Reunion or rancor? Sebastian Bach’s love-hate relationship with Skid Row

There's been considerable buzz lately in the metalhead community about Sebastian Bach and his former bandmates in Skid Row. Although Bach has been out of the band for decades and has recently put a solo album called Child Within The Man, Bach seems eager to rejoin, despite his ex-bandmates showing no interest in a reunion. During a recent show at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit, Bach's lingering frustration became evident.

He lashed out at fans wearing Skid Row merchandise and calling out for the band’s songs, attributing the ongoing feud to a "miscommunication." According to fans at the show, someone shouted "Skid Row" during a lull in the set, to which Bach retorted, "Yeah, that’s the band that kicked me out. Yeah, killer. Great. F**king a**holes."

Then, spotting fans wearing Skid Row merch from a period after his departure, Bach's temper flared even more.

"I’m fascinated by this shirt right here. This is Skid Row with what number singer? Seven? Eight? Nine? What number is that guy? Huh? What number? Is that replacement number seven? Or number eight? Or number nine? And before you say, ‘Well they don’t have nine,’ I can f**king name every f**king one of them. How do you even wear that? It’s like, ridiculous. Is that the guys from Dragonforce? Or f**king TNT? Or whatever the f**k. F**king embarrassing."

Who are Sebastian Bach and Skid Row anyway?

Skid Row, formed in 1986, was a significant force in the late 80s and early 90s heavy metal scene with hits like "18 and Life." Their debut album, Skid Row, released in 1989, went multi-platinum, and their follow-up, Slave to the Grind (1991), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Sebastian Bach was the frontman during this peak period. However, tensions within the band led to his departure in 1996. Since then, Skid Row has had several lead singers, including Johnny Solinger and, more recently, Erik Grönwall, formerly of H.E.A.T.

Will they / won't they?

Bach has spoken in favor of a reunion, saying just this year: "The only thing standing in our way is the business side of this..." In an age of uncertainty about rock's future, some nostalgic fans would surely show up for rock reunions, perhaps even for bands they don't care much about.

Still, some critics have noted that such outbursts from him aren't helping those prospects. Indeed, it's intriguing to see a 56-year-old man so consumed by a band breakup that happened nearly 30 years ago, who alternately trashes the former band yet also wants to reunite.

At some point, shouldn't everyone just say "enough!" and finally move on. Bach’s outburst is reminiscent of Dave Mustaine's long-standing grievances with Metallica, highlighting how some artists struggle to move past old conflicts. Sebastian Bach's continued bitterness over his exit from Skid Row and his hostile reaction towards fans are clear indicators of unresolved issues.

Granted, one can understand the passion, just as some were outraged over Hagar joining Van Halen. This ongoing drama suggests that any potential reunion with his former bandmates remains unlikely, keeping the chapter of Bach's tenure with Skid Row firmly in the past. Still, who doesn't love a bit of rock 'n' roll soap opera-style drama?