Interview by Kris Peters
Sebastian Bach has been a busy man since releasing his last solo album Give 'Em Hell back in 2014.
He launched popular tours such as 18 And LIVE as well as celebratory 30th-anniversary jaunts in honour of Skid Row's self-titled album and Slave To The Grind, performing each classic in its entirety. Not to mention, he unveiled his acclaimed autobiography 18 And Life On SKID ROW.
The man is revered the world over as the original vocalist of Skid Row, unleashing a number of long-standing hit singles such as 18 And Life, I Remember You, Youth Gone Wild, Slave To The Grind, Wasted Time and Monkey Business, in the process taking heavy metal into countless more homes and ears than ever before and leaving an indelible mark that could possibly never be surpassed.
Now, 10 years since Give 'Em Hell, Bach returns with Child Within The Man, promising nothing but everything fans could expect and more. It is an epic album and a triumphant continuation of an important and influential career from a man with an astonishing vocal range and larger than life persona. A celebration of past glories and a hint at more to come.
Put simply, it is Sebastian Bach at his irrepressible best, with enough swagger to plough through an iceberg and more than enough attitude to spark a global sonic riot.
HEAVY had the pleasure of chatting with Sebastian recently about his welcome return. We start by quoting the press release that states Child Within The Man is Bach's most unapologetic and undeniable album yet, and ask if he agrees.
"Well, I think this album is different because it's the first solo record I have where I've got a full team of people helping me," he measured. "So they're keeping me really busy doing interviews, and yesterday I spent all day autographing album flats that you're going to be able to get in record stores - hopefully in Australia, I don't know. But I have like a whole international team of people that are helping me, so I think that makes it undeniable. The fact that they got me back on the radio here in America is insane to me because I didn't think… I didn't know that that was still possible. I always hoped it was, but you always get labelled an 80s or hair band, and you think that a programmer won't play somebody with that label, but I am happy to say that that does not apply to me, thank you very much (laughs). It just feels incredible to have a song playing on the radio in 2024. It feels astonishing."
In the full interview, Sebastian discusses his new album Child Within The Man, sharing insights into the production process, the positive reception of the singles, and the involvement of a full team in its release. He also talked about the emotional inspiration behind his song Everybody Bleeds, delving into his experiences as a father and his profound concerns for the future of the planet for his children.
Additionally, Bach passionately recounted the journey of discovering his late father's painting, which became the album cover, and reflected on his history of intense touring. The conversation also touched on the potential for a new video featuring Orianthi, the collaboration with guest musicians like John 5, Steve Stevens, and Orianthi, and the absence of a song titled Child Within The Man. Sebastian also expressed his deep connection with Australia and his desire to tour extensively, aiming to perform in smaller towns and cities across the country.