Sebastain Bach

DECEMBER '07/ JANUARY '08

Harder Beat Magazine Online

Sebastain Bach - Bach again

By Andy Laudano

Photo: Andy Laudano

Do not dismiss ex-Skid Row frontman, Sebastian Bach as just another ‘80’s hair band singer. Since leaving Skid Row, the multi-talented Bach has successfully made the transition from rock to television and Broadway. He’s spent five seasons on the CW television series Gilmore Girls, appeared on Broadway in the Rocky Horror Show (as Riff Raff) and played the title role in Jekyll & Hyde. He starred in the national touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar, appeared in numerous VH1 programs including Supergroup, I Married ... Sebastian Bach and most recently (believe it or not) on Celebrity Rap Superstar. With the release of Angel Down, his first solo record in eight years, Bach brings his career full circle.

Angel Down is a very personal album for Bach. The cover art comes from an original painting by his late father, acclaimed Canadian artist, David Bierk (who also did the cover to Skid Row’s Slave to the Grind). “David Watching” is the name of the cover,” Sebastian explains. “It was done in 1990. When my dad died in 2002, that image really haunted me. A lot of the lyrics on the new record, including the title track, have to do with the war. Angel Down, with that cover, was just so mind-blowing. We have troops fighting and dying for our freedom. Their families don’t need me to explain what Angel Down is.”

Bach rekindled his friendship with fellow rock icon, Axl Rose. After appearing together on Eddie Trunk’s radio show, Bach opened Guns N’ Roses’ recent world tour. From there, Bach and Rose were guests on each other’s albums. “I sang a song on Chinese Democracy called “Sorry,” ... and sorry, I don’t know when it’s coming out,” Sebastian jokes. “So I asked Axl to sing on Angel Down. He sang on three songs. That’s pretty amazing, and I hope people dig it.”

Rose appears on the first single, “(Love Is) A Bitchslap,” “Stuck Inside” and a killer cover of Aerosmith’s “Back In the Saddle.”

Bach also enlisted famed songwriter/producer Desmond Child on the song, “Falling Into You.” “Desmond wrote one of my all-time favorite songs, Kiss’ “I Was Made For Loving You,” Sebastian reveals. “I went to Desmond’s house in 2000, and we wrote that song. That’s the first piano ballad I ever wrote.”

So far, critics agree that Angel Down is a great album. “I can honestly say I’ve never gotten better reviews in my life,” Sebastian states. “I did all the press for the first Skid Row record and that was like, ‘You’re a little kid band. Bon Jovi gave you everything. Why am I talking to you?’ That was every f#*king interview. Then Slave to the Grind was, ‘Why is your record so heavy?’ Subhuman Race was, ‘Grunge is big. Why are you alive?’ Angel Down has gotten the most positive response of any record I’ve ever done.”

On The Road with Baz
By K. Finley Slocum

We hit mother lode here, when this HB writer was asked to go on the road with Sebastian Bach. How could she refuse spending a week with a rock legend? So, after three days, four cities and six radio station visits (some WAY too early), writer Finley says, “I feel like I can tell what’s true about the man, the legend and the myths.”

One of the first impressions you get from Sebastian is a bigger–than–life energy. All 6’4” of him is teeming with it! Whether he’s talking about his disgust with Skid Row, his experience on the Broadway stages, the ridiculous “realty TV” filming or the music on his new album Angel Down, the overwhelming feeling is full on ENERGY - the man never slows down. Often misunderstood, rarely misquoted and genuinely loved by his fans… Sebastian Bach is a true definition of talent!

Most radio interviews start with the usual questions about Skid Row, which, of course, is not his favorite subject. I mean, come on - the guy was fired from the band. Would you want to have to talk about that all the time? But once the conversations turn to more current news, namely the new album, the real personality starts to shine and those, who may have been miffed at first, quickly fall back in love.

The Texas road tour began in Dallas with a quick drive to host the lunch hour at KLBJ/Austin. Then on to San Antonio to visit KISS and record an interview for LA Lloyd’s Rock 30. We found LA in the KISS tent that was pitched outside in front of the venue, where Jonathan Davis (Korn) was getting ready to perform a solo show. It was amazing to see the amount of fans that showed up shortly after LA announced that Baz had dropped in! Sebastian actually spent more time talking, signing autographs and taking pictures with the fans, than he did on the interviews. It was very evident that he just wants to “rock out,” and all this Q and A stuff was really just a means to an end.

The two Dallas radio visits, Lex & Terry (The Edge) on Thursday and The Cindy Scull & Robert Miguel Morning Show (The Bone) on Friday rounded out the Texas tour. Both were great interviews, and Cindy even played two songs off the new album - a true format break for The Bone - but it really worked!

As with most artists, his intense energy is often misunderstood as rude or arrogant. But as he’s stood the test of time, rolled with the changes and been able to record his best record to date - Sebastian Bach has proved that rock-n-roll is AGELESS.