“The answer has been the same for 20,000 years. It’s not gonna happen.” Skid Row founder rules out Sebastian Bach reunion

Skid Row in 2023 and Sebastian Bach in 2022
(Image credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images | Rich Fury/Getty Images for SXSW)

Founding Skid Row guitarist Dave “The Snake” Sabo has ruled out the idea of the glam metal veterans reuniting with former vocalist Sebastian Bach.

Bach, who now leads a solo career, recently said in an interview with Metal Hammer that he and his ex-bandmates “should be giving something back to the fans” and getting back together.

“For me, doing three albums with Skid Row, I was just getting started,” he told Hammer’s Paul Travers.

“I didn’t think it would be over and done with so quick.”

Bach continued: “I can definitely see that happening considering they play the same songs I play.

“When I get a substantial royalty check for an album I did with musicians that I haven’t been in the same room with since 1996, I feel like a piece of shit. Because we should be giving something back to the fans that have made this great life possible.”

In a new interview with The Hook Rocks (transcribed by Blabbermouth), Sabo has shot down the notion of Bach returning to the fold.

“Well, the answer has been the same for – I don’t know – 20,000 years now. It’s not gonna happen,” says the guitarist.

“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. So I’ll speak for myself personally.”

Sabo later adds that, although Skid Row have previously been offered “a good amount of money” to reunite with Bach, “it’s just never been about the money, man”.

“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.”

Bach fronted Skid Row from the band’s inception in 1986 until his firing in 1996 and appeared on three albums: Skid Row (1989), Slave To The Grind (1991) and Subhuman Race (1995).

Skid Row’s most recent singer, Erik Grönwall, joined the band in 2022 but amicably left earlier this year to prioritise his health following cancer treatment.

The band are currently touring with Halestorm singer/guitarist Lzzy Hale on vocals, and the frontwoman has said she’s open to playing further dates with Skid Row in the future.

See the list of remaining shows Skid Row have scheduled with Hale below.

Skid Row x Lzzy Hale tour dates:

May 31: Sparks Nugget Casino Resort, NV
Jun 01: Sacramento Hard Rock Live, CA

Get tickets.

Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.