Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow was laid to rest next to his father Sunday [December 2] in Corona del Mar, California.

DuBrow was found dead in his Las Vegas home on November 25th. Police are calling the death accidental and have ruled out foul play. The exact cause will be announced once the toxicology reports are in.

DuBrow's fiancee, Lori Lee Samson, who was reportedly the last person to see him alive, has issued a statement, saying, in part, "Our last weeks together were filled with laughter, happiness and intimate moments. I share with all of you the sorrow you feel with the loss of such a wonderful, charming and loving man and talented musician."

Former Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward says, "His voice was like no other -- an original artist aligned to passion, mayhem and verse."

Queen guitarist Brian May says, "Very sad. He seemed only a boy."

And Glenn Hughes, whose Los Angeles house DuBrow was supposed to stay at last week, says, "I never saw Kevin loaded. He respected my sobriety. He always spoke about the change of my lifestyle, and how he also wanted to change his. The last conversation I had with him 10 days ago was about this subject -- he said he had to make some life changes. I was so happy and elated to hear this... I'm gonna miss our dinners at the Palm in Beverly Hills. I'm gonna miss his loud voice bellowing through my house. I'm gonna miss those oh-so-corny jokes. We all will miss him. Sleep well, brother. Your legacy is in good hands with me."

From Rolling Stone November 29, 2007

Former Quiet Riot bassist and Las Vegas photographer Kelli Garni has revealed the circumstances surrounding the death of Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin DuBrow, however a cause of death remains undisclosed.

According to Garni's lengthy statement, police at the crime scene "found no signs of foul play and are ruling this an accidental death." Police also believe that DuBrow was dead for roughly six days before being discovered.

Garni said that last Sunday, he was alerted by authorities that DuBrow's home in Vegas had been broken into. While frantically trying to reach DuBrow, Garni discovered that his friend's voicemail was full. Garni then contacted QR drummer Frankie Banali, who also couldn't reach the singer.

The pair reached out to DuBrow's two girlfriends, as he had made separate Thanksgiving plans with both women.

Girlfriend #2 became concerned when DuBrow didn't show, and tried in vain to get in touch with him.

Girlfriend #1, Lark Williams, also became worried, and asked a paramedic friend who lived near DuBrow to check in on the singer.

The paramedic peaked through the windows and saw DuBrow's keys on a counter, broke into the building and discovered DuBrow's body in his own bed.

A coroner still hasn't determined cause of death, which may hold up plans to bury DuBrow in Corona del Mar, California, this Sunday next to the grave of his father.

In the statement, Garni said, "To me, Kevin was my brother for thirty-five years. And like brothers, we had our differences. But many many times over dinner, we discussed how great it was to be able to sit across from each and laugh about all the terrible things we said and did to each other. He was always there for me, and I was always there for him."

Garni's replacement in Quiet Riot, Rudy Sarzo, who left QR to join Ozzy Osbourne's band, told Billboard, "Kevin always enjoyed life — he enjoyed partying and everything that rock'n'roll brought. He had the scream that kicked open the door for the generation of early-Eighties metal. I've been getting a lot of condolences, and everybody has one thing in common — the influence of that Metal Health record. [It] just inspired a whole generation. He was a true rock'n'roll fan."

QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali has posted the following message on his official web site:

"I want to thank everyone for the hundreds of condolences that I've received in honor of Kevin which continues to pour in. With Kevin's passing a very large part of my life and my history has come to end and I can't imagine life without his presence.

"I've not slept. There is such a void in every part of my life now. I can't find any words to say that make any sense of it. I can't fix this, I can't change this and I'm expected accept the unbearable. I can't utter a sentence or think of my dear friend or even say his name without a flood of tears.

"I can't stand that I won't hear his voice on the phone.
I can't stand that I won't step on a stage with him again.
I can't stand that I won't share another day with him.
I can't stand that I won't sit across from him laughing.
I can't stand to go past the room and see the awards we earned and shared.
I can't stand that life is forever changed.
I can't stand that I can't change this.
I can't stand that I have to accept this.

Founding QUIET RIOT bassist Kelly Garni has issued the following statement regarding the shocking death of frontman Kevin DuBrow:

"I want to thank everyone who refrained from jumping to conclusions and starting rumors. This has been a very traumatic tragedy to me and because of the fireworks usually associated with Kevin, I was expecting an avalanche of negativity that both me and Frankie (Banali) usually have to deal with. And I'm happy to say that for the most part, everyone did nothing but express good feelings. Unfortunately what negativity that did occur was internal and while inconvenient, I was able to handle.

On Sunday, while I was working I got a phone call from Kevin's home security company. It was at about 3:15 in the afternoon. I am the only one who gets a call whenever his alarm goes off and usually I go to his house and let the guards in to check things out. However, Kevin had had his front doors replaced a few weeks ago and I did not yet have a key, so I told them to send the guards and if there was a problem I would go there and take care of it. They also told me that Kevin's voice mail was full. That was the first sign of trouble to me.

I got on the phone to Frankie in L.A. and asked if Kevin was with him. He said no and that he hadn't talked to Kevin in about 10 days. He said he thought Kevin was with one of his girlfriends. From there, I started to track her down. I have never met her and only after Frankie gave me her name was I able to find her, which was relativity easy. By now about 10 minutes had passed. She said that Kevin had missed Thanksgiving with her (one of two girls he was supposed to have thanksgiving with. Well, he IS Kevin). She said she had gone to his house and left him many messages without response and that she had a very bad feeling about this. Right then, my other phone rang. I have three phones in my house and little did I know soon all three would be ringing nonstop. I put the phone down on the table with girlfriend #2 still on the line and it was Frankie on the phone. He told me what had happened. I lost all composure at that point and told FB I would call him back.

Now to the other phone where I had the unpleasant task of telling #2 the news. Needless to say she freaked.

GF#1 was Lark Williams who was in San Fran at the time. She was worried about Kevin as well and she had called a paramedic friend of hers to go check on Kevin. The guy happened to be very close to his house. With Lark on the phone, the guy went to Kevin's and was looking into windows and told Lark he could see his keys on the counter. Lark told him to break in immediately. It was a very ballsy and good thing she did. The guy broke in (hence the call from the alarm co.) and found Kev. This all happened in about 20 minutes time. From there, police, fire, everybody was called.

He was found in bed. I talked with a detective who was there and they hadn't even removed Kevin yet. He said, 'We have found no signs of foul play and are ruling this an accidental death.'

Last I heard from Kevin's brother, there was going to be a service this Sunday in Corona del Mar, Caalifornia. Kevin will be buried next to his father. But then I was told that the coroner was still not done so that was kind of up in the air. I have not heard from them since.

Peter Margolis (director) was one of the first people I called. I had had to tell the news to Kevin's brother as well and I really didn't want to go through that again with others who are important in our lives. He was very kind was immediately saddened and said right off he wouldn't wish this on anybody. I read his statement and can say that he did in fact want to work out the differences between Kevin and himself.

From here, I am not going to point out all the other things to you that people say when an icon dies.

Kevin was what he was and he lived his life as such.

To me, Kevin was my brother for 35 years. And like brothers, we had our differences. But many many times over dinner, we discussed how great it was to be able to sit across from each and laugh about all the terrible things we said and did to each other. He was always there for me, and I was always there for him.

The last time I saw him was on our mutually shared birthday, October 29, he gave me a big hug and a really great present. The best present, though, was the hug.

I will miss him terribly. I pray that those who had issues with him don't take this opportunity to celebrate this.

If you knew Kevin well enough to have a beef with him, then you knew him well enough to know he had a very good side to him as well.

Thank you all for all your kindness. Please remember him for the one thing he wanted to be since he was born: A ROCK STAR."

From KTNV Las Vegas Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Police say after a distressed call from family members, Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin Dubrow's next door neighbor and friend kicked down the door to find the 52 year old dead.

Police say Dubrow had been dead for about six days before his body was discovered.

By Gary Burk for the LA Times

The life of Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow, who died at age 52 over the weekend in Las Vegas, had not been on a completely even keel after he'd broken up this month with his girlfriend of more than seven years, Las Vegas television personality and KXPT-FM radio DJ Lark Williams, according to friends saddened Monday by the news of his death.

Nevertheless, "his mood the last couple of months was stable," said former Deep Purple bassist and singer Glenn Hughes, who said he had communicated with DuBrow several times a week since they had become reacquainted after a 2001 performance by Hughes in Las Vegas. "He did not sound agitated or paranoid or anything at all -- he was just normal Kevin," Hughes said. He added that Quiet Riot's recent tour had gone well.

Williams said she didn't think DuBrow had any health problems. "He was as strong as an ox, that boy. He ate well, took a lot of vitamins. He worked out, and of course when he performed it was quite a workout," she said Tuesday from Las Vegas. "He never looked better." She said she had last communicated with him about a week ago by text message, with no indications that anything was awry.

As of Tuesday, the Las Vegas police were not investigating the death as a suspicious one. Samantha Charles, the communications officer with the Clark County coroner's office, said that an autopsy was performed Monday on DuBrow and that official determination of the cause of death would depend on results of toxicology tests, which could take six to 12 weeks.

"With everything that's happening," Williams said, "I'm just trying to take care of Kevin's cats."

He had two of them. Said Hughes: "He was crazy about those cats," and Williams agreed -- she said she and DuBrow had picked them out together.

DuBrow was a regular guest at Hughes' ocean-adjacent Los Angeles home. "He was truly like a little brother to me," Hughes said by phone Tuesday. "He was a very, very sweet, generous, kind, sensitive man. Loud and proud, yes, we all know about that, but there was a very personal side to Kevin that I will miss very, very dearly." Hughes helped write the songs on Quiet Riot's 2006 album, "Rehab," and was working on material for DuBrow's next project.

"There's a myth, I guess, if you're a rock 'n' roller, and you're of an age, you're a partyer," said Hughes, his proper English upbringing sounding in his voice. "But I can report that I never saw Kevin out of control, ever."

Hughes said that the residence in which DuBrow's body was discovered Sunday belongs to DuBrow's mother. The Quiet Riot singer lived alone, Hughes noted, and enjoyed the bachelor life, a predilection that contributed to his split with Williams, a tall blond with a photo-op figure who had helped DuBrow try to adopt a healthier lifestyle in recent years.

DuBrow was expected to fly in Friday night for a party at Hughes' house but uncharacteristically had not been in contact for a week. When he didn't show up or respond to messages, Hughes called Williams on Sunday to ask that authorities investigate.

DuBrow led Quiet Riot to the top of the charts in 1983 with the group's hit "Cum on Feel the Noize," which propelled the group's third album, "Metal Health," to sales of more than 6 million copies.

"He was one of the best singers rock has ever seen," said Blackie Lawless, singer-bassist of the L.A. extreme-metal band WASP, contacted Tuesday while on tour in Germany. "He had a voice like a razor blade that just cut right through you. And that voice is now silent."

"He was one of the first people I ever met when I came to L.A.," said Lawless, adding that he'd kept up the acquaintance for 32 years. "Kevin and I had a unique kinship, because our styles were similar, and we were both the same age. The third gig I ever played in L.A. was with him and Quiet Riot, when [guitarist Randy Rhoads] was still in the band."

"Quiet Riot [was] the first real MTV rock band," Lawless observed. "I always used to tell everybody that when people write rock 'n' roll encyclopedias, you'll see your '64 British invasion, the '56 Elvis chapter and the '69 Haight-Ashbury chapter -- well, L.A. will have its own '82-'83 chapter, and Quiet Riot would really be the beginning of that chapter."

Monday, November 26, 2007

By Steve Reynolds for Premiere Network

Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow has died at the age of 52.

Friends reportedly found his body at his Las Vegas home yesterday. No cause of death has been released yet.

Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali has posted a note on his website confirming DuBrow's death, saying, "I can't even find words to say. Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend."

Quiet Riot shot to fame in 1983 with their album Metal Health, which is recognized as the first heavy metal album to hit number-one and featured the single "Cum on Feel the Noize."

A fan posting on "thevegaseye.com" reported:

Dubrow recently spent a birthday weekend in New Orleans where he ate great food and even caught The Cult at The House of Blues. Kevin loved fine foods and was a true gourmet at heart. Kevin was a true Las Vegas icon and could be spotted eating nightly at any of his favorite Vegas eateries like Carlucci's, Simons Kitchen, The Palm or Messa Grill. DubBrow grew up in Hollywood, California, before settling in the Los Angeles suburb of Van Nuys at age 13. By the time he was in his mid-teens he had developed an appreciation for a number of British rock acts including the Small Faces, Spooky Tooth, Rod Stewart and Humble Pie. It was the latter of those influences that would leave the biggest impact on DuBrow and act as a compass in his musical career.