Skid Row Albums – The American Heavy Metal Band
This American heavy metal band was formed in 1986 in Toms River in New Jersey. With five full-length Skid Row albums to date, and having sold over 20 million copies, the band is definitely at the forefront of the heavy metal music scene. Unlike most bands, it took them only three years to finally release their debut album ‘Skid Row’. They are most successful during the late 1980s and the early 1990s.
The band was started by Rachel Bolan (bass guitar) and Dave “The Snake” Sabo (guitar). Their current line up also includes Scotti Hill (guitar), Rob Hammersmith (drums), and Johnny Solinger (vocals). Their original vocalist was Sebastian Bach who had a falling out with the rest of the group after he booked the band as an opening act for KISS. The rest of the guys did not like it and as a result Back left the band.
They had a bleak moment with their relation ship with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. The band signed over their publishing rights to the two, at that time Bon Jovi was looking for new acts to sign up for their new publishing company, Underground Music Company. The band was left with little percentage of their publishing rights. However, some of it was returned to them later on.
‘Skid Row’ is their debut album and it was released on January 24, 1989 and since become five times platinum record awardee by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was able to reach the number 6 spot in the Billboard 200.
‘Slave to the Grind’ was released on the 11th of June 1991. It was considered a major success for the group as it ranked number 1 on Billboard 200. It was also considered an improvement for their music as it contained heavier lyrics that deals with wider social problems.
‘Subhuman Race’ is the third of the Skid Row albums and was released on March 28, 1995. It was the last album in which Sebastian Bach recorded with the band. The album was notable for the shift in the band’s sound from pure heavy metal to more of an alternative metal sound.
‘Thickskin’ was released on August 5, 2003, almost a decade since their last album. It was also the first album featuring their new vocalist Johnny Solinger. However, it was the last album with drummer Phil Varone who left the band after the album was released.
‘Revolutions per Minute’ is the latest of their albums and it was released on October 24, 2006. The album received negative reviews from the music critics. It reunited the band with Michael Wagener who produced their second album, ‘Slave to the Grind’, which was about 15 years to that day.