SEBASTIAN BACH: 'I Want To Make A Record That You Can Listen To The Rest Of Your Life'

Anna Zurek of Myglobalmind webzine recently conducted an interview with former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Myglobalmind: So what would you say is the main difference between the tracks on your new album, "Give 'Em Hell", and older ones on, for example, "Kicking & Screaming"?

Bach: Well, "Kicking & Screaming" was written a lot by a guy called Nick Sterling [guitar]. This kid that was in my band, that I was very impressed by him at the time. But it did not work out between me and him in the long run, which is really unfortunate, but I am a… I do not know what the right word is… I get the job done. I. Get. The. Job. Done. No matter who is in my band. I do not put out a record that, if I do not feel like it is a 100 percent, that it can be it, then it does not come out. So some people say, "Well, you have to work with them." No. Because my job has been with me for 10 years; we do not get in arguments. You know, Duff McKagan [GUNS N' ROSES], I get along great with him. He plays on half the record. Steve Stevens from Billy Idol's band plays on three songs. John 5 [ROB ZOMBIE] is on the first single, "Temptation". But these guys love to work with me. If you do not want to be the best you can be, then I am hard to work with. Like, if you just want to put something out to get paid, I am not your guy. I want it to sound like the best it can sound and I will not rest until it sounds that way to me.

Myglobalmind: That is great and rare nowadays, especially with younger musicians.

Bach: I know what you are saying. The difference between a singer like me or Ozzy [Osbourne] or Steven Tyler… When I started out, you could not be a lead singer unless you had your own sound that was all your own. Let me explain that. Ozzy Osbourne — nobody sounds like that. Jon Bon Jovi — you know his voice. Steven Tyler — nobody sounds like that. Vince Neil — nobody sounds like that. Rob Halford — nobody sounds like that. Sebastian Bach… I had my own sound. I do not sound like Axl Rose. All of us are identifiable in our vocals, and immediately, when you hear me sing or talk, you know that is Sebastian Bach. Same with all the stars of [the time] when we were kids. These days, what you just said, I do not think that anybody tries in bands now coming up. I do not hear any lead vocalist that is coming with his own new, brand new, unique sound. Like none. Zero. If there are some, tell me! [laughs]

Myglobalmind: Where do you usually get your inspiration from for songs and lyrics? How do you create songs within the band?

Bach: Well, you know, each song is different and each album is different, but my goal is to make some music that I want to listen to over and over and over and over again because, lord knows, the first SKID ROW album, people have been playing that album for 25 years and they always will. Nobody gets sick of it. So that is my goal. I want to make a record that you can listen to the rest of your life. You know and that is kind of a major accomplishment. I mean, I do not even know if I am accomplishing it. To me, I am. You know those things only come to light over the course of time. So, to my ears, "Kicking & Screaming" and "Angel Down", they sound really good, so that is all I can do. I did not know when we were making the first SKID ROW album that anybody would like that. You do not know that when you are making it. You are like jamming and "We Are The Youth Gone Wild," oh that is cool! And then the whole fucking planet fucking freaks out! You do not know that while you are doing it.

Read the entire interview at Myglobalmind.