Steve Riley (January 22, 1956 – October 24, 2023) was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with Keel, W.A.S.P., and L.A. Guns.
Career
Riley was born and raised in the Boston suburb of Revere, Massachusetts. After graduating high school in the 1970s, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career. In 1979, he joined a revival of Steppenwolf, but the lineup broke up later that year.
Riley joined up-and-coming L.A. band Keel and recorded their breakthrough album The Right to Rock with them in 1984. Later that year, Riley departed Keel to replace founding member Tony Richards in W.A.S.P., another L.A. band whose debut album had recently achieved gold status in sales. As a member of W.A.S.P., Riley performed on the albums The Last Command, Inside the Electric Circus, and Live... in the Raw. Vocalist Ron Keel has described Riley as "driven to succeed and to play". Keel applauded Riley's decision to leave his band for the opportunity with W.A.S.P., saying "I mean, you've got to be ready for those opportunities when they knock". Keel and Riley had remained friends. He appeared on the albums Cocked & Loaded, and Hollywood Vampires.
Riley was fired from the band in 1992 Subsequently, Riley created his own version of L.A. Guns in 2019. This version released an album, Renegades, through Golden Robot Records. Following lawsuits over the band name, a settlement was reached in April 2021, allowing this band to continue as Riley's L.A. Guns.
Riley also starred as Billy the Bartender in the 2021 American horror slasher film, Blackstock Boneyard directed by Andre Alfa.
Personal life
Riley had a wife named Mary Louise and a son named Cole. He also had two brothers named Michael and Daniel. He was a passionate fan of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Celtics, and was described by his family as a "World War II buff".