Free Chapter of Kelly Garni's upcoming book posted

[shred1]

I found the passage with regards to Toby Management/Casablanca and Angel quite interesting.
Sixty-two labels passed on Quiet Riot... I believe they were right.

[hansolo]

C'mon on. They all passed on Randy? I bet Atlantic Records (on the east coast) would of signed Quiet Riot because the founders said, "find a band with at least one virtuoso." Led Zeppelin had four.

[stealaway]

I guess the record companies didn´t really pay attention to invidual members... or at least they didn´t notice the talent when it came their way...maybe dollar signs were the main focus...

[GUITARIDOL5682]

I'm sure it was just another 'glam band' who the record companies had seen and heard a million times before. When the scouts found Van Halen they did have something to bring to the table. The QR albums are of average content, i never bought them at the time. Even after QR made it big in 1983 i wasn't interested to go back tracking to hear what they sounded like. That's me talking as a fan not a person who wants to put money behind this band. That's what the record industry was like back then, a money making machine. It has always been corrupt but the 70's & 80's produced some great bands. Alas QR with Randy never took off in a major way.

[shred1]

The songwriting was weak, and they were usually salvaged by a better than average guitar break.

[Paul Wolfe]

Yeah that was another quote i forgot to mention and one that he could of worded with a bit more charm.

If this book were written with 'a bit more charm,' I can think of a number of people who would bitch that it sounds like he had a ghost writer do the book and he's taking credit for someone else's work.

Sure some parts will sound, shall we say, rough, but how many times have fans bitched that everything about Randy is squeaky-clean and make him out to be a saint? I've talked to Kelly a number of times and this writing is the same as how he speaks when he recounts stories from his past.

C'mon on. They all passed on Randy?

No, they passed on Quiet Riot. The record guys were looking at a glam band, and they chose to pass. KISS (like it or not) was the biggest band in the world at the time. Led Zeppelin had released Presence which wasn't as big a seller as their other stuff, and then they put out The Song Remains the Same (because KISS made live albums successful with Alive!) and were starting to be looked at as a dinosaur.

The other thing that needs to be considered is that the music scene was in flux... punk was coming up, disco was raging, glam was still popular and what we think of as 'classic rock' was still a draw. Record companies had to consider if they felt a band could maintain a multi-year popularity. I guess they saw Quiet Riot as good, but not outstanding. Remember, L.A. wasn't the only place to find bands. Kelly said the labels showed interest but chose to pass. To me that says they found the band to be average, regardless of the guitar player's 'possibile' star quality.

Up here in Washington, we had a band named Rail who were around for ages, just like QR. They were picked as tour opener for Van Halen on the Women and Children First tour - even without a record out. Rail chose to come home to record rather than head to Europe with VH. Rail put out a record in 1980 that was good but not great in 1980. They made a video and won MTVs Basement Tapes & were awarded a record contract. One EP and one average record later, the stardom dream was over. In 2012 they still play gigs on weekends and live off the 'fame' of their youth at these gigs. They all got day jobs and moved on.

Had Ozzy not come along, the same may have happened to everyone in Quiet Riot.

[GUITARIDOL5682]

Yeah that was another quote i forgot to mention and one that he could of worded with a bit more charm.

If this book were written with 'a bit more charm,' I can think of a number of people who would bitch that it sounds like he had a ghost writer do the book and he's taking credit for someone else's work.

Sure some parts will sound, shall we say, rough, but how many times have fans bitched that everything about Randy is squeaky-clean and make him out to be a saint? I've talked to Kelly a number of times and this writing is the same as how he speaks when he recounts stories from his past.

Yeah i've never like the Randy angelic approach to how he's portrayed. But i'm sure if Jodi was reading the book she'd be delighted to be known as someone's 'sloppy seconds'. He's put this in the book to offend. Or did he ask Jodi if it would be ok to mention that, she was nearly Randy's wife to be. But soiled goods after Kevin was finished with her. A classic one liner, which will have a big girlie hand slap behind it the next time KG is near Jodi.

[Geo Sav]

Was this leaked out or did he put it out purposely? I could see talking about things that will be in the book but a whole chapter.

[shred1]

I bet Atlantic Records (on the east coast) would of signed Quiet Riot because the founders said, "find a band with at least one virtuoso." Led Zeppelin had four.

Sure. But they didn't say that.

[RRFan4Ever]

I can't help but wonder if their management were being completely honest with them- I mean they were fairly young at the time, would they be the first band to get robbed blind by their managers while busting their asses gigging? With some of the garbage that came from that era, I also have a hard time believing that they were turned down by that many record companies.

[shred1]

Their singer was NOT a star - didn't look, sound or write like a star. The original drummer and bass player were very average players.
MOST IMPORTANT of all - the songs are super weak and the lyrics are dreadful.

If Randy wrote those riffs, well, they are nothing to write home about.
There are no riffs on those QR albums, just chord progressions. Considering the caliber of the guitar player, musically, something was amiss on team QR - I believe it was Kevin Dubrow.

Their image was kinda 'confused'. Not very convincing at all.

Their management couldn't break Angel, even with a Casablanca sized budget..... so, not very good either.

You gotta be honest with yourself here. Randy wasn't 'great' yet, and compared to their crosstown rivals (at the time) - Van Halen, I don't believe, as a band, they were even in the same league.
Not even close. Although the story has been written to suggest otherwise.

Anyone remember Striker, or Trigger from this time frame? Not very good, but still punchier than Quiet Riot circa 1977.

[RRFan4Ever]

Yeah they weren't refined on a professional level but I can't accept that QR didn't have commercial appeal to sell records even back then, its been substantiated that they indeed had a loyal following, I personally think that they could've made money despite their youth. No Dubrow wasn't pretty but they did make it big with Metal Health. Even though there were obvious issues as you've mentioned I still think there is more to this story.

[hansolo]

I totally agree that there was disco, punk and different music coming out at the time. Rock and Led Zeppelin were becoming dinosaurs at the time. I still say if someone went to see QR and saw the talent from just his guitar solo, something should have clicked but we are talking about business types who don't think for themselves but go with the current trend. The virtuoso quote referring to Zeppelin was by Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic records, who funny enough AR put out QR the Randy Rhoads years.
Led Zeppelin filmed The song remains the same at Madison Square Garden in July 1973 and Kiss put out Alive in '75 so I'm not sure that Alive gave them the idea. They may of said, "Hey that Kiss live album is selling like hotcakes" but I believe it was a theatrical release and then an album.
As far as the Jodi-sloppy-seconds, you gotta cut people a break. Yes, maybe it was harsh but if that is what the man thought, that is what he wrote in the book. I have seen quotes taken out of context from Obama's book (soorry to get political) which makes him seem like a whitey-hater but he then says how he was a kid with no dad, that he was wrong for thinking it, etc. It is a memoir book. If I knew a girl who went out with a friend and then dated another friend, indeed I probably would of thought the same, at the time. Such is life. To quote Rush, "Random sample, hold the one you need." - Vital signs

[hansolo]

Shred1 who is on your avatar? I'm thinking the guitar player for Gary Neuman or the Tubes? Please don't get mad at my ignorance, I really would like to know. And IMHO QR in '77/'78 put on one hell of a live show. They could have dropped the choreography and that god awful spandex. That does make me laugh sometimes on viewings. Randy's bow-ties were bad too. Way too big. Especially for his size. Maybe a smaller one with the waistcoat ala Chip-n-Dales. Hehe!

[shred1]

The record label went looking for a band to cover 'Noize'. Fact.
Like the Brady Bunch episode where Greg 'fit the suit' and became a rock star, so too is the the Quiet Riot fable.

If RR had not died in that tragic crash, 'Dubrow' the band would not have been chosen for Spencer Proffer's idea of covering Slade.

Kevin was just as unpopular when his band was number one as he was struggling on the Strip years before.
Alpha band member by virtue of his personality. You didn't have to be there to see it.

LIke the Kiss Unmasked cover..... I still say they stink.

.... 24 months later, the cats outta the bag, holding company with Ozzy, Gary Moore, Bob Daisley etc. Quantum leap.

The gent in the avatar.... gotta watch the 'whole' video, OK? Its Zal Cleminson.
cheers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBFlK5mrEnw