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Wednesday, April 13, 2016

"Cum on Feel the Noize" by Quiet Riot

Top 10 Alert!
Gold Record Alert!
Song#:  1610
Date:  09/17/1983
Debut:  92
Peak:  5
Weeks:  21
Genre:  Heavy Metal



Pop Bits:  This band formed in 1973 and became a successful attraction on the L.A. rock club circuit. However, their popularity in the venues didn't translate into a record deal. By 1977, the only label that would bite was Sony, but this would be for the Japan market only. The guys accepted and ended up recording two albums in 1977 and 1978 that were released only in Japan. However, lack of success and inner turmoil had members leaving, including guitarist Randy Rhoads who left to join Ozzy Osbourne's band. In 1980, the remaining members called it quits. That might have been the last of Quiet Riot, but a tragic event gave new life to the band. Early in 1982, Rhoads died in a plane crash while on tour with Osbourne. Some former members of Quiet Riot got together to record a tribute song and the experience went so well that they continued to record. Soon, a new incarnation of the band was set and they secured a deal with CBS Records. They issued what is considered the band's third album, Metal Health, in March of 1983. The LP's title track was issued as a single, but it wasn't getting any attention. Later on, this second single was pushed out and it slowly started to make waves. The song became a big seller reaching #5 at Pop (#7 Rock) and going gold. Its success pushed the album to #1 making it the first heavy metal album to top that chart.

ReduxReview:  I thoroughly hated this song when it came out. I just though it was loud, trashy, and annoying. Being a pop guy, it was taking me a while to warm up to the new pop/metal stuff and this one didn't help. Plus, it was being played all over the place, which rattled my chain even further. Radio played the crap out of it and lots of kids at school were jammin' to the album. I just wasn't having it. Do I like it today? Sure. It's a fun track and the band sounds like they were having a blast recording it, but I'm still not a fan of Quiet Riot. They pretty much had a flash of major success and then burned out quickly. I just don't think they had the writing chops to stick around for a long time, whereas a band like Def Leppard did. A lot of metal/hair bands would quickly come and go over the decade, but at least for Quiet Riot they really burned their mark in the history books before falling out of favor.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  This is a cover of an original song done by the British rock band Slade. They were wildly successful in the UK and Europe in the early-to-mid 70s scoring six #1 singles, including this song. But for whatever reason, the band could not break in the US. "Cum on Feel the Noize" peaked at a lowly #98 back in 1973. Their best showing at the time was the #68 "Gudbuy T'Jane," which reached #68 in 1972. However, the success of Quiet Riot's version of this song put a spotlight on the band and they would finally end up cracking the US Top 20 later in 1984 with "Run Runaway."

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