35 years ago today (Nov. 26, 1983) Quiet Riot hit the top of the Billboard charts with Metal Health. It would become the first heavy metal album to do so.
I was a big Quiet Riot fan when the band released their album Metal Health in March of 1983. I remember staying up late to watch Friday Night Videos on NBC to catch the premiere of the "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" video. I also had a Mead school folder with the Metal Health album cover that I would bring to class. I was 7 years old and in first grade, and I loved Quiet Riot! Quiet Riot would make history in November of 1983 as they would have the first heavy metal album to reach the top of the Billboard 200 chart, replacing the Police's Synchronicity at number 1. The album would feature the title track along with the Slade cover "Cum On Feel the Noize".
Quiet Riot was formed by Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni under the name Mach 1 in 1973. The band changed it's name to Little Women before settling on Quiet Riot in 1975. The original lineup featured Rhoads and Garni with Kevin Dubrow on vocals and Drew Forsyth on drums. The most commercially successful lineup was the 'Metal Health' lineup featuring Dubrow along with guitarist Carlos Cavazo, bassist Rudy Sarzo, and drummer Frankie Banali.
Album cover photo credit: Pasha Records