Quiet Riot was an American heavy metal band whose 1983 US Festival appearance helped to solidify metal's image. They are best known for their hit singles "Cum on Feel the Noize" and "Metal Health." They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the name Mach 1. The original line-up featured lead vocalist the late Kevin DuBrow, Rhoads, Garni, and drummer Drew Forsyth.
In a radio interview given by the band in 1979 and available here, DuBrow said the band's name was born of a conversation with Rick Parfitt of British band Status Quo in which Parfitt said he'd like to name a band "Quite Right".[1] They are ranked at number 100 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock." Quiet Riot also has a notable iconic heavy metal mascot[2][3]. Their mascot resembles a man (modeled by the artist himself, Grammy Award winning illustrator Stan Watts of Cedar Park, Texas) in a metal facial mask and in a straightjacket (somewhat similar to Hannibal Lecter) which has appeared on almost every single Quiet Riot album. This mascot has been considered alongside Megadeth's Vic Rattlehead, Iron Maiden's Eddie the Head, Motörhead's Snaggletooth B. Motörhead, A.K.A Warpig as enduring familiar heavy metal symbols.
Kevin DuBrow, lead singer of the band for the majority of its existence, was found dead in his Las Vegas, Nevada home at approximately 5:20 p.m. on Sunday, November 25, 2007. The cause of death was ruled an accidental cocaine overdose.[4] Quiet Riot disbanded after the death of their lead singer.
