In an intoxicated altercation, Kelly Garni recounts brandishing a firearm and discharging it towards the ceiling, hoping it would force Randy Rhoads to departure. Surprisingly, Rhoads advanced toward him instead.
In the Shadows of a Rock Icon: Kelly Garni's Raw Tales from the Rock 'n' Roll Underworld
Growing up with the electric guitar titan, Randy Rhoads, assuredly leaves an impression, particularly when you share a band with him, like Kelly Garni, the bassist who co-founded Quiet Riot with Rhoads. Their collaborative history, interwoven with the wild drama of band life, and the notorious clash between Garni and vocalist Kevin DuBrow, ultimately led to a dark chapter in Garni's music journey - a pause that lasted for a couple of decades.
"I was lingering in misery for a while," Garni confesses in a recent conversation with GuitarWorld. "We were stuck... we didn't move forward, we weren't going anywhere, just remixing the same story. There was zero progress. We weren't raking in money, and management doled out a measly allowance every week, which, in my case, was merely $40 to make ends meet.
"Eventually, this endless torment culminated in a rather boozy night. I happened to be at a club called the Cabaret, which caught fire. Seizing the chaos, I decided to help myself to approximately 25 bottles of liquor.
"The next day, I called up Randy and invited him over for a party. 'Hey, the Cabaret burned down, and I looted the bar. I've got all this booze over here. Come and get drunk.' And he did."
While the night began as a casual gathering, it soon escalated into a marathon drinking session, during which the simmering frictions with the band erupted.
"We delved into discussing the Kevin problem. Things spiraled out of control. I pleaded with Randy to leave, but he refused. I lived in a precarious neighborhood in Van Nuys, and firearms were a part of my household security. So, I grabbed a gun hidden in the couch cushion, hoping it would intimidate Randy.
"However, Randy proved to be fearless. He charged right at me. The gun was automatic, and it reloaded and cocked itself. So, to keep it from complicating matters, I chucked it aside and braced myself for a fight."
Rhoads was not the target of the ensuing brawl; instead, it was DuBrow who was in Garni's crosshairs.
"I was hell-bent on resolving this issue. I intended to give Kevin a serious scare, if not end it altogether. I wouldn't have actually killed him, I don't think. But in that moment, I was ready to instill fear and potentially call the cops down upon myself.
"They apprehended me in front of my house, gun in hand, and off to jail I went. Once Kevin and management heard about the entire ordeal, they decided, 'Okay, that's it. He's out. He's too big of a problem.' And with that, my Quiet Riot saga came to an abrupt end."
Leaving Quiet Riot marked the beginning of a new journey for Garni. While Rhoads linked up with Ozzy's crew, Garni embarked on a stark turnaround, shedding his long hair, enrolling in paramedic school, and spending the following decade riding in the back of an ambulance.
"My narrative gets distorted," he admits. "I'm branded as 'the guy who tried to kill Randy Rhoads.' I laugh it off, telling people, 'You weren't there. You don't know.' So, Randy needed to be with better people. After nine years of playing together, it would have been naive to expect a friendly breakup."
Stay tuned for our website's exclusive interview with Quiet Riot's Kelly Garni, coming soon!
- In the midst of his career with the electric guitar legend, Randy Rhoads, Kelly Garni found himself entangled in a dispute with his Quiet Riot bandmate, Kevin DuBrow, an incident that led to a temporary hiatus in Garni's music career.
- Despite his past Association with the world of music, entertainment, and general-news, Kelly Garni's life took an unexpected turn when he swapped his bass guitar for paramedic gear, working in the back of an amp, or ambulance, for a decade.
- Despite the sensational headlines linking him to the attempt on Randy Rhoads' life, Kelly Garni claims that his actions were directed at DuBrow, not Rhoads, hoping to instill fear but not intent on causing harm.
- In the course of his criminal trial, Garni's Quiet Riot saga came to an end, marking the close of his chapter in the world of crime-and-justice, but the start of a new venture in the realm of emergency services.
