> SKID ROW: 1986- 1998 <
“BUZZ” Newspaper Article; Jun- Jul 2013 (#28-sR)

Back in 1989, I worked at RecordShop in Valley West Mall in Des Moines, Iowa I was really into the 60s, & really only into the 60s, my co-workers Joe & Rachael were into the current Pop Metal trend, which completely eluded me until I heard this song, they used to play called “Piece Of Me” this one really caught my attention. So I checked into the Cassette (NO ONE bought Vinyls then) read it & listened to this new band ‘SKID ROW’ I was hooked. My then girlfriend (Lori) at the time took me to see SKID ROW, (well she went to see Bon Jovi) in April 1989, they were awesome. So let the journey begin:
> Look At Me < It starts off with one Sebastian (Sebastian Philip Bierk: 3 Apr 1968: Freeport, Bahamas then Ontario) Bach: was the singer in a band 'KID WIKKED' in 1985, "Take A Look At Me" was released on Attic Records, (another song titled "Saved By Love" may have also been released). Bach was asked to audition, in 1987, for a band 'SKID ROW' from Toms River, NJ. Formed in 1986 by: Rachel Bolan (James Richard Southworth: 9 Feb 1966: Point Pleasant, NJ) on Bass with Snake Sabo (David Michael Sabo: 16 Sep 1964: Perth Amboy, NJ) on Guitar & Scotti Hill (Scott Lawrence Mulvehill: 31 May 1964: Manhasset, NY) also on Guitar & Rob Affuso (Robert James Affuso 1 Mar 1963: Newburgh, NY) on Drums & Matt Fallon (Matthew Frankel: 30 Sep 1965: Brooklyn, NY) on Vocals who had just recently left 'ANTRAX'. Sabo & Fallon had once played together in ‘STEAL FORTUNE' while Sabo met Affuso while auditioning for Bon Jovi, Sabo being a long time friend of Bon Jovi & the guitarist in Bon Jovi before Sambora. In fact Bon Jovi has played quite a role in the success of SKID ROW, from publishing to financial. The original SKID ROW opened for Bon Jovi in Dec 1986 on the "Slippery When Wet Tour" however Fallon left SKID ROW in early 1987, which lead to the audition & consequent hiring of Bach. It should be noted that there was a fairly successful Irish band from 1967- 1972 called "Skid Row" which was founded by Brendan Ian "Brush" Shiels (1946: Dublin) that band also had Lynott, Moore & Bell of 'Thin Lizzy' in this same band. There was/is a dispute over payment of the use of this name from 1987. The band was signed to Atlantic Records in 1988 through Doc McGee. Their debut CD “Skid Row” was released in Jan 1989 with the Billboard hits "18 And Life" a #4 Hit & "I Remember You" a #6 Hit. I still feel this is a perfect CD, not a bad track on it. There were 10 other songs demoed for this CD but not used. I was lucky enough to see them on the Bon Jovi "New Jersey Tour" on: 2 April 1989 @ Hilton Ames, Iowa Makin' a Mess Piece of Me Big Guns 18 and Life Can't Stand the Heartache Rattlesnake Shake I Remember You Here I Am Youth Gone Wild Some things I remember about this concert, the narrow margin of the stage SKID ROW was able to use, & the way the 4 front members whipped their heads around, their long hair looked like windmills & Bach kept punting beers into the crowd. I interviewed Hill & Sabo in Jun 2003, Hill "That 1st CD was written long before I was in the band. That 1st tour with Bon Jovi really brought us to the masses; I don't know that we would have been as big as we were without that tour". Later that year SKID ROW along with other bands McGee managed at that time were part of the "Moscow Peace Festival" SKID ROW opened the festival on 12 Aug 1989 ,a VHS only, was released of this festival something to note; "Holidays In The Sun" was 1 of the 6 songs performed at this concert. I remember when the VHS came out; our store was constantly asked for 'Gorky Park' 1 of the other bands at the festival. > Can You Scream < Back in the olden days VHS releases were part of a band's ‘Record Deal’ & contract releases, concert videos were insanely popular back then, with VHS & Laserdisc being the only 2 formats available, for example SKID ROW released 5 CDs & 3 VHS titles during their stint on Atlantic Records. So the band's next release was a VHS only "Oh, Say Can You Scream" released in Dec 1990 a concert video of 12 songs including "Cold Gin" "Train Kept A Rollin" & "Blitzkrieg Bop" with 3 music videos at the end. Then after what seemed like forever their 2nd CD "Slave To The Grind" was released in Jun 1991, now while the "Metal Dudes" love this CD, it is a break away from the "Pop Metal" genre of the 1st CD, the song "Wasted Time" hit #88 on the charts. I personally, thought it was terrible with only a few songs I felt listenable "Psycho Love" probably being the best track on here. Interestingly enough 2 versions of the CD were made, 1 for "Discount Stores" containing the song "Beggar's Day" the other for "Recordstores" containing the song "Get The F*** Out". The re-issue contains bonus tracks including "Get The F*** Out" (Live). Bach's father painted the CD cover. There were 2 other songs demoed for this CD but not used. The band embarked on a headlining tour with their biggest concert on 18 Jan 1992 Sao Paulo Brazil @ Estádio do Pacaembu a 16 song set including "Psycho Therapy", this concert was broadcast on TV in Latin America so it was readily available @ "RecordShows" (like the 1 held @ the VFW every 2 months in MPLS). Hill: "Why is the 2nd CD so different from the 1st, good question, most of the 1st album was written before 1988, whereas all of the 2nd was written on the road, music had changed, our tastes had changed & we had Sebastian in the band who was more heavy metal than Fallon." > Edgy & Mean < The next CD release is "B-Side Ourselves" in Sep 1992 a 5 song cover EP. About this same time Sabo wrote a song”Do Ya Wanna Touch Me Now" with Paul Stanley of KISS, originally to be used on KISS' "Revenge" CD, however the song remains unreleased. It has been my experience most bands in any genre have a zenith of about 18 to 26 months, I feel SKID ROW certainly falls into this category, because their next 2 releases will be VHS only, "Road Kill" a 2nd concert video with a 3-D music video released in Oct 1993 & then the following month of Nov "No Frills Video" is released, again VHS only, a collection of 7 music videos. After taking quite some time off "Subhuman Race" is released in Mar 1995 unfortunately at the height of "Grunge" this CD goes relativity unnoticed. The song "Breakin Down" is used as the title track to "Prophecy" a religious, Sci-Fi, Horror film released in Sep 1995. Now I, personally feel this CD is twice as good as the 2nd CD, but yet not as good as the 1st. Tracks that stand out for me "Into Another" "My Enemy" & "Frozen". Later in 1995 Japanese only CD "Subhuman Beings On Tour" was released with several live tracks. Sabo: "How did 'Breakin Down' come about, well, I'd like to tell you it was some great story, but it's not, I was watching a movie on TV one night, & I thought the soundtrack sucked, so I wrote this song I thought would have worked better, I can't even tell you what movie it was" Hill: "Strings I use live, I use .012 gauge on my high E, they stay in tune better and are really hard to break in concert" Sometime in 1996 SKID ROW was offered an opening slot for a KISS: New Year's Eve concert, Bach was all for it Bolan was totally against it, as Bolan had a side project, a punk band "Prunella Scales" who were playing at that time which interfered with the schedule, this band released 1 CD "Dressing Up The Idiot" in 1997. Bach was fired after an argument with Bolan ensued over passing up this opening slot for a side project. Hill: "Bach, yea he's a great guy til something bothers him, then it really starts to bother him" > You Lie Alone < Bach put together a Supergroup in 1996 "The Last Hard Men" with Kelley Deal; Guitar: Breeders, Jimmy Flemion; Guitar: Frogs & Jimmy Chamberlin; Drums: Smashing Pumpkins they released 1 CD under the same name, originally only 1000 copies in 1998, then remixed & released in 2001 on Spitfire Records. I saw ‘Bach & Friends’ on this tour in Des Moines, Iowa @ The Edge in Dec 1997 with Flemion, Richie Scarlet (Frehley's Comet) Bam Bam & Larry (Fisher: Sonic Seducers) on Bass. I was able to interview Bach after the show, I found him very cool & passionate Bach: "What happened with SKID ROW? I just couldn't work it out with those guys" Me "I couldn't help but notice you are stone cold sober when you're up there, cuz it takes one to know one" Bach: "This guy is awesome, thank you for noticing, most people think I'm a drugged out fool up there, you gotta have your wits about you to pull of the kind of show I do, sure I might have a drink but only, after the show, thank you, thank you for noticing, what tipped you off to this?" Me: “When you said, ‘Ok, who took my setlsit, sure it makes a great souvenir, but it kinda makes it hard to do the show” Bach: “(laughs) Right on, man” The final CD of the original band "40 Seasons" was released in Japan 1st in early 1998 & then in USA in Nov 1998, this CD is noteworthy because it contains the songs "Forever" & "Fire In The Hole" found only on this CD as well as remixes of 4 other songs. Rob Affuso left the band after a brief tour, where the remaining 4 members went out as "Ozone Monday" Bolan to me on the past SKID ROW lineup "F*** that, no comment" Both camps continued separately SKID ROW hired Johnny Solinger (7 Aug 1965: Texas) to replace Bach with 5 different drummers to date, including Phil Varone (15 Oct 1967: Long Island, NY. Saigon Kick) from 2000- 2004. They released 3 CDs; 'Thick Skin” 2003, “Revolutions Per Minute” 2006 & “United World Rebellion” 2013. I have seen this version of the band 3 times in 2000 & once in 2003. While the musicianship & the energy are there, the attitude is not, sans Bach. Affuso has said he would not rejoin the band without Bach. Bach continued solo releasing 5 CDs & 1 DVD, which are "Bring 'Em Bach Alive!" 1999, "Bach 2: Basics" 2001, "Forever Wild" (DVD) 2004 "Angel Down" 2007, "Kicking & Screaming" 2011 & "ABachalypse Now" 2013 as well as appearing on the Broadway stage, Reality TV, Cartoons & TV Series. Bach is a born "Personality" & has done quite well for himself. Never say never, while I think it is unlikely Bach will reunite with SKID ROW, even if they do it will never be like their heyday from 1989-1993, as they are older now & not some youth gone wild from New Jersey. Make no mistake if they do, I will be there .... By: RLSchwinden: MrZERo 1744 Lexington Ave. N. St. Paul, MN. 55113 *Est. 2009 www.MrZeros.Com