Biography
Kevin DuBrow (October 29, 1955 – c. November 19, 2007) was an American rock singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Quiet Riot from 1973 until his death in 2007. During Quiet Riot's commercial heyday in the 1980s, DuBrow was known for his on-stage charisma, black-and-white striped microphone stand, gravelly bluesy voice, and suspenders. On December 10, 2007, media reports stated that DuBrow was pronounced dead on the afternoon of November 25, 2007, and was later determined to have died of a cocaine overdose.
DuBrow grew up in Hollywood, California and attended Laurel Elementary School before settling in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Van Nuys at age 13. DuBrow was raised Jewish and had the nickname "Butch" growing up. DuBrow's first band consisted of 11-year-olds that played only one gig to an audience of senior citizens who were not particularly fond of rock music. 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, Slade, 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.