'89 Live in Japan

AMG Review of '89 Live in Japan

Joe Viglione
All Music Guide

Sometime in 1992/1993 a revamped Quiet Riot featuring vocalist Kevin DuBrow with Bob Rondinelli on drums (around this time Rondinelli had also filled in on an Aerosmith gig one night when Joey Kramer wasn't available -- call him Mr. Fill-In) performed at a little-known club in Billerica, Massachusetts called Mr. Tipps. It is one of those suburban gigs we call "the last rung on the ock & roll ladder" and it's a pity because Quiet Riot had more than just a clever name, and more than the cachet of being the professional birthplace of guitar wizard Randy Rhodes. To those who don't know the story, DuBrow faced a mutiny by the band he founded and Pasha Records released an album in 1988 with two different members, titling the disc, interestingly enough, after the first Japanese release by the original group. This DVD, '89 Live in Japan, comes from that strange lineup in between and features vocalist Paul Shortino of the group Rough Cutt as well as bassist Sean McNabb and an uncredited Jimmy Waldo -- keyboard player from the groups New England and Alcatraz. Why Waldo is treated like a hired hand is one of those unique situations which seemed to develop after Flo & Eddie called Mountain's organ player Steve Knight "the most useless man in ock & roll." The statement was far from accurate, of course, but it was humorous and Mott the Hoople and Aerosmith would both push keyboardists to the side and pretty much off-stage after that infamous quip. Though the 1988 self-titled Quiet Riot album faced horrible reviews and little or no commercial acceptance, this DVD is actually quite enjoyable. As a live band, Q.R. had that long-hair-'80s-thing down pat. What replaces original vocalist DuBrow's personality is a very slick and well-executed heavy metal show. "Stay With Me Tonight" might not be a ock & roll classic, but it comes off well live and along with the nine in-concert tracks there is a bonus of the video shot for "Stay With Me." This is no mere clone band going through the motions, guitarist Carlos Cavazo and singer Shortino are obviously having fun while Jimmy Waldo's keys, straight out of Terry Knight's Bloodrock, add to the festivities. While "The Wild and the Young" is admittedly pedestrian metal, it still works, and "Run to You" from this revamped group's album is actually a very good song. Professional musicians touring behind their release in a foreign country that appreciated their style, '89 Live in Japan is a surprisingly good recording by this version of Quiet Riot and an interesting historical document for fans of the genre.