FRANKIE BANALI: Classic QUIET RIOT Lineup 'Cannot Possibly Work Together Again As A Unit'

Sweden's Metalshrine recently conducted an interview with QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Metalshrine: Was ["Rehab"] an easy or difficult album to record, compared to previous releases?

Frankie: No record is easy or difficult to make. Everything is based on how well prepared everyone is musically, how good the songs are, having the right chemistry between all the musicians and how organized it is. I've been managing QUIET RIOT for 12 years now, so I am very good at budgeting, organization and scheduling. Like anything else in life, you think things should go in this direction or that direction and all of a sudden you have to make a musical left turn or a right turn, or stop and turn around and find another way, but you adjust and keep going. Just like driving a car in Europe!

Metalshrine: How does it work these days, did all of you record individually or were there times when you recorded live in the studio with all guys present?

Frankie: Well, no one really records everything together. It hasn't been that way for decades for the most part. We were all in the studio together playing at various times, but the drums were the only thing that was kept and everything else was overdubbed over time and in different sessions. The exception was Tony Franklin who did all his tracks at his own studio and Glenn did his vocals and bass on the day we worked on "Evil Woman" which at that point was musically complete except for the bass track.

Metalshrine: What was it like working with [Glenn Hughes] again after all these years?

Frankie: It was very natural. Glenn is very professional, very together, a consummate vocalist and bassist, extremely nice and very, very funny. Any chance that I get to work with Glenn I would happily do so. I actually had Glenn sing for me on one song for a LED ZEPPELIN tribute CD that I have already completed and should be released sometime this year, which has a lot of great guest guitarists and vocalist as well as also having Tony Franklin as the bassist along with me on drums for the entire record.

Metalshrine: Have you kept in touch with Carlos [Cavazo] and Rudy [Sarzo]?

Frankie: I still see Rudy fairly regularly when we meet for coffee, like we have been for thirty years when our separate schedules allow. I will see him this Saturday at the NAMM music convention. I ran into Carlos at a club a few months ago and we chatted and caught up on what each of us is doing. I wish both Rudy and Carlos the best. I always have and I always will, even though that combination of musicians cannot possibly work together again as a unit or as QUIET RIOT.

Read the entire interview at Metalshrine.