Riot is a heavy metal band formed in New
York
City in 1975 by guitarist Mark Reale.
Reaching
a peak in popularity in the early 80`s, 90`s and
again in 2006. They continue to leave
their many
loyal fans world wide waiting with
anticipation for
the next album and live performances.
RIOT began when members Mark Reale (guitar)
and Peter Bitelli (drums) recruited Phil Fiet
(bass) and Guy Speranza (vocals) and recorded
a four-track demo which they hoped would be
included in a proposed compilation of new rock
bands. While waiting for the project to get off
the
ground they added Steve Costello on keyboards.
Reale took the various demos to producer Steve
Loeb, who had an independent label Fire-Sign
Records. The band added second guitarist Louie
Kouvais, replaced Fiet with Jimmy Iommi and
recorded its debut album, Rock City. RIOT had
support slots with AC/DC and Molly Hatchet, but
the band was unable to maintain momentum and
were on the verge of breaking up for good by 1979.
In that year however, British fans bought
imported
copies of Rock City and encouraged the band to
record a second album Narita. In the course of
recording however Kouvaris was replaced by
the bands guitar roadie Rick Ventura.
Because of the success of Narita Capitol picked
up their option for another record. And
thus
began Riot's biggest selling album titled Fire
Down Under.
But when the record was completed some months
later, Capitol turned the record down calling it
"commercially unacceptable"
a campaign was
organized and finally Elektra
Records worked
things out with Capitol and signed Riot and
immediately released Fire Down Under in 1981
which then soared into the Billboard Top 100
chart.
Some say that Fire Down Under did go gold
but
was never confirmed by Elektra Records. Singer
Guy Speranza had difficulty melding his religious convictions with his role in the band,
RIOT was on
the road in support of Fire Down Under with RUSH when he announced that he
was leaving the band
at the end of the
tour.
Rhett Forrester was picked up for the next album,
Restless Breed in 1983. Though a striking front
man, any hope of a major breakthrough was sunk
by a combination of Forrester's erratic behavior
on the road, RIOT`s management and a changing
of the guard at Elektra.
The next album, Born in America, (1984) was not
the success the band was looking for leading to
the band's disintegration.
Mark moved down to San Antonio to in 1985
where he recruited former (S.A. Slayer) bassist
Don Van Stavern, Steve Cooper (S.A. Slayer) on
vocals and drummer Dave McLain (S.A. Slayer,
Catalepsy, Juggernaut, Machine Head (US),
Murdercar, Sacred Reich, Ministers Of Anger) to
form NARITA
This project of Mark's got radio exposure in the
middle part of the nation and from home town
(San Antonio, Texas) station 99.5 KISS-FM that
led to a successful string of shows throughout
1985 and early 1986. This project serves as a
bridge between the more traditional metal of
Riot's early years (1977-1984) and the speed
metal of Thundersteel and beyond.
Then in 1988 Reale, Van Stavern
and new comer
Bobby Jarzombek (drums) and Tony Moore
(vocals) recorded Thundersteel at New York's
Green Street studio,
a new Riot was born. The
band got a deal on
CBS Associated that resulted
in recording RIOT`s seventh album Privilege of
Power in1990 that would renewed fan interest
around the world, particularly in Japan and
Europe where they maintained their strongest
subsequent following.
However as the band was gearing up for their
second Japan tour in 1990, Van Stavern was
replaced by Pete Perez (bass) but then shortly
after returning from a successful Japan tour
Moore quit the band due to his indifferences
with management and producer Steve Lobe.
Some changes for RIOT in late 1993 first meant
the introduction of of Riot's new vocalist Mike
Dimeo who then entered the studios to record
Night Breaker in 1994.
But this time after recording Riot's 8th album
Night Breaker, Bobby Jarzombek decided that
he
had enough and was moving on. After the release
of Night Breaker RIOT was offered a Japan tour
and was now looking for a new drummer. John
Macaluso quickly got the job and RIOT was off
to Japan.
RIOT got a deal in the states with Metal Blade
Records and moved from SONY in Japan to
Toshiba EMI then recorded there 9th album
Brethren of the Long House in 1996. A tour of
Japan and some US dates followed.
Jarzombek returned on drums in 1997 and RIOT
recorded their 10th album Inishmore that was
released the next year in 1998. RIOT got a Japan
tour that included ten cities just a few months
later, the label (Toshiba EMI) wanted RIOT to
record a live album when they toured and so
there was a 24 channel A-dat at every
show.
After RIOT returned to the states Mark went
right
into the studio to remix the live stuff
and released
SHINE ON that same year which was a live
version of Inishmore, with all the other
great hits
RIOT has written over the years.
Now RIOT set there sites on Europe and was
offered a seven week tour with "Virgin
Steel" later
in the year, the band kick some ass and had
performed to allot of long time fans.
After the end of the tour in Europe Metal Blade
got RIOT a spot on the "Waken" festival in
Germany, it was one of Riot's high points that
year, as thousands of old and new fans saw RIOT
perform a stunning show that night.
RIOT returned to the states and started work on
their 11th album Sons of Society in 1999. But
again Bobby left the band for the last time to
pursue his career in drumming, now the band
need a drummer for a second time as RIOT was
gearing up for the 2000 tour in Europe in support
of Sons of Society, Pat McGrath was hired for
the tour on drums and the band was off to Europe
again for a 15 city tour.
It was 2001, time for RIOT to find a rock solid
drummer to record there 12th album "Through
The Storm" that was released in 2002, Mark
had
gotten word that Bobby Rondinelli from Blue
Oyster Cult was interested in recording the new
album and got the job on the spot . The band
serves up a stunning version of UFO's "Only
You Can Rock Me" and an
instrumental version
of the Beatles "Here Comes The
Sun".
The
album got great reviews world wide but where
unable to tour due to member scheduling.
After some time off the band started work
on their
13th album "Army Of One" late
in 2003 with Frank
Gilchrist at the helms of the drums. Even with a
few delays the band released it in 2006
on
LongHouse Music (USA) Toshiba-Emi (Japan)
& Metal Heaven (Europe) followed by yearly
dates through out the world that surged the
bands popularity once
again all arranged by
RIOT`s longtime Lighting Director, Production
Manager and Touring Manager Damon Di Bari
ending with a six city tour of Spain in October
of 2007.
Reale and the many different configurations of
RIOT continues to steer the band into the
21st
century releasing albums every couple of years
and with word of a Thundersteel reunion in 2009
starting with an appearance at Sweden Rock is
sure to revise the legendary RIOT Thundersteel
machine once again.
What ever happens RIOT has made its mark in
many artist's minds and is one of the most under
rated bands of all time reported by the press
throughout the world.
Revised: November, 2009
