Island: Before going in depth with this interview I just want to take this time and offer congratulations with all the success and praise Rehab has received thus far. It seems everywhere I go or anyone who has heard and reviewed the new album has given it nothing but the highest praise. There are even critics weighing in saying that this is Quiet Riot’s best album since Metal Health and some say it is even better than that historic release. The first question coming at you is how are Kevin and yourself taking the feedback thus far? A lot of times an artist can go and create a new album and say like – “Oh were going back into the studio and were give fans an album that is this, this, and that and I’m sure they’ll like it…” or “We’re going into the studio and putting our best into it and whatever comes out… comes out…” This latest Quiet Riot album has been a long time coming so when you and Kevin entered studio were you worried about delivering a quality album since with every band out there they can give hints on what a new album will sound like but up until its release it’s basically based on hype. And finally are you an artist who enjoys all the praise you get or do you turn a deaf ear when the reviews come in basically letting the album speak for itself?

Frankie: Firstly, thank you for your very kind and generous compliments for "Rehab" which I truly appreciate. I really don't make comparisons to the Metal Health release because to me that was a great album for it's time and portions of it have stood the test of time. While no record is perfect, I think that Rehab is the best group of songs we've recorded since Metal Health.

Kevin and I have wanted to make a record like Rehab for a very long time but were always sidetracked for one reason or another. We started writing songs independent of each other for at least a year prior to actually entertaining the idea of going into the studio to record. Kevin wrote on his own as well as writing with Glenn Hughes, Alex Grossi and Michael Lardie. I in turn was writing with my close friend and wonderful guitarist and engineer Neil Citron. We just wrote and made demos of songs that interested us and musically made us happy. We did not go into making Rehab with any preconceptions as to who it would please or not please because you can't expect people to like something if you don't first like it yourself.

We stopped being concerned about how the critics would react to anything QUIET RIOT does a long time ago. After you've been placed on the critical cross of discontent for nearly two decades, it stops making any difference because to some people no matter what you do they won't like because they are listening with a deaf ear and seeing through blind eyes purely because the want to dislike it.

The fact that Rehab thus far has been for the most part accepted and even praised at times is very rewarding, very unexpected, and very much appreciated. The one thing that can be said is that the positive feedback is due to some giving the record a fair chance and judging it on it's musical merits rather than on the history of the band or negative public opinion. The phrase "hype" is something that you won't often see attached to QUIET RIOT and certainly not from me.

Island: Rehab is an album that pretty much caught the whole industry off guard in terms of an album that gets straight to the point has quality guitar driven songs mixed in with the fact that the entire disc has solid musicianship from four established artists that hold nothing back is something that is rarely accomplished especially this day in age. Mounting a comeback for a band like this seems like it would be almost impossible but in all honesty with all the feedback thus far it seems that Quiet Riot has finally come full circle once again. Many would probably want to see this version of the band wither and die without Rudy and Carlos in the fold but after one listen to Rehab the answer is crystal clear that Kevin and yourself have truly provided fans with material worth of the QR name. So that leads into the next question: Was there any preconceptions brought to the table before writing and heading into the studio? Also were there any pressures on either of you to live up to what you’ve done over the span of 20+ years in the business. Or did you approach in a more natural atmosphere of lets write this, record this and see what the outcome is and then take it from there.

Frankie: When you are in QUIET RIOT, a much maligned an criticized entity, you have a certain amount of freedom, a liberation of sorts because when no one expects anything from you, you have nothing to loose. There were no "management" pressures because I manage the band and have done so for nearly twelve years. There was no record company pressure because we didn't have a record deal, Kevin and I financed the entire project ourselves with our own money, so no one was biting at our heels to produce their version of QUIET RIOT. There was no pressure from within the band because at the time we started to map out the recording aspect there was no "band" in the traditional sense, QUIET RIOT at that moment was Kevin and I. This gave us the freedom to work with musicians that could best represent the styles of music that we wanted to record. I recommend to Kevin that we work with Neil Citron not only to record the guitars, but also to engineer the record. I had already recorded a solo record of Neil's for a future release of his and had also played drums for numerous sessions for Neil. He had also engineered tracks for a solo record that I did which is yet to be released. I can't say enough about Neil as a friend and guitarist. He is every guitarist you want. He has the best genuine style and knowledge of the instrument. As a engineer he excels where others we have worked with in the past only interfered. I also wanted to work with Tony Franklin again as he is without any reservations my favorite bass player to record with. He is the best of the best, no one even comes close to Tony. Kevin already loved Tony's work with The Firm which included my favorite guitar player Jimmy Page and one of Kevin's vocal heroes, Paul Rogers, so that was a no brainer. We then had the nucleus and the tools to make the best record we could.

Island: Songwriting wise Rehab is a hard CD to play favorites with as every song is exceptionally well written. For example Black Reign sounds like some classic Zeppelin mixed in with what some modern Audioslave influences. Old Habits Die Hard could probably be labeled the track that is completely out of left field meshing soul, blues, and even some gospel which is something most Quiet Riot fans wouldn’t associate the band with. The main thing that’s instantly noticeable is the maturity not only in the songwriting but the production is one of the tightest sounding for 2006, whenever a musician is asked what they like about their latest work it’s a hard question to answer because an effort was made to bring their art form to fans. Looking back at the final product is there any certain aspect that you are most proud of and are you fully satisfied with the outcome with what Rehab accomplishes?

In the history of rock ‘n’ roll there have been bands and artists that have left legacies behind. Elvis was and is always The King, The Beatles were the start of the British invasion, and Zeppelin and Sabbath set the bench mark for what the hard rock/metal genre would become. Quiet Riot created their own legacy in 1983 when a metal band hit number one on the pop charts with their third album Metal Health and began the mainstream success of hard rock dominating radio and television. Whether or not people recognize the impact Quiet Riot’s legacy has left the mark the band made in the history of rock will always remain. 23 years after the release of Metal Health its effect is still being felt however two decades after the dominance of metal on the charts it seems there are people who remain negative towards any band associated with the metal/hair metal/pop metal genre in fact its been said that the metal genre itself hasn’t been given the respect it deserves. What are one of hard rock’s true patriarchs’ thoughts on the status of metal and where it fits into today’s popular culture?

Frankie: What makes the songwriting on this record so different for QUIET RIOT is that both Kevin and I worked with outside writers to make it fresh for ourselves. Kevin wrote two songs with Alex Grossi, "Strange Daze" and "Free" which is arguably one of the heavier and somewhat modern songs that we have ever done. Then you have a song like "Blind Faith" which is something that Neil and I wrote the music for. It is so different for QUIET RIOT that Kevin enlisted the services of none other than the mighty VOICE of ROCK, Glenn Hughes, to lend a hand with lyrics and melodies. You have songs like "Black Reign" that Kevin wrote initially to pay homage to Paul Rogers' "Bad Company" era, and I turned it into a drumming free for all which Tony Franklin gave me a fretless run for my money. There is a lot of diversity on this record for a band that has been pigeonholed for so long. My favorite track is likely "South of Heaven" which Kevin wrote with my style of drumming and drum sound in mind. What I find incredibly amusing is comments by the usual suspect detractors of QUIET RIOT who make statements as to how could we write a song and tilted it "South of Heaven" because Slayer has a song by the same name. Hey, guess what? So does Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Deftones. The chances of QUIET RIOT covering a Slayer song are as impossible as Slayer covering a QUIET RIOT song, no disrespect to Slayer who do absolutely Slay!

As far as what impact QUIET RIOT has made, I've always said that I am proud of my musical past regardless of anyone's opinion, but I also don't live my life by past accomplishments or failures. I just keep doing my best. I think that it's safe to say that no matter how many want to lump us with the hair band moniker, QUIET RIOT made it commercially possible for record labels, managers and agents to invest in other bands of the genre as potential commercial cash cows based on the success of Metal Health in 1983, that is fact. What is also fact is that we once had a number one record in Billboard's Top 100 and no one can take that away from us regardless of what their opinion is now, so check the archives, not too many bands in our genre reached that high water mark. Where is "metal" now? The decline has leveled out a bit, but it's still difficult for most bands.

Island: Quiet Riot’s presence has once again been brought into the limelight thanks in part to documentaries like When Metal Ruled The World and more recently this past summer a four part series called Heavy: The Story Of Metal. The stories that Kevin and you shared on those shows were some of the most genuine, humorous, and thought out of the many musicians of the era who contributed their input. In all the years that you two have been in the music business it is no secret that Quiet Riot has their share of stories about the highs and lows and definitely a lot more than Behind The Music covered which leads into the next question: Would yourself or Kevin contribute thoughts and ideas towards other ventures such as an autobiography on the band’s legacy and impact on the industry since it is evident that musicians make some of the world’s best storytellers.

Frankie: No, not at all. We are still living our lives the way we each choose to. There is no desire to relive from the vantage point of the written word because while we were part of the experience, living it is oftentimes far more exciting than reading about it.

Island: One of the standout moments in the third part of Heavy was the account of recording a cover song since the label suggested doing one to basically release a safe song that would get some notoriety. As stated in the documentary neither yourself or Kevin were too keen on the idea and decided well if we have to do this lets just record it poorly and then the label would basically reject the idea altogether. Well as history would have it that wouldn’t be the case as everyone knows that was the song that basically put Quiet Riot on the map to commercial success. 20 years ago labels had a big say in the direction of a band and the material recorded yet it seems as time went by there were always points where an artist would be arguing over a direction or what an album should sound like. Creative control back then was left to mainly the record execs and a majority of the time it seemed that labels were making or breaking a lot of artists as every record company back then wanted to capitalize on making money on the hair metal image. These days looking at the hard rock scene or just the music scene in general a lot of artists have released their albums independently since creative control lies firmly in their hands what was the feeling in the studio recording this new Quiet Riot album? As with any artist/band there will be some conflict or butting of heads but in the long run of being in a band in the first place. Also its somewhat fitting that Rehab features a cover of the Spooky Tooth classic Evil Woman and features an appearance by Glenn Hughes so how did the decision come about to pick this song to cover and what are you thoughts on the final version featured on the album?

Frankie: The thing about "Cum On Feel The Noize" is that without that song and without the popularity that it brought to QUIET RIOT, you or likely no one else would be talking to us right now. That song started the ball rolling for QUIET RIOT. I didn't dislike the song, but to me it was just another song, take it or leave it, but glad we took it. Kevin on the other hand was dead set against recording it so I got myself in a bit of hot water with him then because once I put the headphones on it's difficult for me to intentionally play poorly if I can help it. I have always given credit to the producer of Metal Health for that song because he brought it to the table, but QUIET RIOT made it a great pop single. A producer can sometimes bring the ingredients to the kitchen but it doesn't mean he can make it cook itself. The thing about producers and labels is that many of them, especially back then, treated musicians like common whores that they could use and then sneak out the back door without paying them. When Lincoln freed the slaves he should have put a clause in about musicians too.

For Rehab we went into the studio with a plan but with no expectations. With the right combination of musicians but without a band, it was very Yin and Yang, very Zen in many ways. We recorded without click tracks so that it would feel like it's supposed to feel, not sterile. As a drummer I am a very emotional player, so I did away with any outside restrictions and just adhered to my own feelings that the song is what's important, that the collective musical performances are what's important, not just the drums. Case in point, the vocal that Kevin did on "Old Habits Die Hard" is the best vocal I've ever heard Kevin perform. It is flawless and I am amazed at his talent each time I hear it. I have always liked Kevin even when we hated each other, but that vocal is top shelf and worthy of everyone's respect of his talent. By comparison, the drums on that song play a very supportive role, loud, but simple and supportive as it should be. The funny thing is that when Neil and I wrote the music to that song it wasn't even meant for QUIET RIOT until Kevin got a hold of it and wouldn't let it go elsewhere.

Having Glenn Hughes in the studio to do the vocal duet with Kevin on "Evil Woman" was a dream come true. Kevin and I have always loved that song even before he and I met. We had talked about recording it for years but the right elements to attempt it didn't materialize until the Rehab sessions. What can I say about Glenn Hughes? There is no one like him, he is in a class all his own, he is a vocal national, or more appropriately, international musical treasure. He's also a great and underrated bass player and having him play bass on this track made it possible for me to again be his rhythm section partner since we last recorded together for the 1982 Hughes/Thrall cult classic release. I have nothing but praise and admiration for Glenn as a person, vocalist and bassist. He's a stand up guy as they say in the old neighborhood. I owe Glenn's kind participation to Kevin who brought Glenn to the session through their mutual friendship.

Island: While on the topic of cover songs it has been a common practice yet it seems that Quiet Riot reinvigorated doing it and even though originally Kevin and yourself didn’t enjoy doing it the surprise of Cum On Feel The Noize must of shocked you as it was a huge hit for you and basically whenever someone mentions Quiet Riot that’s one of first if not the main song everyone knows the band for. Even to this day the idea of doing a cover song still holds a firm grip on the industry. Does it surprise you how long this formula has lasted and what do you think when an artist tries their hand at covering someone else’s work? Last of all any thoughts of inspiration for those who decide to try their hand at covering someone else’s work?

Frankie: Cover songs are the musical acceptable version of name brands. If you go to the market and see a bottle of Ketchup with a label that says "Dirty Dingy's Catsup" you are likely to head straight for the bottle that says "Heinz" because is recognizable, it's safe. The same thing with a cover song. If it is instantly or reasonably recognizable, it makes it safe to consume. I realize that statement is over simplification, but I think it holds true. These days if you are a new band and you have great songs and one of your great songs doesn't garner the attention you hoped it would, you are gone and unproven. If you choose to do a cover and it's the right cover and you do it justice, then maybe, just maybe it will give your band enough attention to give one of your own songs a chance. It took Cum On Feel The Noize to give Metal Health/Bang Your Head a chance. Having said that, it was not our motivation when we covered "Evil Woman" as it is mid tempo, moody and over eight minutes long, every ingredient that declares it not a single.
Island: Through triumph and adversity, through playing to millions of fans worldwide, through the highs and lows, and through different line ups Quiet Riot have managed to survive for more than 20 years now 2008 will mark the 25th Anniversary since Metal Health helped bring metal to the masses. For any band to last five years let alone 25 these days is something you don’t see a lot of in the music industry. Looking ahead to the future there are no signs of yourself or Kevin slowing down so is there any ideas or plans being thrown around to celebrate 25 years since breaking through to the top of the charts?

Frankie: We are just about to complete a very satisfying 2006, looking forward to what we hope to be a spectacular 2007, so ask me that question next year!

Island: With Rehab a new era has begun for Quiet Riot and with 11 solid songs on this disc every song will undoubtedly fit into a set list are there any particular tracks from Rehab that you feel will go over live and any particular favorites from the album that you are looking forward to performing live? Not to mention that with Frankie Banali playing the role of both drummer and handling the band’s business affairs it looks like that things are shaping up to quiet a busy 2007 for Quiet Riot. In 2005 Quiet Riot was part of the highly successful Rock Never Stops tour and the past few years the band has toured all over the world. What does the next year have in store for Quiet Riot? Any plans to do a packaged tour? Or is everyone just looking forward to getting out on the road and bringing new material to fans worldwide? What is the next step in the path for Quiet Riot?

Frankie: We have already started to play three songs from Rehab. We started with "Free" just prior to the release of the CD and have since added "South of Heaven" and "Old Habits Die Hard" the latter two being songs that you might not expect us to do live. All three have met with a great deal of enthusiasm and approval, so who knows if we may add more new songs as time goes on.