra first announced the "Alive And Well" reissue, it said that the LP had been "digitally remastered to bring out every nuance of the original eight compositions as well as QUIET RIOT's cover of AC/DC's 'Highway To Hell' and six revamped QR classics." The label said the package would also contain "additional rare live tracks and demos of tracks that were later fleshed out on 'Metal Health', including 'Thunderbird', DuBrow's heartfelt tribute to founding QR guitarist, the great Randy Rhoads," plus "new artwork showcasing the iconic 'Man With The Metal Mask' on the cover" and photos by photographer Paul Natkin.

Sarzo recently said that QUIET RIOT's upcoming studio album will include a song that was originally recorded with DuBrow.

DuBrow, who formed QUIET RIOT with Rhoads in 1975, died in November 2007 of an accidental cocaine overdose.

DuBrow recorded a solo album in 2004, the all-covers set "In For The Kill", and his final studio CD with QUIET RIOT, "Rehab", came out in October 2006.

The veteran rock group's last collection of fresh material was 2019's "Hollywood Cowboys", which marked Banali's final QUIET RIOT studio album before his untimely death.

Banali, who joined QUIET RIOT in 1982 and played on its breakthrough album, 1983's "Metal Health", died in August 2020 after a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

The surviving members of QUIET RIOT later said it was "Frankie Banali's wish that the band continue and we keep the music and the legacy alive."

Joining Sarzo in QUIET RIOT's current lineup are guitarist Alex Grossi, vocalist Jizzy Pearl and drummer Johnny Kelly.

Grossi was in the last version of the band, from 2004 through 2007, before DuBrow passed away, and was asked by Banali to return in 2010.

QUIET RIOT went through two vocalists — Mark Huff and Scott Vokoun — before settling on Pearl in 2013. Pearl announced his exit from QUIET RIOT in October 2016 and was briefly replaced by Seann Nichols, who played only five shows with the group before the March 2017 arrival of "American Idol" finalist James Durbin. Pearl returned to QUIET RIOT in September 2019.