R.I.P. Riot Act and ex-Riot guitarist Lou Kouvaris who passed away due to COVID-19 virus
R.I.P. Riot Act and ex-Riot guitarist Lou Kouvaris who passed away due to COVID-19 virus
Very sad news as the reality of the COVID-19 virus dangers is hitting home with former Riot and current Riot Act guitarist Lou Kouvaris having succumbed to the deadly virus.
The following message was posted by The Metal Voice‘s principal Jimmy Kay on his Facebook page earlier today:
“R.I.P. My Dear Friend Lou A Kouvaris (Riot, Riot Act)
A great guitarist, a great human being. I am at a loss of words.
You will be missed so much my brother.
I believed in you and you believed in me
I will keep your music and your spirit alive.
I will not be posting anything else today
PLEASE EVERYONE STAY HOME COVID 19 is F***K SERIOUS
HORNS UP FOR LOU“
Wikipedia states the following (with slight edits) about Riot‘s early years which includes Kouvaris‘ time in the band: “Riot was formed in 1975 in New York City, New York when Kon-Tiki guitarist Mark Reale and drummer Peter Bitelli recruited bassist Phil Feit and vocalist Guy Speranza. The line up recorded a four-track demo, which they hoped would be included in a proposed compilation of new rock bands. While waiting for the project to get off the ground, they added Steve Costello on keyboards.
Reale took the various demos to New York-based producers Billy Arnell and Steve Loeb, who also owned Greene Street Recording Studio and the independent label Fire-Sign Records. Arnell and Loeb turned down the compilation proposal but signed Riot. The band added second guitarist Louie Kouvaris and replaced Feit with Jimmy Iommi, though both bass players participated in the recording of its debut album, Rock City; the record was recorded and produced by Arnell and Loeb and released on their Fire Sign Records. After a promising start and support slots with AC/DC and Molly Hatchet, the band were unable to maintain momentum, and were on the verge of breaking up by 1979.
In that year however, the new wave of British heavy metal broke mainstream, and the band came to the attention of influential DJ Neal Kay who spread the word about them in Britain where fans bought imported copies of Rock City. Encouraged, Arnell and Loeb, now Riot‘s managers, recorded the band’s new album Narita. In the course of recording, Kouvaris was replaced by roadie Rick Ventura.”
Riot Act‘s “Swords & Tequila” (2019 version) video:
RIOT ACT “Swords & Tequila” 2019
RIOT ACT “Swords & Tequila” 2019Watch the debut video from original Riot guitarists Rick Ventura and Lou Kouvaris! Together for the first time performing th…