QUIET RIOT Drummer Discusses His Early Musical Role Models

The MySpace Interview recently conducted an interview with QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali. An excerpt from the chat follows:

Q: As a child, what did you aspire to be and when did you discover your musical talent?

Frankie: After seeing THE BEATLES and later THE ROLLING STONES on TV back in New York, that was the end of everything I was doing and the beginning of wanting to be a drummer. I don't know that I'm talented, but I certainly enjoy playing the drums.

Q: Who were some of your musical role models growing up?

Frankie: My father's interest in Italian opera, my mother's interest in Flamenco, Buddy Rich, Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, Dave Clark. Those were the early influences.

Q: How did the members of QUIET RIOT meet and how was the name "QUIET RIOT" decided upon?

Frankie: QUIET RIOT existed in various forms before I joined the band around 1981. I believe that a member of the British group STATUS QUO suggested a variation of the name which then became QUIET RIOT. I met Kevin DuBrow through Rudy Sarzo who was in the band at the time. I later suggested to Kevin that we should enlist Carlos Cavazo who was then in the local L.A. band SNOW.

Q: Who came up with the iconic image of the man in the metal mask on the cover of your "Metal Health" and other albums?

Frankie: That was a combination of our collective thoughts. Rudy suggested to use some sort of a mask based on the book "The Man in the Iron Mask". I wanted to have the character wear a red leather straight jacket fashioned after a red leather motorcycle jacket that I wore at the time. Kevin suggested to have buttons which each of our faces on the jacket to make the character a fan of the band. Carlos nodded agreement. The final result was artist Stan Watts' version of our ideas.

Q: What has been your most memorable performance in your career?

Frankie: Probably the 1983 US Festival playing to over 350,000 people and our first headlining show of the "Metal Health" tour at Market Square Arena which we sold out that 13,500-seater venue.

Read the entire interview at The MySpace Interview.