Bach’s tenure as frontman of Skid Row came to an end in 1996 after his dismissal. Instead of disbanding, the band took a hiatus and later played under the name Ozone Monday. But even after all these years, Sebastian Bach does not rule out the possibility of a reunion. At the same time, he also noted that he was not in touch with his former bandmates. Speaking to New Jersey radio station WDHA about the issue, Bach explained:
“There’s really no reason why the original Skid Row cannot reunite. And the reason I say that is because we’re all still alive and we’re all healthy. And I really think the reason that that has never happened is just business. You can’t be mad at somebody that you haven’t been in a room with since 1996.”
Skid Row was reassembled in 1999 with a lineup that included bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave ‘Snake’ Sabo and Scotti Hill, drummer Rob Hammersmith, and various lead vocalists over the years.
Dave Sabo Not Interested In A Reunion With Bach
Sabo has left his Bach fronted Skid Row years behind him. Earlier this year, Sabo explained that the idea of reuniting with Bach was out of the question for the band at that point. Contrary to Bach’s words, Sabo has a reason not to get back together. Speaking to the We Go To 11 Podcast in January, Skid Row guitarist said:
“It’s not even a part of any sort of thought process. This is Skid Row. And that conversation is 23 years old (since Skid Row reformed without Bach.) And I have no desire to… I’m not interested; none of us are. It comes down to happiness, and we’re really, really, really happy where we’re at and how the band sounds and feels. I love playing our music, and I love playing it with the guys that we’re playing it now with. And so I don’t want to change that. I’m in a great place personally, and I think we’re all in a great place as a collective.”
Skid Row Has Changed Their Vocalist Again
After Sebastian Bach’s departure from Skid Row in 1996, Skid Row has had many line-up changes in the vocalist position. The first was Johnny Solinger, who joined the band in 1999. Solinger continued as the lead singer until April 2015, the longest-lasting of the later vocalists. He was eventually replaced by former TNT vocalist Tony Harnell, but Harnell’s run with the band lasted only about eight months. In January 2017, ZP Theart, from DragonForce, was announced as the frontman after initially joining as a touring member. Theart’s stint lasted until March 2022, when he was replaced by Erik Grönwall.
In an interview with Guitar World in 2022, Sabo discussed the impact of Erik Grönwall joining the band. He praised Grönwall, saying that his sound, look and vibe fit seamlessly into Skid Row’s identity. Sabo said:
“Man, Erik has been huge. His sound, his look, and his vibe are exactly what we needed and very much in keeping with Skid Row. And he’s got an incredible story of his own; through that, he’s grown into an absolute beast of a singer. With his positivity, electricity, humility, and gratitude, I cannot say enough good things about Erik and what he’s meant to this band since he joined. He is one of the coolest people I’ve ever met, and he fits in like he’s been with us for decades.”
He also responded to the Grönwall – Sebastian Bach comparisons by repeating that they did not need a reunion with Bach. He continued:
“People will compare, and we hear people calling for reunions all the time, but there’s no need. Even before Erik, we never felt a need to go there. Things happened the way they did, and things had gotten very toxic by the end of a certain period in our history. There’s a reason we didn’t look back despite getting far away from who we are. Even if we were far away from that place, we knew going back to something that didn’t work was not something that would make Skid Row better.”
You can listen to Sebastian Bach’s full interview with New Jersey radio station WDHA below.
