Betty Wright Quiet Riot the Clean-Up Woman Goes L.A
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— Betty Wright Quiet Riot The Clean-up Woman Goes L.A. Metal Band From Pain to Gain Starts in the Middle By Bob Long By Janiss Garza Legendary but still youthful, a powerful soul ballad with ob- Let’s start at the beginning. and it clicked? That’s how we vocalist Betty Wright has been vious thematic ties to its two Which actually means starting at feel.” making records and playing live predecessors. the end, because the Quiet Riot of Of course. Quiet Riot is much ^since 1971, when she scored her Wright believes the return to the early-to-mid-’80s is quite dif- more than just a one-night stand first hit as a 17-year-old with the popularity of her musical ap- ferent from the Quiet Riot that for this foursome and their label, 4 million-seller “Clean Up proach—the same uncom- exists now. You see, the story of Pasha, which has stuck by QR Woman.” Working constantly both promised, distinctively black the new-and-improved Quiet Riot through thick and thin. They did, _ jn and out of the spotlight since sound she’s purveyed for 23 begins where the old one leaves however, pick up bassist McNabb t'hat early success, Wright years—has been sorely missed by off. But that doesn’t mean there from the Cathouse, an L.A. metal achieved an unprecedented per- consumers, as evidenced by the ex- isn’t some of the old Quiet Riot club known for its libidinous at- J^sonal triumph in 1988 with the plosive success of the similarly left. Confused? Perhaps we’d be mosphere. The Indiana native 'gdid album Mother Wit, which she soulful Cheryl Pepsii Riley single, best off starting in the middle. had made his way to L.A. to check released on her own label, Ms. B “Thanks for My Child.” Every metal fan worth his out the scene and search out the Records, after virtually every “This business goes in cycles,” breeches knows about Quiet QR guys. “For some reason, in the major passed says. on the master tapes. she “Not too long ago, my Riot’s earlier success—the three back of my mind I knew that Rudy JThe LP, distributed by Steve type of music was labeled ‘too multiplatinum LPs, the hit single [Sarzo] was not going to stay in Alaimo’s Miami- black.’ The con- “Cum Feel the Noize.” And the band,” McNabb insists. leased Vision sumer has certainly everyone knows that their fall “Yeah,” counters Banali, “the -^Records, produced a made a profound from grace was at least partly due fact that Whitesnake [Sarzo’s pair of top ten R&B statement by ex- to the big mouth of ex-vocalist other band] was doing great did singles, “No Pain, cerising their pur- Kevin DuBrow. Guitarist Carlos nothing to color his decision.” No Gain” and “After chasing power to let Cavazo remembers those days McNabb met Banali at the the Pain.” us in the music well. “A lot of things that were popular club last year and the ^ Mother Wit is sig- business know written about the band were what bassist found himself auditioning nificant in other what type of music Kevin said and what Kevin did for the band— at 11 the next ^ways as well: The they want to hear and who Kevin chopped this morning. “It felt like a family f hlbum marks and buy. Regard- week,” he grumbles. After all the right off,” Sean recalls. “I joined "Wright’s return to less of who you are bad press and ego problems, it that afternoon.” the Miami sound she and your station in was not only logical, it was neces- Two weeks later, the guys per- helped create, and it life, there is a need sary to get rid of DuBrow. Now formed their first gig—a benefit contains the most for help and/or ad- Cavazo and drummer Frankie in Japan. From Shortino’s 4)ersonal and vice. I feel that my Banali have a new singer, Paul description, it sounds like an in- heartfelt songs she music lets people Shortino (formerly of Rough auspicious debut. “We were writ- has ever written or know that even if Cutt), a new bassist, Sean Mc- ing all these songs, and all of a recorded. These you mess up, there Nabb, a new Spencer Proffer- sudden I had to go into the Quiet .^songs have become is life after the pain. veven more a part of I would like to ner over the course of the year, 11 thank God, my family, friends, months of which she has spent on radio, retailers and fans around the concert trail. the world for their continual sup- “I believe in writing songs deal- port.” stories of real-life situa- . ,4fig with Wright has written and recorded tions,” Wright explains, “stories a new seasonal song, “A Christmas that people can not only dance to to Remember,” on which she’s QUIET RIOT: Banali, McNabb, Shortino, Cavazo ||t-but also relate to their own lives joined by her five-year-old as well as letting people know daughter Patrice. The song’s mes- more about Betty Wright. But sage is very clear—it’s about the produced album. Quiet Riot, and Riot catalog and go through every- since there is only so much you can joy one gets from helping others. a new attitude. The new LP’s thing. In fact, I wrote all the lyrics learn from a three- or four-minute Putting her commitment where smoky sound is less brazen than on big sheets of paper. They had before, still ballsy all .-..(S^ng, I enjoy performing live—it her mouth is, Wright reveals that but and power- ’em taped to the floor—the allows the audience to get a more she intends to provide Christmas ful. stagehands were all Japanese, so ,v>n-depth understanding of me. dinner for over 200 homeless Since they’re essentially they put everything out of order. ^Live shows allow me to show-out, people. “It may be a small num- making a fresh start, you have to I was singing, looking for my ^ talk and just be myself. I attribute ber,” she says, “but imagine if wonder why the L.A.-based group song, and I got this guy with a my ability to tour so much to God every family who could would feed has chosen to hold on to a name video camera running around.” It and to a very supportive, loving at least one person—think how with so many patently negative couldn’t have gone too badly, and understanding husband and many people would eat. I don’t like connotations. “Because it’s too though. “Nobody asked where family. the overwhelming commerciality late to change it!” the guys laugh. Kevin was,” Cavazo snickers. Wright is currently working on a of Christmas, because many “We worked so hard to build the Things should be more or- ^pair of family projects: an album of families and children feel so much name,” Cavazo explains more ganized when the band hits the "^R&B and reggae with her hus- pressure to be a part of giving and seriously. “The people that helped road in a special guest slot early oand, writer/producer/artist Noel receiving gifts, until many fall into make it a household word were next year. “We’re gonna start Williams, and a single with her 11- crimes of stealing. Instead of Frankie Banali, Kevin DuBrow, preproduction for the tour im- year-old daughter Aisha. (Both are buying four or five toys for your Rudy Sarzo and myself; Chuck mediately after the New Year’s slated for an early ’89 release on kids, take some of that money and Wright to a lesser degree. Me and hangovers leave us,” says Shor- B. Records) The energetic art- buy food for people who have noth- Frankie are still in the band and tino. And Paul won’t need lyric ist/writer/producer/exec has also ing—and not just at Christmas we feel it would be a waste to sheets—after all, he helped write 1 throw that all away and start over the songs on the new album, and . 4bund the time to produce several time. We all should share in help- .,.^ew acts for her label—vocalist ing our fellow human beings who from scratch.” only a few of the band’s old hits Carl Ramsey, 18-year-old are less fortunate.” And how does the band explain will be part of the set. But, Banali singer/songwriter Myshjua, the Dedication, determination, the special chemistry that goes on asserts, “In the middle of next self-contained group Work for faith, mother wit and a deep com- within the present lineup? “It’s year, when the record’s doing ab- Higher, rapper Smoove Matty mitment to herself and others magic,” enthuses Shortino. “It solutely unbelievable, then we’ll '•-Matt and her sister Jeanette. On have taken the clean-up woman a was something that was meant to probably bring in some old songs.” top of all that, Wright is putting long way in the last two decades. be.” “Maybe some Supremes,” the finishing touches on her And she’s done a great deal more Cavazo searches for an analogy: Banali suggests. ever that, no doubt, the forthcoming solo album, 4 U 2 N. than just sing about it. For Betty “Have you picked up on And marks Joy, which contains the recently Wright, pain and gain are the es- someone one night and you went end.