Riot - Live In America: Official Bootleg Box Set Vol 3 1981-1988 [CD]

This 6CD set features a poster that includes informative liner notes from Classic Rock magazine's Malcolm Dome. Whilst every effort has been made to produce the best possible audio, limitations in the material drawn from various, non-standard, and unoffical sources means that the quality may not be up to the standard usually expected. All tracks have been included for their historical importance, and to present an alternative anthology of RIOT from 1981-1988.

Riot formed in 1975, in New York City, when Kon-Tiki guitarist Mark Reale and drummer Peter Bitelli teamed up with bassist Phil Feit and vocalist Guy Speranza. Recording a four-track demo, they added Steve Costello on keyboards, and subsequently picked up by New York producers Billy Arnell and Steve Loeb, who owned the independent label Fire-Sign Records.

In some respects, Riot's story is one of what might have been, and to some degree, a band not quite at the right place at the right time. What this 6 CD collection of live recordings and demos does offer is a unique and raw insight into this influential and cult hard rock and heavy metal band, as they cemented their reputation as a live draw across America in the 1980s.

Riot formed in 1975, in New York City, when Kon-Tiki guitarist Mark Reale and drummer Peter Bitelli teamed up with bassist Phil Feit and vocalist Guy Speranza. Recording a four-track demo, they added Steve Costello on keyboards, and subsequently picked up by New York producers Billy Arnell and Steve Loeb, who owned the independent label Fire-Sign Records.

Adding second guitarist Louie Kouvaris, whilst replacing Feit with Jimmy Iommi on bass, they released their debut "Rock City" in 1977. But by 1979, on the verge of splitting up, they were thrown a lifeline by highly influential New Wave Of British Heavy Metal DJ, Neal Kay, who set about promoting Riot in the UK. Re-engerized, the band issued second LP, "Narita" in 1979, at which point Kouvaris was replaced by their roadie, Rick Ventura.

Signing to major label Capitol Records, this led to a UK tour in 1980 supporting Sammy Hagar, and eventually a slot at the legendary inaugral Monsters of Rock heavy metal festival at Castle Donington the same year, on a bill featuring Saxon, Judas Priest, Scorpions and Rainbow.

Officially licensed from the archives of the Mark Reale estate, "Live In America: The Official Bootleg Box Set Volume 3 (1981-1988)" kicks off with a show recorded at the legendary Long Island club My Father's Place in Roslyn, NY on 15th September 1981, whilst the band was promoting the Elektra Records release, "Fire Down Under". The album is featured almost in its entirety, including `Swords And Tequila', `Feel The Same', `Outlaw' and the title track. As a bonus, CD1 finishes with rare basement rehearsal tapes of `Warrior', a cover of Montrose's `I Got The Fire' and `We'll Make It'.

A little over two years later, Riot found themselves at Wolfgangs in San Francisco, on 27th December 1983, with the band supporting the independently released "Born In America" LP. `Wings Of Fire', `Running From The Law', `Devil Woman' and `Vigilante Killer', as well as the title track, feature from the new record.

Less than a week later Riot could be found playing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA on 2nd January 1984, performing a set that is unsurprisingly very similar to one captured at Wolfgangs on CD2, closing with the classic, `Altar Of The King'.

A five year gap separated the release of 1983's "Born In America" and 1988's "ThunderSteel", during which time they did play at famed Los Angeles club, The Roxy, with a set featuring `Hard Lovin' Man', `Outlaw' and the self-explanatory "heavy Metal Machine'. CD4 finishes with two bonus demo tracks, `Liar' and `Warrior' both from 1988.

By the time they hit Hallettsville in Texas in August 1988, they'd released the "ThunderSteel" album, from which `Fight Or Fall', `Flight Of The Warrior', `On Wings Of Eagles', `Johnny's Back', `Bloodstreets', `Run For Your Life' and `Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart)' were taken. Classics `Fire Down Under', `Outlaw' and `Swords And Tequilla' represented something for the older fans.

This anthology finishes with a CD of some rarely heard Riot demos, including `Buried Alive', `Faded Hero', `Medicine Man' and `Breathren Of The Long House'.