In a new interview with Australia’s Heavy, former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach spoke about his upcoming tour of Australia where he will perform the band’s debut album in its entirety. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “ Well, we actually did that [in America] way back in 2019, ’cause it was the 30th anniversary [of the album’s release]; it came out in 1989. And we were booked to play Australia in 2020, but then [the coronavirus pandemic] happened, so we couldn’t leave the house. And we have not been back since. And the promoter was, like, ‘Please, please give us that tour,’ ’cause everybody was excited about it and it never happened. So we’re only doing this in Australia. This is only for Australia, because it was already gonna happen, and then it couldn’t happen. So we’re gonna do it.”
Sebastian continued: “The first record is only 45 minutes long, so that’s not a full show. So we’ll be doing new songs from my new [solo] record, ‘Child Within The Man’. We’ll be doing a couple songs from ‘Slave To The Grind’. We’ve got some really good new songs. ‘What Do I Got To Lose’ is the closest thing that I’ve had to a hit in 35 years. People love that tune. The video is almost two million views, which is double platinum in my day. [Laughs] So, we’ve got some great new songs, and people love the first record, ‘Skid Row’.”
Bach added: “We only have one life. We’ve gotta make the most of it. So we’re gonna give you the tour.”
Asked if he had any “difficulties” relearning some of the songs from SKID ROW‘s debut album after not performing them for so long, Sebastian said: “Well, there’s certain notes that are very challenging. We actually in America did another tour that we did [SKID ROW‘s second] album ‘Slave To The Grind’ in its entirety with 40 cities. [It’s] crazy how much I’ve done this. But what I learned — when you said, ‘Was it challenging relearning the first record?’ — I learned that the first record was more about singing and ‘Slave To The Grind’ was more about screaming. [Laughs] A song like ‘Livin’ On A Chain Gang’ off ‘Slave’, that is just me screaming at the top of my lungs for the whole song. On the first record, there’s more pop sensibility. ‘Slave To The Grind’, I think, is way more metal, for sure. But the first record, ‘Skid Row’, it captures a real innocence about us as a band and about the times, 1989. It has a real innocent quality to it.”
Bach‘s five-date tour of Australia will kick off on November 21 in Perth and conclude on November 29 in Brisbane.
Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave “Snake” Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Erik Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T. Grönwall, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021, left SKID ROW in March 2024, saying that it had become increasingly “difficult to prioritize” his health and full recovery as the lead singer of the group.
Bach‘s current touring band includes his son Paris Bach on drums, “Bruiser” Brody DeRozie on guitar, and Fede Delfino on bass.
2024 was a remarkable year for the singer, songwriter, author, Broadway star and actor. “Child Within The Man” — his first album in more than 10 years — was well-received, with Associated Press saying “…it shows a fierce performer in prime fighting form…his vocals remain sharp and his songwriting talents as cunning as ever,” while Ultimate Classic Rock noted: “Bach‘s voice has lost none of its rage or range, even in the highest registers…” In addition, the album’s “(Hold On) To The Dream” track was included in Consequence‘s “30 Best Metal & Hard Rock Songs Of 2024” which described the song as “…a late-career masterpiece from the former SKID ROW singer. Baz hits some of the highest notes of his career on the sweeping ballad, an inspiring anthem about perseverance.”
On the touring front, Sebastian performed a record 91 shows in 2024. The dates included two successful North American tours — one around the release of the album, followed by another leg of fall shows — and a series of overseas appearances just before the album’s release.
In January, Sebastian was back on TV when he appeared on Food Network‘s “Worst Cooks In America Celebrity Edition: Heroes vs. Villains”. In addition, last June Sebastian was the subject of an A&E “Biography: Rock Legends” special. This follows his 2023 appearance as “Tiki” on Fox‘s “The Masked Singer”.
“Child Within The Man” has yielded the following singles/videos, all of which have impacted the rock charts: “Freedom”, “What Do I Got To Lose?”, “Everybody Bleeds” and “(Hold On) To The Dream” (along with the “(Hold On) To The Dream” alternate video),“Future Of Youth” and “To Live Again”.
“Child Within The Man” was recorded in Orlando, Florida; produced and mixed by Michael “Elvis” Baskette; engineered by Jef Moll, assistant engineered by Josh Saldate and mastered by Robert Ludwig of Gateway Mastering. Bach wrote or co-wrote all the album’s 11 tracks and sang all lead and backing vocals.
“Child Within The Man” features guest appearances from John 5 (MÖTLEY CRÜE, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON),Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and Orianthi (ALICE COOPER, MICHAEL JACKSON) — who all co-wrote their respective tracks with Bach — and two tracks co-written with ALTER BRIDGE‘s Myles Kennedy (“What Do I Got to Lose?” and “To Live Again”). Devin Bronson (guitars),Todd Kerns (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums) round out the players on the album.
Prior to “Child Within The Man”‘s arrival, Bach hadn’t released a full-length disc since “Give ‘Em Hell”, which came out in March 2014.
