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Rudy Sarzo has played bass guitar in multiple A-list hard rock groups, including Ozzy Osbourne’s “Diary of a Madman” band, Whitesnake and Dio.
But Sarzo became a rock star as a member of Quiet Riot, and he’s back in the band that will perform Aug. 5 as part of the Free Stage concert lineup at the Indiana State Fair.
Absent from Quiet Riot’s lineup for nearly 20 years, Sarzo rejoined the band in 2021 to “celebrate the music and friendship” of late band mates Randy Rhoads, Kevin DuBrow and Frankie Banali.
Guitarist Rhoads, who founded Quiet Riot in the 1970s, died in a 1982 plane crash while he and Sarzo were in Osbourne’s band. Vocalist DuBrow died of a drug overdose in 2007, and drummer Banali died in 2020 following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
“I’m here with one specific purpose: to celebrate the legacy of the band, Quiet Riot, and the memory of Frank Banali, Kevin DuBrow and Randy Rhoads,” Sarzo said. “I can’t think of a better motivation to get up on that stage.”
The current lineup of Quiet Riot features Sarzo, vocalist Jizzy Pearl, drummer Johnny Kelly and guitarist Alex Grossi. The quartet is on tour to mark the 40th anniversary of Quiet Riot album “Metal Health,” a recording known for hit singles “Cum On Feel the Noize” and “Bang Your Head (Metal Health).”
In 1983, DuBrow, Sarzo, Banali and guitarist Carlos Cavazo emerged from L.A.’s Sunset Strip to exceed all music industry expectations.
In Indianapolis, for instance, concert company Sunshine Promotions scheduled Quiet Riot for a date at Market Square Arena on one of the band’s “off” days while touring as a supporting act for Black Sabbath.
With an original plan to curtain off at least half of the basketball arena and sell around 7,000 tickets to Quiet Riot fans, Sunshine hit a jackpot by selling more than 15,000 tickets for a near capacity event on Nov. 13.
Quiet Riot’s banner 1983 also included a May 29 appearance on “heavy metal day” of the US Festival in Southern California. Sarzo said Quiet Riot picked up the date with less than a week’s notice, after concert organizers shifted Joe Walsh from “heavy metal day” to “rock day.”
Sarzo said the band drove their Winnebago RV from Denver to San Bernardino to join a lineup of Van Halen, Scorpions, Triumph, Judas Priest, Osbourne and Motley Crue.
It would be a mistake to classify Sarzo and Quiet Riot as an overnight success.
Sarzo and Banali met as teenagers in Miami in the 1970s. They pursued rock stardom in Chicago-based band Shatterstar before moving to Los Angeles. Enduring poverty and little career progress, each moved away from Los Angeles to then return and find a winning formula with Quiet Riot.
“People rarely ask me about the struggles,” Sarzo said. “But it’s the struggles that really solidify relationships. If you go through struggles with your band mates, hopefully that will make you a stronger unit.”
Sarzo worked with Rhoads, who died at age 25, in a pre-fame version of Quiet Riot and then in Osbourne’s band.
Because Rhoads grew up in a musical family, Sarzo said the guitarist was equipped to excel in ways none of their peers could match.
“He would hear a song on the radio and pick it up and play it,” Sarzo said. “You can do two things when you’re around people like that. You can ask questions and learn from them because they’re leading by example. Or you can ignore it and not even realize you’re in the presence of something special in your life. I paid a lot of attention.”
Quiet Riot
- When: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5.
- Where: Hoosier Lottery Free Stage, 1202 E. 38th St.
- Tickets: Admission is free with purchase of an Indiana State Fair ticket. Premium area tickets are available for $50.
- Info: Visit indianastatefair.com.
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