Recorded in 1984 for the King Biscuit Flower Hour while QUIET RIOT was promoting its fourth release ‘Condition Critical’, ”Piledriver [Live San Antonio ’84 King Biscuit Flower Hour]” presents the picture-perfect MTV rockers at a time when their popularity was at a peak.
“Cum On Feel The Noize,” “Metal Health (Bang Your Head),” “Party All Night,” “Condition Critical,” “Run For Cover,” “Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet,” and “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” are all here, making this a greatest hits show for the band that exemplified the glam metal scene of early ’80s Los Angeles.
Being for the popular KBFH radio broadcast series, the recording was professionally done obtaining a very good sound quality.
Quiet Riot were one of the hottest LA-based metal bands during the late ’70s, and by 1983, when they released their multi-platinum, MTV friendly Metal Health disc, they were one of the biggest Rock bands in the U.S. and Europe. The band’s radio success and ability to fill arenas would be short-lived, and never again duplicated despite dozens of reunions and reformations with other members.
Quiet Riot was always a vehicle for vocalist Kevin DuBrow, a curly haired, spandex- wearing screamer, who seemed to be the stereotypical metal rocker. They began in 1976, with an original line-up that included DuBrow, bassist Kelli Garni, drummer Drew Forsyth, and guitarist extraordinaire Randy Rhoads. Garni was eventually replaced by bassist Rudy Sarzo.
They couldn’t land a U.S. deal initially due to America’s love affair with disco, but they did land a deal with Columbia Records in Japan. The Japanese deal ended up with two LPs, Quiet Riot and Quiet Riot II. It was at that point that both Rhoads and Sarzo bolted to join the new Ozzy Osbourne band. DuBrow reassembled the band with guitarist Carlos Cavazo and bassist Chuck Wright, and landed an American record deal with Epic Record’s Pasha imprint.
By 1982, Rhoads had perished in a well publicized plane crash while on tour with Ozzy, which led to Sarzo returning to QR. Sarzo pushed out both Wright and Forsyth, (who was replaced with top LA session drummer Frankie Banali), and after seeing MTV as a viable promotional means, the group became even more visually appealing than before.
The strategy worked. 1983’s Metal Health, spearheaded by the sudden radio success of the title song and a re-make of the 1972 Slade classic, “Cum On Feel The Noize,” would propel the band to platinum status and allow them MTV blue-chip status.
The band toured nonstop through most of 1983 and 1984, becoming one of the most popular hard rock acts of that time period.
Pressured into having a repeat success of Metal Health, the band rushed into the recording studio in 1984, and delivered Condition Critical, following the style of its predecessor. They even covered yet another Slade classic, “Mama Weer All Crazee Now”, another hit for the band.
By 1986 internal troubles almost ended with Quiet Riot disbanded, and DuBrow has kept the band going with a revolving door member policy. The original Metal Health lineup, heard at this show, did re-unite after the band had recorded a tribute song for Randy Rhoads, which led to the full reunion and recording of their ninth studio album, “Alive and Well”.
Sadly, DuBrow was found dead in November of 2007, in his Las Vegas apartment, from undisclosed sources. His death effectively has ended the 30-year-plus run that Quiet Riot enjoyed.
This very good live set, performed at the Civic Center in San Antonio on October 19th 1984, find the quartet at the peak of their power
01 - Sign of the Times (Live).mp3
02 - Slick Black Cadillac (Live).mp3
03 - Party All Night (Live).mp3
04 - Condition Critical (Live).mp3
05 - Run for Cover (Live).mp3
06 - Frankie Banali Drum Solo (Live).mp3
07 - Winners Take All (Live).mp3
08 - Let's Get Crazy (Live).mp3
09 - Carlos Cavazo Guitar Solo (Live).mp3
10 - Let's Get Crazy (reprise) (Live).mp3
11 - Stomp Your Heads, Clap Your Feet (Live).mp3
12 - Cum On Feel the Noize (Live).mp3
13 - Metal Health (Live).mp3
14 - Mama Weer All Crazee Now (Live).mp3
Quiet Riot – Piledriver (Live San Antonio ’84) 2025
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