During a recent appearance on the Going Off Track podcast, Rachel Bolan shared Skid Row’s strategy for releasing ‘Monkey Business’ in 1991.
“We came up with ‘Monkey Business,'” the bassist started his words about the song. “It went breaker in two weeks, so we had a certified hip. Before we even released the second single or even thought of the second single, the radio jumped on ‘Quicksand Jesus.'”
Then, he shared his reaction to the success, “And I was like, ‘This is great. This is awesome.’ Somebody, I think our manager, said we shouldn’t release that song second. I’m like, ‘The radio’s already playing it. Don’t we see what’s going on?'”
“So, someone came up with the fantastic idea. ‘Why don’t you and Snake start calling and ask them not to play it until we decide on a single?’ I’m like, ‘Are you serious?’ So did as I was told. And we called. [Asked radio stations] to not play the song because we were coming with a different single,” Bolan further explained.
He added, “I had one guy yell at me. I forget which market it was, but it was a major market. He goes, ‘Are you out of your f*cking mind?’ And I go, ‘Yeah, I think so.'”
Skid Row released ‘Monkey Business’ in June 1991 as the first single from their second album ‘Slave to the Grind.’ It was written by Bolan and Dave Sabo. The song was the album’s biggest hit, according to Billboard. It reached Number 13 on the US Album Rock Tracks chart and Number 19 on the UK Singles Chart but did not make the Billboard Hot 100.
The group parted ways with their singer Erik Grönwall last year. Altough Lzzy Hale performed with Skid Row in the next four shows, she didn’t permanently join the band. Skid Row hasn’t decided on their new lead vocalist yet. They have no scheduled shows yet.
