Drummer Frankie Banali, best known as part of Quiet Riot, died Thursday night after a battle with cancer. He was 68.
According to a statement from his wife Regina, Banali was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in April 2019 and given six months to live.
Born in Queens, he moved to Los Angeles in his early 20s and played in various bands, including Steppenwolf with Toronto’s Nick St. Nicholas and Goldy McJohn. He was recruited by Kevin DuBrow to join a resurrected Quiet Riot.
In 1983, Quiet Riot released Metal Health, which became the first metal album to go to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart thanks to the success of “Cum On Feel the Noize.”
Banali also played drums on several W.A.S.P. albums, on a tour with Faster Pussycat and on tracks like Billy Idol’s hit cover “Mony Mony.”
Banali’s fellow musicians are taking to social media with tributes.
“He was so open in his reports of his illness and seemed to live through his treatments and setbacks bravely and with grace,” remembered Paul Stanley of KISS. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider agreed that Banali fought hard to the end. “His playing and rock 'n' roll spirit will live forever,” he tweeted. “A fellow New Yorker, Frankie was the real deal.”
Rudy Sarzo, a bassist who played in Quiet Riot and is currently in The Guess Who, called Banali “my hero, mentor [and] brother” in a tweet. He said he was still processing “this unmeasurable loss.”
Others remembering Banali include Mike Portnoy, David Coverdale, Chris Jericho, Jack Russell, Frankie Kazarian, Tony Franklin and Glenn Hughes.
"When we hear the heavens thunder we will know it came from you," tweeted Lita Ford.
Banali is survived by wife Regina and daughter Ashley.