Live Footage Of The 'New' Skid Row

Skid Row featuring new singer Tony Harnell made their live debut last Friday night in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. Harnell sounds good usually, but not on this clip. I think it's more an issue of video quality, less voice. I'm still on the fence about this change. I just don't get the point of getting rid of Solinger if a reunion with Sebastian Bach was off the table.

Comments

[bkallday]

This is not "Skid Row". Bolan & Sabo need lobotomies. How cool of them to wanna provide so graciously for their families and their futures, im sure those community centers and ymca halls are overflowing with ppl to see them live. What an absolute joke this once awesome band has become, they have totally ran the name into the ground. Idk...maybe they were so unbelievably envious of Bas, that they were going for that?

[Gary]

Or maybe Bas is such a freaking unbearable knucklehead that they're willing to play for considerably less money than work with him again? I don't get it either. Why split with Solinger if you're not going to go for the reunion with Bach (and the boatload of $$ it'd bring)?And you're correct in that these guys in their prime were a kick ass, heavy metal machine. Slave To The Grind was one of the heaviest albums to come out of the entire era,right on par with Pantera's Cowboys From Hell as far as heavy riffs go. (Hell, they even toured together). It's a shame the bridges were burned that bad between Bach and Bolan that Bolan can't seem to bury the hatchet enough to tolerate Baz to scratch out a tour. (Bolan is the one that wouldn't give in as far as working with Bach again from everything I've ever read)

[Kenny Ozz]

Karaoke garbage. Sebastian wins, again. As usual. Rachel Bolan is a turd sandwich.

[Velonese]

Bach is such an unbelievable dick, no one wants to work with him.You would think the guy would grow up at some point. Even his solo band is a revolving door of musicians. I am not defending the hiring of Tony, who I like, it just seems pointless to continue as Skid Row now. I like all of Bach's solo releases, he just can't for shit live anymore.

[Him]

I tend towards Gary on this one, but think it probably isn't as easy as creating an either/or dichotomy.

What if Bolan and Bach are both a pain to work with together? Absent the one instigator, things chug along well (well, well enough) for the rest of the guy (Sabo especially) not to pay any mind to talk of a reunion. Otherwise, wouldn't they leave for greener or different pastures?

Affuso recently talked (a bit self-promotionally, of course) about how even he was getting tired of Bach back in the day . . . but still left when it became clear that something was missing without Bach. But that Bach isn't today's Bach.

For what Bolan wants Sollinger was fine, Harnell will likely be better, and Bach--either the gold voiced or the less than gold voiced--would be ideal if only for nostalgia's sake. But that is for the fans (and for Bach, when he gets in one of his reflective and combative moods). Not for Skid Row. Not likely ever.

[Dj]

Bach is better off than they are. His solo albums are great. Whatever this is, it is ruining Skid Row. The only good thing Bolan has done since Slave To The Grind was the Stone Sour albums. I'd love to see a reunion, but the original GNR will happen before that. Lmfao.

[Him]

Bolan seems a touch sensitive as of late re: the current status of Skid Row (see the recent stories about his Facebook rant). I suppose I would get a bit peeved too.

Then again, I suppose I would also understand that fans often think they are entitled to "this" or "that" simply because they want it to be so. As numerous life lessons teach us, and as DLR said, ". . . hope and faith are not actual tactics and strategies – they're strippers from Albuquerque." Best that fans move on; angry Bolan (sorta?) has.

And you are right, Dj. In this slap-fest Bach comes out on top whether or not his pipes are in pristine condition. He is still, for those that care, the "voice" that they want to hear. So he trends higher in sales (in a market not designed to make those sorts of things matter) and in venues (if but slightly, given that both can play the festivals). Bach has managed to turn this ongoing soap opera (really, a creation that he and a shrinking number of loyalists have spurred on) into a branding opportunity alongside all his other recent and past attempts to stay in the spotlight.

So good for Bach. Good for Bolan too. But the latter best accept it as writ that, while he might be happy in bars with other singers, fair-weather fans are not. As such, best not to poke sticks at people who might go see Skid Row; even better to simply explain your position (for the umpteenth time) and get back to doing what it is you love. You aren't going to win this battle. Fans are fickle. Just ask Coverdale . . . and Hetfield . . . and so it goes.

[fletch]

gotta love Roth, and I've always loved the quote you mentioned. Sometimes, I've changed this line up a bit and have said to my wife, "Hope and faith aren't tactics and strategies, they're simply bon jovi songs."

On the morning of this past M3, my former mentee was about to crack open a beer rather early in the morning. He first asked if it was ok to do so. I then cracked opened a beer myself and said, 'Well it is done by professionals, under professional supervision". We laughed. Ah, the spirit of roth and roll. I hope I didn't burglarize his quips too much.

[Him]

I think DLR releases (and recycles a fair share too) these pearls of wisdom so they can be spread like seeds to the wind. That's the joy of DLR, Fletch.

Even recently, he was able to throw a couple of well-timed zingers Hagar's way. Hagar, as is his wont, couldn't help but respond. Problem is, he always sounds a step off and a measure short when matching wits with Dave. Sure, he can still sing laps around DLR. Even I won't deny that. But punchy one-liners? More like paunchy lobs from the Cabo Wabo Kid!

[fletch]

My all time DLR/Hagar zinger. Both were on the Howard Stern Show in 2002 promoting the Sans Halen tour. If I remember correctly, Hagar was in the studio and DLR was on the phone. Anyway, Hagar started the jibe by stating (paraphrasing) to Howard in a condescending tone, "C'mon Howard, you know Dave, he's gonna go on stage thinking he's better because he's the original singing of Van Halen".

Without missing a beat, Roth quips, "No, no, no Sammy, that's where you're wrong. I'm not going on stage thinking that I'm the original singer of Van Halen. I'm going on stage thinking that I'm the "ONLY" singer of Van Halen."

[Him]

I recall something like that too, Fletch. And that is the thing about DLR. He has a lot (I mean, a lot) of rehearsed banter waiting to be unfurled at a moment's notice. But he, like Letterman in some ways, is so very quick with seemingly extemporaneous zingers as well. He has a flexible and nimble mind.