Latest Drum News
This was an invite only event by Frankie Banali’s widow Regina Banali held at the legendary restaurant The Rainbow Bar & Grill. Frankie’s daughter Ashley was in attendance and all of Frankie’s closest friends who were able to attend.
This is a video capturing the historical event of Frankie Banali’s statue being unveiled for the first time that will be on permanent display at the Rainbow Bar & Grill, the legendary restaurant that meant so much to Frankie and so many other musicians. The statue unveiling was presented by Regina Banali with a speech from close friend and longtime band-mate Rudy Sarzo.
On 11/15/2021 the formal funeral for Frankie will be held at Forrest Lawn cemetery and is open to the public.
Drummers in attendance included Steve Riley (WASP, LA Guns), Gregg Bissonette (David Lee Roth, Ringo Starr Band), Rikki Rockett (Poison), Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO), Paul “The Rog” Rogne (Hatecrime, Full Stack, DNN), Todd Trent (A&R for many drum companies) & Quiet Riot’s current drummer Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative).
Musician’s Rudy Sarzo, Alex Grossi, Jizzy Pearl, Doug Aldrich, Glen Hughes, Sean McNabb, Ed Roth, Gilby Clarke, Dizzy Reed, Eddie Trunk to name a few…
Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali passed away at the age of 68 following a battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer on August 20th, 2020. The rock veteran, who also played with W.A.S.P., Faster Pussycat, Dokken, Billy Idol, Steppenwolf, and others during his five-decade career, was diagnosed in April 2019 and at that time given only six months to live, but he fought hard, becoming a spokesperson for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) and even returning to his drum kit for a triumphant comeback show at Hollywood’s Whisky a Go Go in October last year.
Banali was born on Nov. 14, 1951, in Queens, New York, and in 1975 he moved to Los Angeles, where he played with various artists, including Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads. Five years later, he joined forces with frontman Kevin DuBrow to form what would eventually become Quiet Riot; in November 1983, that band’s third LP, Metal Health, became the first heavy metal album to go No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. During its long chart run, Metal Health knocked both Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the Police’s Synchronicity out of the top spot, and It eventually sold 10 million copies worldwide. Quiet Riot disbanded in 1989, but reformed with different lineups (with and without Banali) over the years, with Banali rejoining full-time in 2010.
Banali was born on Nov. 14, 1951, in Queens, New York, and in 1975 he moved to Los Angeles, where he played with various artists, including Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads. Five years later, he joined forces with frontman Kevin DuBrow to form what would eventually become Quiet Riot; in November 1983, that band’s third LP, Metal Health, became the first heavy metal album to go No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. During its long chart run, Metal Health knocked both Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the Police’s Synchronicity out of the top spot, and It eventually sold 10 million copies worldwide. Quiet Riot disbanded in 1989, but reformed with different lineups (with and without Banali) over the years, with Banali rejoining full-time in 2010. Frankie has served as Quiet Riot’s manager since 1993.
To learn more about this vicious disease that takes so many people each year please visit https://www.pancan.org/ and consider a donation.
