SKID ROW's SCOTTI HILL Says He Could Relate To JANE'S ADDICTION Onstage Altercation In 'Many Different Ways'

In a new interview with Hear 2 Zen, SKID ROW guitarist Scotti Hill was asked if there are any singers that he and his bandmates would like to approach about guesting with them for a few shows, similar to what they did this past May and June with Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we've got some names in the hat that we're actually speaking to. But I can't announce anything yet. But that whole idea [of playing concerts with guest singers] is really cool. And that all came about by mistake. Well, accidentally."

Scotti continued: "[As far as having] a wish list [of guest singers to play with], yeah. Some of them aren't realistic and we've named some people that would probably love to do it, but can't do it because their style, it just doesn't match or maybe they don't have the range. That's the whole thing, is the range of those vocals. They're very hard to sing."

When the interviewer brought up SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor as someone who could potentially do it, Hill said: "Yeah, I know. Well, see, that's a name that came up. And he's a good friend of Rachel's [Bolan, SKID ROW bassist]. They're tight." The interviewer also named former MÖTLEY CRÜE and current THE DEAD DAISIES frontman John Corabi, although he noted that SKID ROW would likely have to tune down to accommodate Corabi's voice. Scotti said: "I believe his name was brought up also. And we could tune down. When Johnny [Solinger, former SKID ROW singer] was in the band, we tuned down a half step. I wouldn't tune down any more than a half step, 'cause then you can hear it. I mean, I can hear when a band is tuned down a half step. I can totally hear it. I don't not like it, I don't disagree with it, but I can hear it. So, yeah, I think [it should] sound as close to original as it can, as far as tempos and pitch."

As for some fans' constant calls for a reunion with former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach, Scotti said: "I understand why people want that, but it wouldn't be how they remembered it. It wouldn't be what they expected. They would be disappointed. We would be unhappy. We just saw what happens when you try to do something like that, and we're talking about JANE'S ADDICTION [and the recent onstage altercation between singer Perry Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro]. And it's terrible what happened to those guys; I feel terrible for them. But some reunions maybe shouldn't happen. I don't know… And there's a lot on the line. Their whole crew — I mean, those guys… Boom, just like that, 'Okay. You're out of work.' That's affecting a good amount of people and affecting their families, it affects the band, the people that put tours together. The average fan doesn't understand how many parts there are to make this thing happen. So, yeah, it's, it sucks what happened with that whole thing, but I hope everybody comes through it healthy and back on their feet. When I saw that go down, I could relate to it on many different ways — many ways. I've been on both sides of that coin."

SKID ROW is currently searching for a new singer following the recent exit of Erik Grönwall. 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.

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.

Earlier this month, Hill told "Appetite For Distortion" podcast that he and his bandmates are "looking at" a few potential singers. "We've got a nice list of people that we're gonna sit down with," he said. "And we're continuing to look. But it's not like SMASHING PUMPKINS and we're just inviting the whole world in to throw their tapes on our desk. That's a little over the top."

Asked if singers have reached out to him and his SKID ROW bandmates about trying out of for the group or if they are actively seeking out potential vocalists, Scotti said: "Lots of people have reached out. I understand why. But I'm not the guy to get in touch with. I love SKID ROW. SKID ROW is my family, it's my life, but when I'm not with SKID ROW, I'm in here [at my home] doing stuff. So I kind of keep my fingers out of that whole thing. But a lot of people are getting in touch with us and some of them are really good. Some of them are not really good. But with YouTube and Instagram and such, you can go out and find people quite easily. It wasn't like the old days where you had to put an ad in every music paper in the country and word of mouth and all that stuff, pre-Internet. It's much easier now."

As for whether there is a preference of whether it's a "name" singer or not, Scotti said: "No. It doesn't even have to be a guy. Look at Lzzy. I mean, she came and rocked it. It could be a woman."

This past May, Sabo ruled out a reunion with Bach telling The Hook Rocks podcast: "It's not gonna happen… I choose my happiness, my willingness to continue to be a really good friend to my best friends and a really good husband and a really good dad and bandmate and person. And I don't wanna endanger that in any way. So the people that we choose to play with, those choices are made in order to keep those particular things in line for all of us."

Four 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."