THE BEAST

Sebastian Bach has told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF 101.1 FM radio station in a brand new interview that he is still open to returning to SKID ROW, more than 20 years since he was fired from the group. "I'm not against reuniting with SKID ROW someday, because I think it's a way to give back to the fans who have sent us royalty checks into our 50s and 60s," he said. "I feel guilty. I'm, like, 'What am I getting this for? I should reunite with these guys, because we get paid for this.' And we haven't seen [each other]… In over 20 years, I haven't been in the same room with them. It's unbelievable."

According to Bach, he recently reached out to his former bandmates at the urging of another rock star. "I was at Jerry Cantrell's [ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist] birthday party, and Robert Trujillo was there, the bass player for METALLICA," he said. "And he just came to me — he goes, 'Why aren't you guys together?' I go, 'Oh, this and this and this.' And he looks at me, like… He goes, 'You know people would really dig that, right?' I go, 'Yeah, I know.' And he goes, 'Why don't you just text them something nice?' This is from METALLICA, right? I go, 'Dude, I tried that. It doesn't work. It doesn't do anything.' And he goes, 'Sebastian, just text them something nice. Just do it.' He goes, 'Of course it's gonna work.' So, I went home, and I go, 'Okay, METALLICA is telling me to do this. I should take METALLICA's advice. Okay. I'm gonna do it again.' So I texted 'em, the whole band. I go, 'Hey, guys, January of 2019 is the 30th anniversary of the 'Skid Row' record coming out. I think we should maybe put out a re-release with bonus material and 'Oh Say Can You Scream' Blu-ray and posters and passes' — everything that RUSH puts out that I go buy and everything that every other band puts out… ALLMAN BROTHERS. I collect this stuff. I go, 'Let's do a 30th-anniversary [re-release]. Hope you all are well. Look forward to hearing [from] you.' And I sent that, and I got no response. I'm not making this up; I'm just telling you. Five guys! No, nothing. Okay. I guess that's a dumb idea. It's the 30th anniversary of the first album. The fans would probably dig a deluxe package. But stupid old me — what do I know? [Laughs]"

Sebastian also seemingly pushed back at the SKID ROW members' assertion that personal differences between the singer and the other musicians is the main reason there hasn't been, and won't be, a reunion of the band's classic lineup.

"I can only get along with 75 people on the 'Gilmore Girls' set. I can only get along on the 'Trailer Park Boys' for six seasons with 60 people," he said, referring to his regular appearances on the long-running television shows. "I can get along with 75 [people], but I cannot get along with these three people. Give me a break! I don't know what to do. It's very sad. I understand how the fans feel. I get it. I'm a fan too. I'm a rock fan. So I understand. I take METALLICA's advice; that doesn't work. What does METALLICA know?"

He added: "That's where it's at. So it's a sad situation."

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY.

In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of original bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger.

SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I.

In a recent interview with Tigman of the Albany, New York radio station Q103, Sabo said that it was "frustrating" to be constantly asked about a reunion with Bach when it's been "over 20 years already" since the singer was dismissed from SKID ROW.

"People get married and people get divorced," he said. "Some people — very few — but some people end up going back with their ex-wives. I've got no desire to go back with my ex-wife. I'm very happy with my current relationship.

"Look, I understand it — I do," he continued. "And from a fan perspective, I get it. For me personally, for a myriad of reasons that are private, this is where I wanna be… this is where we all wanna be right here, right now.

"I don't do this for money; money was never the issue with us. And so, yeah, if it was for a moneygrab, whatever — someone else could do it. Not that I'm allergic to money, I'm really, really happy where I'm at. And it's no disrespect to anybody — I wish everybody all the best. But for right now in my life, this works best for all of us.

"People are wanting what once was — I do understand it; of course I do. But it's not going to happen. And we've been saying that for a pretty long time."