A No. 1 metal album in 1983? Nobody thought such a thing could exist — especially the guys in Quiet Riot.
But then the band released “Metal Health," and everything changed.
Quiet Riot became a national phenomenon.
“We had no idea that it would be as big as it was,” says drummer Frankie Banali, the only Quiet Riot member left from the “Metal Health” lineup. “It was the first No. 1 heavy metal record to chart, to get to No. 1. It was unheard of.
“We had to jump over Michael Jackson and we had to jump over the Police (to get there). So when you take into account that style of music — what we were doing, nobody was doing at the time.”
MORE:Live music in SWFL: Sir Mix-A-Lot, JJ Grey, Molly Hatchet, Fozzy, etc.
MORE: Amazing Things opens at Miromar with 5D movie theater, rare collectibles
Since then, “Metal Health” has sold more than 10 million copies. And Banali still records and tours with Quiet Riot, including Saturday’s concert at Southwest Florida Event Center in Bonita Springs.
“It was the ride of our lives,” Banali says about the whirlwind that followed “Metal Health.” “And there’s no negativity from me.
“Because here I am, 35 years after the ‘Metal Health’ record was released, and I’m still working and I’m still doing Quiet Riot."
The band never had another huge hit on the scale of “Metal Health” and its monster singles “Cum on Feel the Noize” and the title track. But Banali still bristles at people who call them one-album wonders.
“We put out ‘Condition Critical’ (the follow-up to ‘Metal Health’), and it only — and I say 'only' in jest — it only sold 2 million copies,” he says. “These days, nobody’s even selling 500,000 copies. And people were criticizing and saying we were a one-hit wonder because our second album only sold 2 million copies.”
Banali says he shrugs off all those critics, though.
“None of this stuff affects me,” he says. “I completely and totally laugh at it, because the people that are the critics about it never had that kind of success and could never possibly understand that kind of success. And so they’re not qualified to criticize.”
After various lineup changes, Quiet Riot almost disappeared for good when “Metal Health” singer Kevin DuBrow died in 2007. But then Banali decided to revive the group again in 2010.
The current version of the band included bassist Chuck Wright, guitarist Alex Grossi and singer James Durbin — best known as a finalist on season 10 of “American Idol." Although Banali says it’s a stretch to call those guys “new members."
“Chuck Wright has been in and out of the band since 1982," Banali says. “And Alex Grossi has been in the band since 2004. It’s not like they’re new guys to Quiet Riot.
“The only person that’s a relatively new person to Quiet Riot is James Durbin. … And he’s now in his second year in the band. So it’s not like it’s a new new thing.”
Durbin has brought some renewed energy to Quiet Riot thanks to his dynamic range, sense of humor and child-like personality, Banali says. In fact, Durbin reminds Banali a lot of his late friend, DuBrow.
“Kevin was at heart a kid … and that’s the same thing with James,” he says. “Kevin had one of the most amazing voices I’ve ever heard. And James is up to the task.”
Still, Banali says he didn’t try to turn Durbin into a DuBrow clone.
“I want him to have his own style and his own personality and his own voice,” he says. “But his own personality and style and voice fit perfectly with Quiet Riot."
DuBrow says he's happy with this version of the band. And so what if Quiet Riot doesn’t sell millions of albums now? He still loves making music, 35 years later after Quiet Riot exploded on the charts.
“I put on my stage clothes,” he says, “and I’m still that 14-year-old kid who always wanted to do this for the rest of his life. ... And I absolutely love it.”
Connect with this reporter: Charles Runnells (Facebook), @charlesrunnells (Twitter), @crunnells1 (Instagram)
If you go
Who: Quiet Riot
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Southwest Florida Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Road S.E., Bonita Springs
Tickets: $30-$50
Info: 245-9910 or swfleventcenter.com