Frankie Banali, the drummer for Quiet Riot, has died following a year-long battle of pancreatic cancer at the age of 68.
Banali’s wife, Regina, confirmed the news in a statement to USA TODAY that the rocker “ultimately lost the fight at 7:18 pm on August 20 in Los Angeles surrounded by his wife and daughter.” Banali shared daughter Ashley, 23, with his first wife, Karen.
Banali was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer on April 17th 2019. Doctors initially gave him just six months to live after discovering that his cancer “had already metastasized to his liver,” making it “incurable.”
“He put up an inspiringly brave and courageous 16-month battle to the end and continued playing live as long as he could,” Regina’s statement added, noting that standard chemotherapy stopped working and a series of strokes made the continuation on a clinical trial impossible for Banali.
Banali joined Quiet Riot in 1982 and his talented drumming was pivotal to the success of early singles ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ and ‘Metal Health (Bang Your Head)’. The group’s breakthrough album Metal Health became the first heavy-metal record to top the Billboard 200, selling more than 6 million copies.
Their 1984 follow-up, Canadian Critical, was also a big hit, making it to number 15 on the Billboard 200 and selling more than 1 million copies.
Quiet Riot continued through several lineup changes until the present day, with Banali surviving as the only original member to continue in nearly all of the band’s incarnations. Metal Health guitarist Carlos Cavazo and bassist Rudi Sarzo left the group in 2003, and singer Kevin DuBrow died in 2007.
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Nevertheless, Banali carried on, and Quiet Riot — with bassist Chuck Wright, who played on two Metal Health tracks — continued recording and touring. The group’s most recent studio album, Hollywood Cowboys, came out last November.
Tributes to Banali have been flooding in fast. “So saddened to hear of the passing of my drumming brother, Frankie Banali,” former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy tweeted. “He fought an incredibly brave battle against cancer and his strength and dignity was truly inspiring.”
“My hero, mentor, Quiet Riot brother Frankie Banali is now resting in peace and pain free,” Rudi Sarzo tweeted. “I will post a follow up in days to come as try to process this unmeasurable loss.”
“He lived for playing live and performed for millions of fans around the world throughout his career,” wife Regina said in her statement.
Banali is survived by his wife Regina, daughter Ashley and a “menagerie of rescue animals all of whom are family,” Regina wrote.
She added, “His wish for everyone is that you be your own health advocate for early detection so you may live long and rescue many animals.”
Check out ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ by Quiet Riot:
