As reported last week, GUY SPERANZA, the original voice for RIOT has passed away in a Florida hospital due to pancreatic cancer. Speranza fronted the band from their beginnings in Brooklyn, New York in early 1976. His unmistakable vocal style can be heard on Rock City (1977), Narita (1979) and the unsurpassed gem Fire Down Under (1981). Speranza was 47 years old. BraveWords.com passes heartfelt condolences to Speranza's family, friends and fans. Riot guitarist and torch-bearer through the years Mark Reale talked to BW&BK to offer his perspective. "It's just really daunting. I'm shocked. But I knew he was ill for quite some time now. I was speaking with his wife periodically. He was actually diagnosed last April, and I think I found out shortly after that. And I spoke with him numerous times on the phone. And a lot of old people came out of the woodwork, people I hadn't seen for over 20 years, people who used to hang out with us when we used to play in my basement in Brooklyn. But yeah, the last couple of weeks, the news I was getting was that he was in the hospital and things were looking rough." "But the thing is, when I think of him, I think of him from 1980, when we were young and all that stuff was happening. So aside from the fact that he sang in the band, everything I've done up until now, is based on what we did, that record we made (ed. Fire Down Under). It gave us some kind of cult notoriety so to speak, and I was able to carry on based on that foundation. So it's a big loss to me in that sense as well. First of all, as a singer, he was unique, and I thought he was a great singer. When we used to play back in the old days, we would have block parties on the weekends in the neighborhood where we lived, and they would have bands playing. And I saw him playing; he was in a different band and he was like a local hero. And I saw him singing at one block party and I saw the girls reacting to him, and he had the charisma, the look, the voice. And I turned to my partner, and said 'Hey, if we can get this guy, we can go places.'" Tragically, in closing, Mark revealed that the doctors had told Guy's wife that he thought there was a good chance his cancer was caused by the chemicals Guy had handled for 20 years in his profession as an exterminator. Guy is also survived by two daughters, aged 17 and 20. (special report by Martin Popoff)
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
1 - strat massive
Riot's "Fire Down Under" is one of the best Hard Rock albums of the 80's. Primarily because of Guy Speranza's great song writing and great singing.
Rest In Peace, Guy.
2 - Anthony D
I have been a fan of Hard Rock/Heavy Metal for years, I'm 39 now and I must say that if it was not for the band RIOT I probably would have lost interest a long time ago. All the vocalists of RIOT have been great, but Speranza was my favorite. The melodies and harmony that this band have generated through the years can only be hopelessly imitated by others. FIRE DOWN UNDER forever
3 - Matt Fox
Wow - just read this, and I'm crushed. Fire Down Under really is one of the most underrated metal albums ever, and Guy Speranza was an underappreciated treasure in an era that valued style over substance. RIP.
Matt
4 - N
My sincere condolences to Guy's family.
May he live on forever through the brilliant FDU.
God bless his soul.
5 - Mike
I'd been praying and hoping that the original group would reform for one more tour. In fact, I was talking to the owner of a store that sells rare and hard to find CD's (e.g Narita) and when I came back to work to search online, I learned of Guy's death.
He is THE voice of Riot and always will be.....
6 - Roseann Malmgren
I was schocked to hear about Guy - we go way back (the early 70's). I was at all the church dances. block parties and battle of the bands with his cousin Michael. I send my condolences to the whole family. I have many fond memories on East 52nd Street.
7 - Joe Tammaro
I was very saddened to hear about Guy's passing. I haven't' seen him since our high school days, but I followed his career with Riot. He was a great person who had the nicest personality. I feel vey badly that I was not able to speak with him or visit with him before he left us. He will surely be missed.
8 - ted terrazas
im just now being aware of guys passing..did not know whats been goin on. some time now..i played bass in my younger days (im 42).. i recently downloaded a performance of theirs on you tube ..and got me to thinking bout him..after looking him up.. i was completely shocked to find out about his passing..he and his band were a great influence in my musician days..god bless you guy...and your survivors...rest in peace my friend
9 - MYCHE
Here is a "Guy" that decided to live a normal life in the real world and sadly enough, might have been better off in the Rock and Roll business.
I am an X plumber and have probably been exposed to many chemicals as well as asbestos.
Happy 2008 everyone - I just uploaded a RIOT (
audio) video on youtube
Peace, MYCHE
10 - Omar Adames
I Always remember riot with Guy Speranza like one
of the best Hard Rock Bands of the 80's specially
the powerfull album Fire Down Under that easilly
was face to face with albums that time like Heaven and Hell fron Sabbath and Killer from Maiden. IT'S FOR SURE A BIG LOST RIP.
11 - Lou
Saw and heard RIOT for the first time open for RUSH in Dec. 1981. Totally blown away.
Have EVERY early RIOT on vinyl and still spin them on my turntable. My thoughts and prayers always with the Speranza family and his friends. The man was such an awesome rock n roll front man and above all an awesome family man. His music will live forever on my stereo.
12 - andy fox
i went to see riot at the manchester appolo on their fire down under tour what a brilliant concert it was they out shone the headliners-saxon
guy had a very unique brilliant voice, the only front man for riot in my eyes. such a SAD tragic loss to the world.
13 - Luís Gonzalo Ramírez Pérez.
I live in Venezuela, I´m a philosopher and a poet, I´m 42, I really love heavy metal from the 80´s. Fire down under is practically my favourite heavy disc; the reason: Guy Speranza voice. I dón´t think so anyone in the world has anything bad to say against this wonderful vocalist. I love his voice, I love Riot. God bless Guy´s soul. whereever he is, we hope his voice will keep singing as here on earth.
14 - Chris Lieck
I lived in San Antonio, prior to my move to Hollywood, and in my young years as a rocker met and saw GUY SPERANZA sing about 6 times. The last time was a bad rainy night at Randy's Rodeo touring FIRE DOWN UNDER. First let me say he was one of the most talented singers I have ever heard on record or seen live. He could written his own ticket with good management but even at 16, while backstage at the TEXAS THEATRE concert, where we briefly met, I could tell the band was terribly mis-guided and mis-managed. It was incredibly obvious. He was the STAR of the show and on RADIO his voice was incredible... Could have done metal or Broadway. Reminded me of REX.... but more distinct... The real story here is that he left right before they could have broken-out. Never would have happened with the team they had but had a Sid Bernstien or QPRIME taken over .. he would of done very well. They had already gone through the tough years and had three records... Great movie if someone wrote the screenplay.. QUITS to get married or goes to work.. at a job that may have contributed to his demise... but then he has a wonderful family life and that is all that matters.. The road is a hell-hole. So I can safely say he blew HAGAR literally off the stage.. HAGAR was not on and was not a good front man but GUY was. The time before RANDY'S RODEO show I saw them open for AC/DC at the SAN ANTONIO CONVENTION CENTER... They looked confused and sounded bad but GUY was on... Kid from NY... mid 70's in the midst of DISCO.. goes out gets a deal ... tours... and at the end of one road.. lies another .. takes it.. never to return to the one of the strongest talents he had.. first a father ... then a singer.. but first he was a singer..... and always to his fans will be that... A great rock singer...
15 - Steve R.
I was in junior high when I bought the Fire Down Under cassette tape. Oh my. It changed my life. I liked hard rock/metal, but this was something beyond anything I had ever heard. This is still in my top 3 best Albums ever (It's number 1). Truely amazing album.
16 - Stef
Only just found out this news and I'm shocked and saddened. We used to see Riot a lot here in England in the early 1980s. They were usually support band and they usually blew the headline band away. I've always been puzzled why they didn't make it (although they did make it in my mind). Fire Down Under is a classic and I was really happy a couple of years ago when I tracked down a CD copy of the album. Thanks Guy and thanks Riot.
17 - mike
Riot were and still are a great band. My condolences to the Speranza family and all who knew him.
18 - Joe LaRusso
I grew up with Guy Speranza in the Flatlands neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. We were in grammar school together--Mary Queen of Heaven, on East 57th Street. I have memories of hanging out with Guy when we were kids, and listening to music--conventional choices for kids that grew up in the 60s: the Stones, Beatles, Who, Doors, Santana, etc. Guy was among a group of classmates that had started playing in 1968-70, when we were all about 12-14. They practiced three-chord rock in basements, and performed at the occasional school dance. The name of the sometime band was "Barbarian"--maybe an indication of the influence metal was beginning to have on my peers. I have a clear memory, for example, of Guy telling me I had to check out this album--the eponymous "Black Sabbath" album from February 1970. Guy was listening to it non-stop. I remember the first track started out with the sound of falling rain and distant thunder, which I thought was interesting, but after giving it a polite listen I didn't understand why Guy thought the record was so great. I’m sure Guy’s fans are glad he did. In 1970 we all went on to different high schools, and I saw Guy less after that. My family moved out of the neighborhood in 1972, when Guy and I were 16, and I lost touch with him altogether at that point. At the time that I left I don't recall that he was performing, or that he even expressed an interest in performing professionally, so it must have been in the four years between 16 and 20 that he turned himself into an artist. It was only recently that I found out that he'd achieved a measure of success with Riot. I’ve never been into Metal, so I wouldn't have discovered this without the wonder of the Internet. It was only today, again via the Internet, that I found out that Guy died in the Autumn of 2003--at much, much too young an age. I'm glad to know that he'd become a family man--not because I think it's the right choice for everyone, but it seems a fitting choice for the Guy I remember. He came from a closely-knit, traditional Italian (and Italian-speaking) family, and I’m guessing those values were in his protoplasm. I've read elsewhere that he left Riot for religious reasons, but again I'd have to guess that the religious values Guy grew up with--traditional Catholic--were the medium that supported the family he grew up in, and the values he opted for when he started his own family. I'll throw in a final tidbit--a conversation I remember having with my mother about Guy when we were about 12-14. I'm passing it along because I've read that Mike Reale recruited Guy because he was charismatic, and because it seemed to Reale that girls responded to Guy. Guy had just left my house after a visit and my mother said, "I bet the girls make a big fuss over Guy." I asked her what she meant, because he was about as pimpled and unsuccessful with girls as I was. "He has beautiful eyes." I remember asking her again what she meant. When she realized I didn't get it, she just said something like, "Well, if they're not making a fuss over him yet, they will be soon enough." My mother--prescient as always. If any of Guy’s family read this, please accept my condolences and best wishes. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
19 - Loren Rohrich
One of my true Idols and a true heavy metal hero