In early 1982, having recruited drummer Frankie Banali , bassist Chuck Wright , and guitarist Carlos Cavazo , DuBrow contacted Rhoads to ask if he had any objections to him reviving the name Quiet Riot for his new band. Rhoads gave him his blessing but said he wanted to check with Rudy Sarzo first. Sarzo had no objections, and Quiet Riot was thus reborn after a two-year hiatus. Rhoads died in a plane crash while on tour with Osbourne in March 1982, and Sarzo subsequently left Osbourne’s band a few months later, having a difficult time coping with the grief of losing his close friend and bandmate. The reformed Quiet Riot was recording a new song called “Thunderbird” as a tribute to Rhoads, and DuBrow called Sarzo to ask if he’d like to participate in the recording. The lineup of DuBrow, Sarzo, Cavazo, and Banali had so much fun recording the track that they wound up recording more than half of the new album in the process. Bassist Wright had already been briefly replaced by Gary Van Dyke (Hollywood Stars, Virgin), but the arrangement was not working out and Sarzo was subsequently welcomed back to Quiet Riot as a full time member. Coming so soon after Rhoads’ death, there was some question over the appropriateness of the new band using the Quiet Riot name. Rhoads’ mother Delores encouraged the band, and in the end it was decided that “although Randy wouldn’t be in it, the original spirit of the band was back,” according to Sarzo.
In early 1982, having recruited drummer Frankie Banali , bassist
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