With reunion tours becoming an increasingly common reality in classic rock, Sebastian Bach is once again questioning why SKID ROW remains the exception.
In a recent appearance on The Metal Voice, the former SKID ROW singer reacted to the news of legendary Canadian acts TRIUMPH and RUSH returning to the stage, expressing genuine excitement—while also drawing an unavoidable comparison to his own former band’s ongoing divide.
Bach spoke enthusiastically about TRIUMPH’s upcoming reunion tour, tying it back to his earliest memories as a young music fan growing up in Peterborough, Ontario. A single image in a local record shop left a lasting impression on him.
“I’m happy for TRIUMPH. I think it’s incredible. I’ve always loved TRIUMPH,” Bach said. “I bought a ticket when I was like 10 years old to the Peterborough Memorial Center. I saw the poster of TRIUMPH on the wall at A&A Records and Tapes in the Peterborough Square and it was the poster of Gil Moore on the drum kit with his hand up in the air and then there was pyro going off and Rik Emmett was playing his double neck. I thought, I got to go to this show.”
That concert experience, he explained, became formative—particularly because of drummer Gil Moore’s commanding presence onstage.
“I couldn’t believe it when Gil Moore came down off the drum throne and started talking to the crowd because I never saw a drummer do that. Moore said, ‘Hey, Peterborough, what’s going on?’ and I was like, ‘Oh, he’s the drummer. Like, how’s that happening right now?’ I thought Rik Emmett was going to be talking to the crowd. No, Gil’s in charge. So, I love the band. I’ve always loved a band. Well, I was happy to be part of the tribute album, Magic Power. I got to do ’24 Hours A Day’ and then ‘Rock And Roll Machine’.”
While Bach’s reflections began on a celebratory note, they eventually circled back to a familiar frustration. Watching bands with long and complicated histories find a way to reunite has only intensified his confusion over SKID ROW’s continued refusal to do the same—particularly when it comes to his relationship with bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist Dave “Snake” Sabo.
“And when I see TRIUMPH get together, I’m like, ‘Hey, Snake and Rachel, what do you think of the Triumph tour? What do you think? What are your opinions on this? Well, if TRIUMPH is going back on tour and RUSH is going back on tour, what is our problem? Like what the heck’s wrong with us?’ Like it’s just silly.”
Still, Bach made it clear that while the situation remains disappointing, he isn’t putting his career on hold in hopes of reconciliation.
“I mean, but I’m not waiting around either at the same time. I got my own band. I got my own albums and I play tons of shows. I’m extremely busy.”
SKID ROW parted ways with Bach back in 1996, and despite multiple lineup changes and public back-and-forth over the years, a reunion with the charismatic vocalist has never materialized.
During a last year’s appearance on Get On The Bus, Bach openly shared his regrets regarding his music career, primarily focusing on the enduring separation of his former band. Bach, who fronted the successful heavy metal group from 1987 to 1996, expressed his bewilderment and sorrow over their continued estrangement.
“Well, yeah, the fact that SKID ROW is not together doesn’t make any sense,” Bach stated. He highlighted the irony of the situation, noting, “We’re five guys that are playing the same set, but we’re not together. Well, they don’t have a singer right now, but…” [SKID ROW parted ways with their latest vocalist, Erik Grönwall, in 2024].
Bach, who remains an active presence in the music scene, underscored his ability to collaborate with various musicians, making the SKID ROW split even more perplexing to him. “I play with everybody,” he explained. “I’m in a band, KINGS OF CHAOS, with Matt Sorum, and I’m in a band called ROYAL MACHINES with Billy Morrison, and I play with all kinds of musicians all the time. So it doesn’t make sense that I can’t play with those guys.”
The singer reiterated that the root of the issue lies outside of musical differences. “But as I said, it’s a business matter and maybe someday the business can get sorted out,” he mused. “That is a regret, that that band broke up. Yeah, that’s a regret.”
“I do, but when I read myself talk about this, I kind of cringe ’cause it’s not up to me, Bach responded. “Those guys are currently on their eighth or ninth replacement for me. And there’s been a miscommunication from my camp to theirs that I will attempt to clear up, but I am way too focused on what I’m doing in my career to even really even think about that right now, to be honest with you. I’m just not thinking about the old days right now. I’m thinking about the fact that I’ve got a new song on the radio. ‘What Do I Got To Lose?’ is on FM radio across the country. That video is almost two million views in 2024. And in my day, two million views was double platinum. [Laughs] So, I’m not thinking about 1989; I’m not thinking about 1991.’
“I am overjoyed to hear my voice on the radio in 2024,” he continued. “That is more important to me than thinking about what happened in ’91. I just don’t think about that, really. Not to say that I wouldn’t get the band back together, but I’m just focused like a laser beam on what I’m doing right now. So that’s gonna have to take a back seat, like for real. This is more interesting to me. My album, the way it sounds and the reaction that people are giving it is more exciting and interesting, and creating new music instead of just playing the same old songs over and over. I love having new songs to play, even though I haven’t learned how to play them yet. [Laughs]”
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.