Frankie banali age

Rock ‘n’ roll has lost an icon, and the pancreatic cancer community lost a friend and passionate supporter. Frankie Banali, longtime drummer for Quiet Riot, passed away August 20, 2020, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Quiet Riot is a multi-platinum heavy metal band, the first heavy metal band to top the Billboard album chart. Banali was the original drummer and before his diagnosis, hadn’t missed a performance in 38 years.

Banali was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 2019, went through seven rounds of chemotherapy, and then returned to the stage with Quiet Riot in October for a sold-out show at the famed Whiskey a Go Go in West Hollywood, Calif.

His wife Regina was steadfast by his side helping him navigate his treatment. While researching the disease last year, she found the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) and reached out to its Patient Services for guidance. Shortly after, they both connected with staff at PanCAN, which quickly developed into a friendship – and the Banalis being willing to do whatever they could to create more urgency for better treatment options.

Banali invited a camera crew from PanCAN to film the show at the Whiskey where he spoke to the crowd about the disease. The video became a PSA for PanCAN’s Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month campaign, held annually in November.

Banali and Regina also made a surprise visit to PanCAN’s national headquarters, speaking to the staff just before the kickoff of the November campaign.

“Our PanCAN family immediately embraced Frankie and Regina, and we are forever thankful for the friendship and incredible energy they brought to this fight,” said Pamela Acosta Marquardt, PanCAN founder. “Frankie inspired friends, fans and the entir

W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless has paid tribute to Frankie Banali, who died Thursday night (August 20) at the age of 68.

Banali's history with QUIET RIOT spanned over 37 years and he had the distinction of being the only member of the band to have recorded on every single QUIET RIOT release from 1983's "Metal Health", which was the first heavy metal album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard chart, through 2019's "Hollywood Cowboys". He also recorded seven albums with W.A.S.P. between 1989 and 2004.

In a social media post on Friday (August 21),Lawless wrote: "Frankie Banali and the fight that he has endured with cancer for well over a year now, that has taken its toll physically, emotionally and spiritually is now finished. My friend is gone.

"I met him July 17th 1975. It was my first night in Hollywood. I was scared to death and had no idea of what waited for me in this 'Dream Factory' that promised so much, but at the same time had a reputation that proceeded itself of being astonishingly cruel to its naïve dreamers. He was outside leaning up against the wall at the Roxy on the Strip. Arthur Kane had met him on the last N.Y. DOLLS trip to L.A. and he introduced me to him. I remember thinking, 'I don't even care if this guy can play. This guy's an absolute Rock Star and nobody knows it yet'. I wanted to be in a band with him…BAD!

"Over the years, our lives crossed paths in many ways both personally and professionally, and I would go see the bands he was playing in, and he stuck out in all of them. His talent separated him from everyone else he was on stage with.

"One night in 1979 I ran into him at a burger joint and played him a demo of the songs I had just completed. We sat in my car and listened, and it was at that moment we started to really develop a friendship that would last us all of our lives. Those songs we listened to that night

Frankie Banali (November 14, 1951 – August 20, 2020) was an American rockdrummer. He was best known for his work with multi-platinumheavy metal band Quiet Riot and was the only member remaining from the band's classic lineup.

He was the band's manager since 1994. He played drums in the heavy metal band W.A.S.P., as well as with Billy Idol. Banali was briefly a touring drummer for Faster Pussycat and Steppenwolf.

In October 2019, Banali was diagnosed with stage-V pancreatic cancer. He died from the disease in Los Angeles on August 20, 2020 at the age of 68.

References

American rock drummer (1951–2020)

Musical artist

Francesco Felice Banali (November 14, 1951 – August 20, 2020) was an American rock drummer, most widely known for his work with heavy metal band Quiet Riot. His signature tone and iconic drum intros first became famous on their album Metal Health, which was the first metal album to hit number one on the Billboard charts and helped usher in the 80's metal band era. He had been the band's manager since 1993. He had also played the drums in the heavy metal band W.A.S.P., as well as with Billy Idol. Banali was briefly a touring drummer for Faster Pussycat and Steppenwolf. In the last few months of his life, he was also an inclined painter.

Life and career

Banali was born on November 14, 1951, in Queens, New York City, New York, to Italian immigrants, Jack and Martha Banali. In 1975, he moved to Los Angeles, where he spent four years playing drums with various bands, including Steppenwolf with Nick St. Nicholas and Goldy McJohn. He was a very prolific session player and played on many hits for other artists including Billy Idol's "Mony Mony" and "L.A. Woman" and over 100 recordings. He also played drums on the acclaimed "Hughes/Thrall" album with Glenn Hughes and Pat Thrall. In 1979, Banali, along with bassist Dana Strum, was in secret rehearsals with then Quiet Riot guitarist Randy Rhoads and Ozzy Osbourne as the latter was looking for a guitar player to launch a new band. In 1980, he joined forces with