SKID ROW's RACHEL BOLAN: 'We've Had Six Singers' But 'BLACK SABBATH Still Has Us Beat'

In a new interview with Chris Akin of the Classic Metal Show, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan spoke the band's recently launched first-of-its-kind partnership with USA company Sweetwater, the world's leading online retailer of musical instruments and pro-audio equipment, to search worldwide for SKID ROW's next lead vocalist. The collaboration invites singers from around the world to audition for the opportunity to front one of rock's most enduring and respected acts. Asked if he and his SKID ROW bandmates would consider hiring a different singer for each new album and corresponding touring cycle instead of settling on one person as the "permanent" SKID ROW vocalist, Bolan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I know what you're saying. You're not the first person to say that. But we've had six singers. BLACK SABBATH still has us beat. But it is what it is, man. And no, me personally, to have a different singer each record, that would stress me out."

Rachel continued: "We just wanna get someone that understands how we work, how we tour, that the road isn't always great, because it's not for any band. And we want someone with experience that knows that. But the people that we're interested in past the virtual audition stage, we discuss with them. It's, like, 'Here's how we operate, and this is how long you'll be away from home.' We're completely transparent. 'And here's how we've been doing it for 40 years.' And they gotta decide, like, if you get the gig, you have to be ready for this. And sometimes you gotta leave the hotel room at 3:30 a.m. because we gotta be at the airport by five. And it's just the way it is. And that's how we operate. And the hang is so important. We've learned that over the years. It's just, like, you could go out and do great shows, but sometimes you're just, like, 'I can't be in a room with this guy anymore.' [Laughs] You know what I mean? And I'm sure they say that about me too. But the hang is such a big part of it. And the great thing is we have the luxury of time right now. We're not in the middle of making a record. We don't have a tour booked. We're writing songs, we're piling up some songs and whatnot, 'cause when we find someone, things are gonna start happening fast, We'll hit the road again and we'll probably go in the studio again. And so we're taking our time because we have that luxury to do that."

Asked if he and his SKID ROW bandmates are "gun shy at all" because of the 2024 departure of Erik Grönwall, Bolan said: "It was unexpected. So, there's a little PTSD going on there. And that's why we wanna make sure — that's why we're taking our time."

Grönwall, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021, announced his departure from SKID ROW in March 2024, saying that it had become increasingly "difficult to prioritize" his health and full recovery as the lead singer of the group.

HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale played four shows as the guest frontwoman of SKID ROW in the spring of 2024.

Erik was SKID ROW's fourth frontman since Sebastian Bach's departure.

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.

Six years ago, Bolan confirmed that he and his bandmates "were entertaining the idea" of reuniting with Bach following Harnell's departure. But Rachel shot down the possibility of a rekindling of his friendship with Sebastian, explaining: "Well… Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth. I wouldn't say we were friends [when we were in a band together]. We were bandmates. You know what I mean? We're two very different people." Bolan added that he hadn't seen Bach "in years."

Seven years ago, Bach was asked by Rolling Stone what it would take for SKID ROW to be reunited. He responded: "It would take those guys to realize that I have a lifetime manager. His name is Rick Sales. I've been with him since 2006. They don't want to deal with a guy like that. They want to give some singer who doesn't have a manager $700 to $800 bucks a week. I've got a team that's worked with me and don't allow me to get fucked around. I didn't have that team when I was 19 years old."

In response to Bach's statements about the earnings of SKID ROW's singer, Sabo told Rolling Stone in an e-mail: "I guess fact-checking isn't in his skill set… The five of us go on that stage as a band and we all get paid equally. We're in this together. There's no egos."

Sebastian went on to say that SKID ROW was "close to reuniting, but then it didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen obviously makes me somewhat bitter, because life is only getting shorter, as the song says," he added.

"I wouldn't say 'came close,'" Bolan told Rolling Stone in an e-mail response to Bach's account of the reunion talks. "We entertained the idea. Snake and I went as far as talking with agents and promoters about money. But we quickly learned after a few text conversations, why we fired him in the first place. Nothing is worth your happiness and peace of mind."