The Quiet Riot Debacle

There's drama in the Quiet Riot camp. That's because singer Mark Huff was let go.

While he was in the hospital.

Getting ready for brain surgery.

Yep.

And apparently the firing happened via Facebook... and Mark found out by reading the Quiet Riot page.

Yep.

Needless to say, Huff was mad. He wrote on his own Facebook about the incident:

"As I sit in hospital… wait for my brain surgery… I have been let go from Quiet Riot. And nobody's had balls to tell it to my face. Interesting … the rock 'n' roll business. I have to read the news in a post that's not even directed to me?… WTF?"

I suspect fans left some angry posts for Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali on the QR Facebook. I say "suspect" because it seemed like someone was deleting posts from that page. Then Banali left his own message on the QR wall:

"With regards to Mark Huff: My policy has always been not to air out the dirty laundry in public. That policy remains the same even in light of those who chose to make accusations. The fact is that Mr. Huff's medical condition had nothing to do with the decision that was made, though it is unfortunate that it comes at such a time. His wife assured me that Mark would be home this week, and as legal protocol dictated, a certified letter was sent informing Mark of the decision that was made and why it was made. This was days ago. The content of that letter is a private matter unless Mr. Huff decides to make the reason for his dismissal made public, which I believe would be counterproductive for him. I will not go tit for tat with this issue."

I'm sure there's more to this story that dueling Facebook posts. Still, Huff had been with Quiet Riot since 2010 and was supposed to sing with the band at M3 in May. Whatever the case, it seems pretty dirty to fire someone before brain surgery. Oh and there's this: Banali has already replaced Huff with Keith St. John (he was in Montrose). Here are the upcoming QR dates:

Feb. 1 - B B King's - New York, NY
Feb. 3 - The Bergen Performing Arts Center - Englewood, NJ
Feb. 4 - The Rock Junction - West Greenwich, RI

Comments

[Rock-It]

I'm not sure why we all make such a fuss when a band member is let go. It happens so much that you would think the fans wouldn't make such a big deal of it. In every profession people are replaced by those who have something more to offer or who fit into a company better. It doesn't matter how he was let go, it doesn't even matter why he was let go... Mark is no longer a member of Quiet Riot.

Quiet Riot (Frankie Banali) doesn't owe Mark Huff anything. It is up to Frankie how he wants to handle the dismissal. Who had even heard of Mark Huff before he was in Quiet Riot? With 3 shows coming up within a couple weeks it is possible that this was the best possible time for the band to make this change.

I just don't see that these bands really owe the fans anything. Sure it is nice when a band goes out of its way to make fans happy... But the band members are the ones who live it every day, not the fans. It is easy for an outsider (fans) to pass judgements without having any idea about what is going on within these bands.

[scott whitt]

I guess Frankie wanted to honor Kevin by having a guy with just as bad head of hair.
It seems like there may be a lot of gray in this dispute. I could care less because there was NO WAY I was going to see this line-up. Frankie is such a great drummer I cannot believe that there isn't something else he could do. Whatever happened to the QR movie he was talking about on TMS a year or so ago?

[Nigel]

What a mess! There was probably no good way to handle it at this time, but it is still a big mess

[Jimbo]

who cares..QR is a joke band now anyway. Frankie is a great drummer and instead of riding the QR cash cow,he should have hooked up with another band.Sucks that this guy had to hear it through Cheatbo..errr Facebook right before surgury though. Im sure there is more to this story.

[kari]

Mark Huff was able to be a part of getting scab Quiet Riot back together (conversation for a different day), but however you feel about it, this was a GUTLESS move on Banali's Part. the issue isn't about mark being fired, its how Banali went about doing it.

Banali = ZERO CLASS!

I know Mark and he's a real good guy! Prayers are with him.

[jeff k]

there's no quiet riot without kevin. rip

[Shadow]

Wow,this really takes me by surprise to say the least. I really liked how Huff fit with the band and now this whole thing. Damn. All I have o say is I hoe thigs clear p soon and they can at lest get an album put out with this new guy. Although I am anxious to see how he sounds as opposed to Mark's very Dubrow like vocals.

Condtion Critical indeed.

[Kenny Ozz]

Quiet Riot died on a treadmill a couple years ago. This is a farce.

[Jeff]

Time for Frankie to give it up. Needless to say QR will not be at M3.

[Rock-It]

Quiet Riot will be at M3.

[The Insider]

Replacing a replacement singer with another replacement singer...novel idea. And to call it BAD TIMING...yeah it would call it being a fuckhead. BUT...that's the Great Banali. How's that movie coming along Frankie? Ya raised the money from fans, put a teaser out there and yet no release. Who's doing the movie, Stanley Kubrick? Ya jerkoff.

[kari]

If Quiet Riot is still playing I hope they get BOO'ED off the stage!!! NO Sarzo, NO Cavazo, NO QUIET RIOT!!! RIP DUBROW!

[Metalboy!]

Really! Either get Sarzo and Carvazo back (what are they REALLY doing, anyway?) and keep the name alive with dignity by getting a REAL replacement, one of incredible talent, chops and permanence a la AC/DC with Brian Johnson. If ya can't get the boyz back, Banali, just forget it and move on to a new band.

Quit draggin' the name through the mud. I'm sick of seeing how a former band member will ask the deceased principal member's mom for permission to carry on with the name of the band only to turn around and cash in on it for his own greed. It's a betrayal of all involved, including from beyond the grave, taking advantage of said mother.

Frankie, you may be a helluva drummer, but you're also a helluva con man, taking advantage of a poor little old lady and then, unsuspecting people who might by tickets only to find there's nobody left in the original line-up except the drummer.

Now, a similar situation has happened with G'n'R but without dancing on someone's grave or taking advantage of a poor little old lady who might not understand the implications.

You may have tried to keep this Riot Quiet, Banali, but it won't
work.

p.s. Where's the movie, Frank?

[JAT]

Not trying to defend anything QR whatsoever but to answer Metalboy!, Carvazo is a permanent member of RATT and Sarzo is in Blue Oyster Cult & the Animetal USA project which is huge overseas...just an FYI.