QUIET RIOT – Extended Versions (2007 Sony BMG)

There are several Quiet Riot live albums available: this one, Setlist, Live at the US Festival, and Live & Rare. All are vintage recordings from the early 1980’s.  Of the three, you might look at Extended Versions and pass on it.  It looks cheap and unofficial.  To overlook this CD would be a mistake, and this is why.

Sure, it lacks any sort of booklet or liner notes.  All I know is that the first eight tracks are from Pasadena in 1983, and the last two from Nashville the same year.  From the outside you wouldn’t know that.  The only information is the ominous “Recorded Live” which tells you very little indeed.  Being 1983, this is the “classic” lineup of Kevin DuBrow, Frankie Banali, Rudy Sarzo, and Carlos Cavazo, on the Metal Health tour.  Introducing “Love’s A Bitch,” DuBrow reveals that they only began their US tour a short while ago.

Perhaps because it’s early in the tour, or maybe because they’re home in California, Quiet Riot pulled out two rarities for the Pasadena show.  These are “Gonna Have A Riot” and “Anytime You Want Me”, neither of which are on Quiet Riot I or II.  Both are written solely by DuBrow, but “Gonna Have A Riot” is from the Randy Rhoads period.  “Anytime You Want Me” is of more recent vintage, and it’s actually quite an excellent pop rocker.  Also rare was the set opener, “Danger Zone”, unreleased until 2001 when the studio version was added to the Metal Health remastered CD.

In addition to the rarities, you get the hits:  “Metal Health”, “Cum On Feel The Noize”, “Slick Black Cadillac”, “Love’s A Bitch”.  There’s also a handful of well liked album cuts such as “Let’s Go Crazy” and the smoking “Breathless”.  That song knocked me out as an 11 year old and it still does today.  All performed by the band in their prime, before the downfall.

Live & Rare sounded awful, but this CD sounds pretty good.  I’m not sure if it’s a radio broadcast, but it’s perfectly listenable.  It’s too bad there’s no packaging, because if this had been packaged with more effort and care, it could have been sold as an “official” live album quite easily.  Bummer there’s no liner notes, all you’re going to get is the music. However, the music stands up for itself and it’s an enjoyable live album.

4/5 stars