QUIET RIOT Drummer Encourages Fans To See Classic Rock Acts While They Still Can: 'There May Not Be A Next Time'

QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali recently appeared on the "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" podcast. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):

On whether classic rock is in danger of fading away in the coming years:

Frankie: "I think that could be a reality for a couple reasons. One is the age factor. It's no secret that none of us are young kids anymore. It's a question of a lot of our musical brothers are dying, and a lot of other ones either have health issues or just don't want to put their bodies and their minds through the touring thing anymore. It could grind to a halt at some point in the foreseeable future. If you're a fan of any particular band, you should be well-advised — especially if it's a band from the '80s or the '70s — that if you say to yourself, 'Well, I'll catch them next time,' there may not be a next time. Things change very quickly, and especially when you get to be [in the] golden years, so to speak. If you really want to see a band, make the effort to go see them, because it may be the last time you'll see them. I can't even tell you how many times I've heard people say, 'I wish I had gone to see QUIET RIOT in 2007, because the next thing I knew, Kevin DuBrow died, and I will never get to see QUIET RIOT with Kevin DuBrow."

On whether QUIET RIOT is planning a farewell tour:

Frankie: "I don't see that in the future unless there's some catastrophe. I always tell people that on my death, when they're sticking me in the ground, they're going to hear me tapping out a tune from inside."

On late MR. BIG drummer Pat Torpey:

Frankie: "Pat and I were friends. I saw him in L.A. not often, because he was always on the road and QUIET RIOT were always on the road, but he was one of the most dedicated drummers I have ever seen. There's a rehearsal studio that pretty much everybody uses in L.A. called Mates, and Pat had a room there where he would woodshed and just practice and practice and practice. The thing I remember the most about Pat was his sense of humor, and he was one of the sweetest, most natural giving people I've ever known. It's really a loss — a loss on a musical level to the fans of MR. BIG and anything he's done, but those people that knew him either casually or knew him well, it's a huge loss, because he was such a sweet guy."

On JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton, who recently revealed that he had Parkinson's disease:

Frankie: "It's a difficult one to accept, because you tend to remember people from some of the greatest moments, and one of [our] greatest moments was in 1983 when QUIET RIOT had the honor and privilege to open up for JUDAS PRIEST on the U.K. tour. All those guys were amazing to us, but especially so with Glenn. An incredible guitarist, and a very easy-to-be-around person. When I heard that he was going to step back from touring, you have to start saying to yourself, 'How bad is it? How bad is it going to get?' All I can do is hope and pray that he's going to be well."

On his memories of playing with W.A.S.P.:

Frankie: "Blackie and I go back 40, I think it will be 41 years now. I remember last year, he sent me an e-mail on the day that we first sort of met, 40 years ago. He thinks about those things. I have a different relationship with Blackie than most people. I don't see him as that guy up on stage throwing meat out into the audience and guzzling down blood, and I don't see him as the Christian that he now is. I just see Blackie as the guy I met 40 years ago. We were both wearing black jeans, a black t-shirt, some metal belt and a black leather jacket, and both with black hair. That's how I will always see him. He's a very interesting and unique person. Different people have different relationships and opinions of him, and Blackie and I have had our problems in the past, but it's never been anything that has altered our friendship. We're still great friends."

QUIET RIOT's latest album, "Road Rage", was released last August via Frontiers Music Srl.

The band's current lineup includes Banali, bassist Chuck Wright (who has been in and out of the group since 1982),guitarist Alex Grossi (who has been in the band since 2004),and vocalist James Durbin.

Durbin, who became known as the "metal guy" on 2011's season of "American Idol" after performing "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking The Law" with JUDAS PRIEST, hooked up with QUIET RIOT after the dismissal of Seann Nicols (a.k.a. Sheldon Tarsha; formerly of ADLER'S APPETITE). Nicols was with QUIET RIOT for just a few months, but long enough to record the vocals for an early version of "Road Rage".