PERSONALITIES
AS ONE OF the early comers to the buzzing hair metal scene, Carlos Cavazo assumed the role of lead guitarist for a reformed Quiet Riot, setting off a chain reaction of glammed-out excess.
Stepping out of the shadow of Randy Rhoads and into the spotlight, Cavazo — like many of his contemporaries would do later — infused classical and flamenco touches to Quiet Riot’s mix. The result was a torrent of madness on the backside of Quiet Riot’s 1983 smash success, Metal Health, skyrocketing the unassuming six-stringer.
“A lot of people ask me if I had any idea that Metal Health would be as big as it was,” Cavazo says. “People assume I knew we had this winner on our hands, but honestly, I didn’t. I’m still somewhat shocked that people love it.”
There’s no denying that Quiet Riot laid the blueprint for Eighties glam excess, and Cavazo agrees. “I’ve heard people say that we kicked it off, and yeah, we probably did. We were there initially and played a huge role. But there were some other bands before us, like Van Halen and Def Leppard. Still, I think Quiet Riot pushed it over the edge,” Cavazo says. “I didn’t think of it back then; we were just doing what we normally would, but looking back, I would agree.”
Quiet Riot’s post-Rhoads era got off to a hot start, but dysfunction undermined them. By the time the Nineties rolled around, Cavazo had departed for a spot alongside Warren DeMar-
tini in Ratt.
“I loved sharing space with Warren,” Cavazo says. “Our styles worked well together, and our songwriting and influences were similar. I’m probably more of a speedy player, while Warren is a more methodical, thought-out kind of guy. Those differing styles gave us fresh textures.”
Things with Ratt fell apart, too. But Cavazo is at peace, having left the dysfunction behind. After laying low for years, Cavazo joined King Kobra and recorded an album in 2023’s . Things are calmer now, the expectations are lower and the pressures of personality disorders are in
