SEBASTIAN BACH Slams Bands Who Rely On Backing Tracks During Live Shows: 'I Think It's Too Easy To Fall Back On Technology'

Sebastian Bach recently spoke to the 94.3 The Shark radio station about his insistence on celebrating the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's self-titled debut album on his current tour by performing the entire LP completely live — without the aid of backing tracks.

"I'm extremely proud to say that we are a band of real, actual human beings," he said (hear audio below). "We don't have any tapes rolling in the back. We're not miming to anything. It's all one hundred percent real music by real human beings. This isn't Mariah Carey on New Year's Eve — this is straight-up, full-on rock and roll. We don't change the keys of the songs — they're all in the original keys.

"But I don't know how many more years I can tell you that I don't have any tapes rolling, because everybody is doing that these days," the former SKID ROW singer continued. "And sometimes I feel like, 'Why am I trying so hard, warming up and rehearsing all the time, singing every day?' But that's what it takes to really belt it out on those high notes that people love in '18 And Life' and 'I Remember You'. I've gotta do it all the time.

"I also think that's why these shows are selling out, because people are, like, 'Man, I've gotta go see this while it still exists.' [Laughs] Real guys playing, because it takes years and years of doing this to do it right," he added. "And I don't think that the younger bands — some of them — are putting in the hours of rehearsing their instruments, like we had to, 'cause we had no other choice. I think it's too easy to fall back on technology, and you lose the heart and the soul of the human being in the process of that. I'm 51 and I'm singing a record I recorded when I was 19. [Laughs] I'm doing it as well as I can. And [there have been] no complaints — no complaints yet."

In June, Bach issued an "open invitation" to the other members of SKID ROW's classic lineup to "get onstage and jam" during the vocalist's current tour. Drummer Rob Affuso — who left SKID ROW in 1998 and claims to be "the only former member that keeps in contact with all former SKID ROW bandmates and is still good friends with them all" — subsequently responded to Bach on Facebook, writing, "Sure! I'll be there dude." A few days later, during an interview with Finland's Kaaos TV, guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo confirmed that he would not accept Bach's latest overture. "I'm working with my band," he said. "This is SKID ROW, and this is what I do."

Asked by Rolling Stone if he thinks his former bandmates are offended that he put his invitation out there publicly, Bach said: "No. I think it's an ego thing. They don't like when I get attention, and they don't get attention. It's always been like that. I can already see them getting mad, because I'm selling out shows, and they're not part of the show, and blah, blah, blah."