SKID ROW's ROB HAMMERSMITH On Being A Musician: 'I Don't Think A Lot Of People Realize How Much Of The Job Is Personality Management'

In a new interview with Ramona Fernandez of Gym Rock Crew, SKID ROW drummer Rob Hammersmith was asked he has any "rules around alcohol and touring". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "They're not hard, fast rules. Common sense. And I know that's a general answer. I certainly don't get away with what I used to. And that's normal. It's a good thing. I don't have any kind of crazy story for you. I mean, I have some stories about nights that got away from me, like we all do, but there wasn't one particular moment where I said, 'Okay, this is not right or not good.' I just got to a point where I really noticed it was taking its toll on me and 'I can't function. I'm sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.'

"I'm certainly not here to tell other people what I think is right or wrong," he continued. "I know everybody has a different relationship with it, and it's a pretty serious topic, it's a pretty serious thing that everybody — it's not just musicians; it's not just us — but everybody has a different relationship with alcohol. I know for the most part what I can do to be able to enjoy myself occasionally and have a few drinks, but not let it affect my job.

"What's interesting about being a musician, without going too much in depth about all the different aspects of what we do, but to a degree, playing music is obviously the job, and that's the job description, but I don't think a lot of people realize how much of the job is personality management," Rob explained. "And when I say personality management, that doesn't just include everybody around you. That includes managing your own personality. And when you start taking things like sleep and diet and alcohol and all these things, if you take it to an extreme, whether you realize it or not, it affects your personality, it affects the way you respond to people around you, and as you get older and you screw that up a handful of times and continue to screw it up occasionally, you become more and more aware of how all of that stuff works

"So I don't have clear — I don't have a strict 'two-drink maximum' or I don't have a strict policy, I don't have strict numbers," Hammersmith added. "I just know that cutting back and being more conscious of why I am… If I'm gonna leave home and work and play drums, it's great. I love it, but I'm there to do a job and there's a purpose for me being there. And that's really a long-winded answer to say I don't have a clear program or I don't have a clear set of criteria for you. I've certainly cut back a lot, and it's just necessary, I think… As I said, with the personality management thing, I think you just become a better bandmate, and sure, you become a better musician, and that's important, but becoming a better bandmate and just being a more reliable person to be around or more of a positive person to be around, I think that that's equally as important."

Asked by Fernandez if he is a cigarette smoker, Hammersmith said: "I'm a former smoker. I'm proud to say it's been many, many, many years since I've smoked. But every once in a while, I still —I don't wanna say I miss it, but every once in a while, I feel that little twinge. But, yeah, I haven't smoked in so many years, and I'm grateful for that."

SKID ROW has yet to announce a replacement for singer Erik Grönwall, who left the band more than a year ago. Erik, who was SKID ROW's fourth frontman since Sebastian Bach's departure, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021. As a result, he is immunocompromised, which made touring difficult.

In May and June 2024, SKID ROW played four shows with HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale as a guest singer.

Last July, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan said during a question-and-answer session at the Days Of The Dead horror and pop culture-themed convention in Indianapolis that he and his bandmates were "taking our time" finding a new singer "because we have time. And we've got a couple guys on the radar that we're gonna audition," he revealed. "And there's also a couple of our friends that wanna do what Lzzy Hale did and sit in for a few [SKID ROW] shows. And that's fun too. That was so much fun doing those shows [with Lzzy]."

In May 2024, SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo ruled out a reunion with SKID ROW's former singer Sebastian Bach telling The Hook Rocks podcast: "It's not gonna happen. And I say the same thing every time. I'm thankful that people have such an interest in wanting to see that happen, but I also have to reiterate that this is about being happy in the situation that you're in… We've all collectively sat there and just said that we don't wanna do it. We just don't wanna do it. And we wish everybody all the best."

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.