Kevin DuBrow, lead singer for the legendary 80’s Metal band “Quiet Riot” was found dead in his Las Vegas home on Sunday. DuBrow was 52 years old.
The word had started floating around the net late last night and this morning, fellow Quiet Riot band mate Frankie Banali’s website stated, “”I can’t even find words to say. Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend Kevin DuBrow.” The news spread fast in the rock community and here we are. Another great has fallen.
For those that don’t know, Quiet Riot were huge for Heavy Metal. They were the first metal band to have a #1 album on Billboard with “Metal Health” which totally opened a lot of doors for the world of Heavy Metal. The band did really well and put out two VERY solid albums (Metal Health and Condition Critical) before loosing momentum and basically fading into obscurity. DuBrow’s earlier version of Quiet Riot in the ’70s even featured a young guitar virtuoso named Randy Rhodes who would go on to stardom as the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne.
DuBrow wasn’t always a “well loved” guy. Notoriously arrogant and cocky, DuBrow made a lot of enemies in his hayday. He partied hard and lived the rock star lifestyle. At one time, it was stated that he and Banali didn’t do cocaine, they just liked how it smelled. Once the fame and the notoriety started to decline, we saw a new Kevin DuBrow surface.
In the later years, Quiet Riot re-surfaced w/ a new guy here and there but DuBrow was always up front and just giving it 110%. He never seemed to be bummed to be playing clubs or small places. He just seemed to be loving what he did and loving the fact that he was still able to do what he loved the most. He seemed to have become a humble person and a gracious person as well. He was very appreciative of his fans for their support over the years. That, and he NEVER rolled his eyes or looked like he was tired of playing “the hits”. When he sang those songs, he delivered them like they were just written yesterday.
Kevin will be missed in the metal community. A great voice and a man that made a change in his life that many people DON’T get to do before they pass on. Here’s to the good times and here’s to a great metal voice!
About The Author
