Former SKID ROW Drummer ROB AFFUSO Joins FOUR BY FATE

FOUR BY FATE, the band featuring vocalist/guitarist Tod Howarth (FREHLEY'S COMET, CHEAP TRICK) and bassist John Regan (FREHLEY'S COMET, PETER FRAMPTON),has announced the addition of former SKID ROW drummer Rob Affuso to the group's ranks.

Says FOUR BY FATE in a statement: "Rob will finish out the rest of the FOUR BY FATE recordings and we will discuss the possibilities of touring together once we wrap up the new release."

FOUR BY FATE in March parted ways with drummer Stet Howland (W.A.S.P., LITA FORD) and guitarist Sean Kelly (CRASH KELLY, HELIX) and replaced them with A.J. Pero (TWISTED SISTER, ADRENALINE MOB) and Patrick James (POUND, FLYWHEEL),respectively.

Pero died on March 20 while on tour with ADRENALINE MOB. He was 55 years old.

In a November 2014 interview with Metal Rules, Affuso spoke about the breakup of SKID ROW's classic lineup. He said: "It was a very awkward time. I was not getting along with Sebastian [Bach, vocals], [and neither were] any of the others. He was very difficult at that time, and so it was forced [upon] the [other] guys to make that decision to change singers, and I didn't really want to be without Sebastian. I felt Sebastian was an integral part of SKID ROW, as [were] Rachel [Bolan, bass] and Snake [Dave Sabo, guitar], because they wrote a lot of the music."

He continued: "[When we decided to carry on as OZONE MONDAY with a new vocalist], I wasn't convinced of the music and the music we were playing, I wasn't convinced that the lead singer [Shawn McCabe] was right choice. Not that he was bad; I wasn't convinced that he was the right singer. He was a good singer, I just don't think he was right, and, to be honest, I lost my passion and my heart for the music, what we were doing. It began to show and that's when the band and I separated — because I was no longer very interested in what we were doing at that point."

Regarding the possibility of a reunion of SKID ROW's classic lineup, Affuso said: "I think the sum of all the parts are greater than the individual parts for all of us. I don't think anyone in SKID ROW was a real virtuoso at their instrument. I think we all were very good, and we were amazing and great as a unit, and I still believe that to this day. Sebastian keeps pushing on and I think I would love the opportunity to do it one more time with Sebastian and I, and the three original members of SKID ROW. I think it would be a phenomenal moment, at least for me. I miss it. I miss that a lot."

Asked what he thinks it would take for SKID ROW's classic lineup to reunite, Affuso said: " I think it needs to be about more than just money. For me, being in SKID ROW was a very, very important part of my life as a person and as a musician. At the time, I was in SKID ROW for 10 years at 32. That was more than a third of my life; I was part of SKID ROW. So, it is still a very, very important part of who I was and who I am, although I continue to change. I think for me a reunion would be very, very special and it would be about friendship and it would be about old friends. Because that's what it was to me."