Even if you`ve never heard a Skid Row song, chances are you`ve heard of this hard-rock group whose latest album debuted at No. 1 on the pop charts, or at least of the antics of singer Sebastian Bach.
Bach is a rock `n` roll cartoon come to life. Blond, tattooed, 23 and more-beautiful-than-you`ll-ever-be, ”Bas” (as he is called) has perfected the photo pout, the stage slink and the youth-gone-wild attitude.
The music press covers his every caper, including being sued for throwing a bottle and hitting an audience member, wearing a shirt emblazoned with an anti-gay slogan, participating in countless fistfights and word-warring with mentor Jon Bon Jovi.
Unlike many pretty-boy bands, however, there is more behind the Skid Row success story than that Bas look and attitude: songwriters Dave ”the Snake” Sabo on guitar and Rachel Bolan on bass.
Yet with 5 million albums sold and a headlining tour that includes soldout shows at the Aragon Ballroom Thurday and Friday, those two are still in the background.
”It doesn`t bother me that the press doesn`t really recognize us as songwriters,” says Snake, who goes only by his nickname.
Snake is positively giddy about being back in the U.S. after five months abroad, complete with dysentery in Rio. He`s even lighthearted about doing an interview-laughing, animated-clearly not the sulking, angry type you`d expect after reading a few dozen Skid Row horror stories.
”I write songs to satisfy myself,” he says. ”Since I`m satisfied, I`m ahead of the game before anyone even hears the record. But when someone tells us it`s good songwriting, that`s icing on the cake. We appreciate that.”
”There`s never a formula, that would be formulated,” Snake says, before laughing at his unintentionally obvious statement. ”We just get together, two or three of us, and start building upon any ideas we have conjured up in our heads.”
Unlike the majority of commercial hard-rock guitarists, Snake doesn`t have ”solo” stamped on the brain. ”I just kinda wing it,” he says. ”For this tour, I could have done something but I just do a little electric 12-string. A solo isn`t a self-indulgent thing for me, it`s a way to set a mood.”
Lifelong New Jersey residents, Snake and Bolan started the band in 1985 and toyed around with various members until permanently attaching themselves to drummer Rob Affuso and rhythm guitarist Scotti Hill. Bas came along when the demo tape of their first album was nearly completed, but he proved he was the necessary missing ingredient.
”Once all the pieces of the puzzle were together, I knew something would happen,” Snake says. ”I knew we`d at least put out a record.”
What happened was a deal with Atlantic Records and an opening slot on the tour for the Bon Jovi band. Following that there was heavy MTV rotation of their video ”Youth Gone Wild” and, to the amazement of even the band, a self-titled debut disc that sold 4 million copies.
With last year`s follow-up, ”Slave to the Grind,” the band has a tougher sound and better songs-”stuff to prove we aren`t gonna go away,”
Snake says.
Everything`s going well, according to Snake. No drug problems, good families, girlfriends and ”buds” back in New Jersey, terrific tours, fab fans. Even the tour with Guns `N Roses went well-and few things ever seem to go well if Guns `N Roses is involved.
”They are fantastic guys,” Snake protests. ”They didn`t need us on that tour, they just wanted a great package. We were proud to be a part of it.”
Noting Guns `N Roses` problems with the media, he says: ”It`s all in how you handle fame. I don`t care what people say, it doesn`t affect me. All I care about is this band and the five guys who are in it.
”There`s been times where Bas has been hurt by outright lies in the press-where it`s almost damaged his relationship with other bands. Hopefully the fans can see through all that.”
To ensure that, the band members meet with fans after every show. ”I do meet-and-greets to meet the people who bought the tickets, not the people from the record company who got in for free,” he says.
”You gotta keep in touch. Why put yourself on a pedestal? We`re guitar players and musicians-just like the people in our audience.”
