QUIET RIOT Drummer FRANKIE BANALI Diagnosed With Stage Four Pancreatic Cancer

October 21, 2019

QUIET RIOT's Frankie Banali has been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.

The drummer revealed in a social media post that he has been battling the disease since this past spring, saying that he is "feeling much better and stronger now" and vowing to play with QUIET RIOT later this month and through 2020.

"I just want to let all of my friends and fans know what's going on with me and why I have unfortunately missed some appearances this year," Banali said in a statement posted on podcaster Mitch Lafon's Facebook page. "I just want to let all of my friends and fans know what's going on with me and why I have unfortunately missed some appearances this year. Since April 17th, I have been battling stage four pancreatic cancer.

"The original prognosis was very scary. I had quite a battle on my hands and it took a lot, but I am thankful to say that after several rounds of chemo and other treatments, I am on the mend. The road ahead is not going to be easy but cancer has met its match and I plan to continue fighting.

"I wish I could have been with you all at every QUIET RIOT performance as this is the first time in 38 years I have ever missed a gig," he continued.

"Please know that if I had been able to fly on a plane and play a show nothing else would have stopped me. I am feeling much better and stronger now.

"I intend to play the QUIET RIOT concert at the Whisky A Go Go on Saturday October 26th and to continue touring in 2020 with QUIET RIOT, so I hope to see you there. I appreciate all the fans that support QUIET RIOT by coming to shows and I hope you will all continue that support as well as keeping me in your thoughts and prayers."

QUIET RIOT played several shows this year without Banali, marking the first time ever that the band performed without any of the members from its classic lineup: Banali, singer Kevin DuBrow, guitarist Carlos Cavazo and bassist Rudy Sarzo.

At some of QUIET RIOT's recent shows, Banali was replaced by Johnny Kelly (DANZIG, TYPE O NEGATIVE).

Banali resurrected QUIET RIOT in 2010, three years after the death of founding member and singer Kevin DuBrow.

QUIET RIOT initially featured the late guitar legend Randy Rhoads and went through some early lineup shifts before securing the musicians that recorded the band's multi-platinum-selling 1983 album "Metal Health".

Wright has been a part of QUIET RIOT, on and off, since 1982, having initially been involved in the "Metal Health" recordings (he played bass on the tracks "Metal Health" and "Don't Wanna Let You Go"). Grossi was in the last version of the band, from 2004 through 2007, before Kevin passed away, and was asked by Banali to return in 2010.

QUIET RIOT went through two vocalists — Mark Huff and Scott Vokoun — before settling on Jizzy Pearl in 2013. Pearl announced his exit from QUIET RIOT in October 2016 and was briefly replaced by Seann Nichols, who played only five shows with the group before the March 2017 arrival of "American Idol" finalist Durbin. Pearl returned to QUIET RIOT in September.

QUIET RIOT's new studio album, "Hollywood Cowboys", will be released on November 8 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Above photo of Frankie Banali was taken on October 19, 2019

I’ve been asked by Frankie Banali to share the following message:

<<I just want to let all of my friends and fans know...

Posted by Mitch Lafon on Monday, October 21, 2019

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