Skid Row | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 24, 1989 | |||
Recorded | 1988 | |||
Studio | Royal Recorders, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 39:28 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | Michael Wagener | |||
Skid Row chronology | ||||
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Singles from Skid Row | ||||
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Skid Row is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Skid Row, released on January 24, 1989, by Atlantic Records. After signing with manager Doc McGhee, Skid Row signed with Atlantic and began recording its debut. The album was recorded in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, with producer Michael Wagener, and received mixed reviews upon its release. The band toured behind the album mainly as an opening act, supporting Bon Jovi and Aerosmith in 1989–1990. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and was certified 5× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1995 for shipping five million copies in the United States. It generated four singles: "Youth Gone Wild", "18 and Life", "I Remember You" and "Piece of Me", all of which were accompanied by music videos and received heavy rotation on MTV. The album's commercial and critical success made Skid Row a regular feature in rock magazines and brought the group nationwide popularity.
Skid Row was formed in 1986, in Toms River, New Jersey, when guitarist Dave Sabo met bassist Rachel Bolan in a local guitar store where Sabo worked. As they shared similar musical influences, they began rehearsing in Bolan's parents' garage. Guitarist Scotti Hill came from Bolan's previous club band, and Sabo's acquaintance, upstate New Yorker, Rob Affuso, played drums in a Rush tribute band. [4] Once the band was formed, Skid Row started gigging in nightclubs throughout the Eastern United States and quickly built a small following. [5] Sabo was a childhood friend of Jon Bon Jovi and they had agreed if one of them succeeded in the music business, to help the other out. Skid Row caught the attention of Bon Jovi's manager Doc McGhee while opening for Bon Jovi on their 1987 Slippery When Wet Tour. McGhee suggested the band replace original singer Matt Fallon because he lacked the rest of the group's drive. [6] [7]
Sebastian Bach was introduced to Skid Row by the parents of Jon Bon Jovi, who saw Bach sing at rock photographer Mark Weiss' wedding. After completing the lineup, the group signed with Richie Sambora's and Bon Jovi's publishing company Underground, unknowingly giving them the lion's share of the group's royalties. Skid Row later restored Sambora's share of the royalties, but Bon Jovi kept his, which caused a rift between Bon Jovi and Bach. [6] After negotiating with Geffen and A&M, Skid Row finally settled with Ahmet Ertegun and Atlantic in 1988. The band used the Royal Recorders studio in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with producer Michael Wagener to record its debut album. The unpretentious studio was in the back end of a hotel, where the band stayed. Skid Row worked according to a schedule made by Wagener and stayed "dry" while recording. [8] The sessions went smoothly as the band had been playing and performing the songs for the past year. [9] The label initially pressed 150,000 copies of the album and booked the band an opening slot on Bon Jovi's 1988–1989 New Jersey Syndicate Tour. [4]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [10] |
Christgau's Record Guide | C+ [11] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 7/10 [12] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [13] |
Kerrang! | [14] |
Los Angeles Times | [15] |
Q | [16] |
Rock Hard | 7.0/10 [17] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [18] |
Sputnikmusic | [19] |
Upon its release in January 1989, Skid Row did not immediately connect with listeners and received mixed reviews from the music press. [13] With the success of the "I Remember You" single which cracked the Billboard Top 10 in the autumn of 1989, the album took off and eventually sold over 5 million copies, establishing the band as one of the top metal acts of the late 80s. Phil Wilding of Kerrang! found the album quite formulaic, but wrote that the praises for Skid Row expressed by Bon Jovi band members and the range of diversity in their music were "a big hint that they could be something very special in the future." [14] Q magazine described the album as a fusion of rock riffs and commercial hooks, and proclaimed it a notable debut. [16] Spin's Erik Davis said Skid Row was slightly different from contemporary albums by Warrant and Great White because it contained less "fake-gutter narratives of sluts and bad boys", and instead leaned more towards Bon Jovi's earnest anthems. [20] Aniss Garza was more critical in the Los Angeles Times , finding the record "highly unoriginal" and lacking any lyrical substance or musical ingenuity. [15] Robert Christgau in his negative review remarked how the band attempted some social commentary and was not "offensively sexist" if only by heavy metal standards, jokingly saying that the disreputable women in the songs were at least "characters rather than objects". [11] Rock Hard reviewer wrote that this album is an example of how "independence and originality are by no means as in demand" in the US music world as the following of the "success schemes" established by bands like Guns N' Roses, with only a couple of good songs saving it from "sad mediocrity". [17]
Modern reviews are generally more positive. Canadian journalist Martin Popoff described the album as a "basic well-executed corporate metal feast" and praised Bach's performance for carrying the record and "raising the average to something worth reckoning." [12] He thought Skid Row represented a "grittier, more street version of hair metal", unlike its California-based peers. [21] AllMusic's Steve Huey classified the album as "typical pop-metal fluff" of the late 1980s, but praised it for the consistent songwriting and said Bach's vocals gave the songs the much-needed nasty attitude. [10] Sputnikmusic's Dave Donnelly considered Skid Row one of the more talented bands of the glam era because of its charismatic frontman, and described the group's debut as mainly a "party album" best remembered for its ballads. [19] The critical and commercial success of Skid Row made the band a regular feature in rock magazines such as Hit Parader , Circus , and Metal Edge in the late 1980s and early 1990s. [22]
In 2022, Loudwire placed the album at No. 4 on their list of the Top 30 Hair Metal Albums, saying Skid Row "were decidedly more edgy [than other hair metal bands of the decade], focusing more on razor sharp riffs than razor-slashed stage wear". [23]
The 17-month worldwide tour included an appearance at Moscow Music Peace Festival in August 1989 to a crowd of 70,000. The event was organized by McGhee as a penance for drug smuggling and featured artists managed by him or his brother. Skid Row made its UK debut at the Milton Keynes Bowl supporting Bon Jovi, and headlined London's Hammersmith Odeon two months later. [24] After finishing the tour in support of Bon Jovi's New Jersey album, Skid Row opened on Aerosmith's Pump Tour, which launched in October 1989 and lasted a year. At the concert in Springfield, Massachusetts in December, a fan threw a bottle onstage during Skid Row's set. Upset, Bach threw the bottle back into the crowd and hit a 17-year-old female fan in the face. The incident was filmed by a fan and Bach was arrested after the show. He was set free on $10,000 bail and received three years of probation. [25] At another show in 1990, Bach wore a T-shirt with the anti-gay slogan "AIDS Kills Fags Dead". Bach said he put the T-shirt on after a fan threw it onstage, but later regretted the incident, saying he does not support homophobia. [26] Thanks to heavy touring and the band's exposure on MTV, Skid Row quickly went platinum and remained a Billboard top 10 album three months after its release. [9] The album spawned three singles: "Youth Gone Wild", "18 and Life", and "I Remember You", of which the last two charted in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. [27] "Piece of Me" was released as a promo single and also featured a music video.
All tracks are written by Dave Sabo and Rachel Bolan, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Big Guns" |
| 3:36 |
2. | "Sweet Little Sister" | 3:10 | |
3. | "Can't Stand the Heartache" | Bolan | 3:24 |
4. | "Piece of Me" | Bolan | 2:48 |
5. | "18 and Life" | 3:50 | |
6. | "Rattlesnake Shake" | 3:07 | |
7. | "Youth Gone Wild" | 3:18 | |
8. | "Here I Am" | 3:10 | |
9. | "Makin' a Mess" |
| 3:38 |
10. | "I Remember You" | 5:10 | |
11. | "Midnight / Tornado" |
| 4:17 |
Total length: | 39:28 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
12. | "Forever" |
| 4:05 |
13. | "Makin' a Mess" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) |
| 4:11 |
14. | "Piece of Me" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) | Bolan | 3:07 |
15. | "Big Guns" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) |
| 4:07 |
16. | "18 and Life" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) | 3:49 | |
17. | "Sweet Little Sister" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) | 3:55 | |
18. | "Rattlesnake Shake" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) | 3.43 | |
19. | "I Remember You" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) | 5.55 | |
20. | "Here I Am" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) | 5.34 | |
21. | "Youth Gone Wild" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) | 4.27 | |
22. | "Cold Gin" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) | Ace Frehley | 4.53 |
Total length: | 1:27:00 |
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [28]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [44] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [45] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [46] | Gold | 29,570 [46] |
Japan (RIAJ) [47] | Platinum | 200,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [48] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [49] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [50] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Bon Jovi is the debut studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on January 23, 1984, by Mercury Records. Produced by Tony Bongiovi and Lance Quinn, it is significant for being the only Bon Jovi album in which a song appears that was not written or co-written by a member of the band. The album charted at number 43 on the US Billboard 200.
Slave to the Grind is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Skid Row, released on June 11, 1991, by Atlantic Records. The album displayed a harsher sound than its predecessor and lyrics that avoided hard rock cliches. Slave to the Grind is the first heavy metal album to chart at number one on the Billboard 200 in the Nielsen SoundScan era, selling 134,000 copies in its opening week. The album was certified 2× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1998 for shipping two million copies in the United States. It produced five singles: "Monkey Business", "Slave to the Grind", "Wasted Time", "In a Darkened Room" and "Quicksand Jesus". Skid Row promoted the album opening for Guns N' Roses in 1991 and as a headliner the following year.
Subhuman Race is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Skid Row, released on March 28, 1995, by Atlantic Records. This is the last Skid Row album with singer Sebastian Bach and drummer Rob Affuso, and the last one to be released on Atlantic. Despite receiving positive reviews, Subhuman Race was not as successful as the band's first two albums. Certain tracks from the album were remixed for the band's compilation 40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row, given slightly cleaner mixes to fit better with the other tracks.
Rachel Bolan, born James Richard Southworth, is an American musician, best known as the bassist and main songwriter of the metal band Skid Row.
Trouble Walkin' is the second full-length solo album released by Ace Frehley. The album features guest performances by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss, as well as Skid Row members Sebastian Bach, Rachel Bolan and Dave Sabo.
Skid Row is an American rock band formed in 1986 in Toms River, New Jersey. Their current lineup comprises bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave Sabo and Scotti Hill and drummer Rob Hammersmith. The group achieved commercial success in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with its first two albums Skid Row (1989) and Slave to the Grind (1991) certified multi-platinum, the latter of which reached number one on the Billboard 200. Those two albums also produced some of Skid Row's most popular hits, both in and outside of the United States, including "18 and Life" and "I Remember You", which peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, and other charting singles such as "Youth Gone Wild", "Monkey Business", "Slave to the Grind", "Wasted Time", and "In a Darkened Room". The band's third album Subhuman Race (1995) was also critically acclaimed, but failed to repeat the success of its predecessors. Those three albums featured the band's "classic" lineup, which consisted of Bolan, Sabo, Hill, drummer Rob Affuso and frontman Sebastian Bach. The band had sold 20 million albums worldwide by the end of 1996. Amid rising tensions, Bach was fired and Affuso left Skid Row towards the end of that year, after which the band entered a three-year hiatus.
David Michael Sabo, nicknamed The Snake, is an American musician best known as one of the guitarists of heavy metal band Skid Row.
Doc McGhee is an American music manager, best known for working with hard rock bands Kiss, Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe. The latter two groups experienced their rise to stardom under his management. He has also worked with Hootie & the Blowfish.
"I Remember You" is a song by American heavy metal band Skid Row. It was released in November 1989 as the third single from their eponymous debut album. Composed as a power ballad, it was written by bandmates Rachel Bolan and Dave "the Snake" Sabo. It reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 23 on the Album Rock Tracks in early 1990, being their second and last US Top 10 hit. The song also charted at number two in New Zealand, number 12 in Ireland and Australia, number 14 in Canada, number 18 in Finland, and number 36 on the UK Singles Chart.
40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row is a greatest hits album by American heavy metal band Skid Row, released in 1998. It includes the chart-topping singles "18 and Life", "I Remember You" and "Youth Gone Wild".
Thickskin is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Skid Row, released on August 5, 2003. The come back album is the first to feature new vocalist Johnny Solinger who replaced original singer Sebastian Bach and the only album to feature former Saigon Kick drummer Phil Varone. The album featured a change to a more modern sound.
"18 and Life" is a song by American heavy metal band Skid Row. It was released in June 1989 as the second single from their self-titled debut album. The power ballad is the band's biggest hit, reaching No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on September 13, 1989, when it sold 500,000 copies. The song also charted at No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 6 in Canada, and No. 5 in Ireland.
"Wasted Time" is a song by Skid Row. It was their third single released from their second album, Slave to the Grind. The song was released in 1991 and written by bandmates Sebastian Bach, Rachel Bolan and Dave "the Snake" Sabo. It became the band's last song to appear on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was promoted with a music video.
"Monkey Business" is a song by American heavy metal band Skid Row. It was released in June 1991 as the lead single from their second album, Slave to the Grind (1991). It was written by bandmates Rachel Bolan and Dave "The Snake" Sabo.
Revolutions per Minute is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Skid Row, released on October 24, 2006. It is the band's only release with drummer Dave Gara, their last full album with vocalist Johnny Solinger, and also their last studio album for sixteen years until 2022's The Gang's All Here.
The Moscow Music Peace Festival was a rock concert that took place in the USSR on 12 and 13 August 1989 at Central Lenin Stadium in Moscow. Occurring during the glasnost era, it was one of first hard rock and heavy metal acts from abroad that were granted permission to perform in the capital city,. Over 100,000 people attended and it was broadcast live to 59 nations including MTV in the United States. The event promoted understanding between the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War and also raised money to help those addicted to drugs and alcohol. The concert featured six bands from abroad and three Russian bands. The concert ended with the various band members participating in jam session. An album and documentary were released.
"Slave to the Grind" is a song by American rock band Skid Row, written by bandmates Sebastian Bach, Rachel Bolan, and Dave "The Snake" Sabo. It is title track from their second album, Slave to the Grind (1991), and was released as the album's second single on September 2, 1991. The song reached number 43 on the UK Singles Chart.
The discography of Skid Row, an American heavy metal band, consists of six studio albums, four EPs, and one compilation album.
The Gang's All Here is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Skid Row, released on October 14, 2022. It is the band's only release with lead singer Erik Grönwall who replaced ZP Theart in March 2022, and is the band's first studio album in sixteen years since Revolutions per Minute in 2006.
Musical originality isn't part of Skid Row's appeal. Its 1990 debut album, "Skid Row," was a virtual heavy-metal sampler