Sebastian Bach

First gaining fame with the multi-platinum-selling heavy metal act Skid Row in the late 1980s, Sebastian Bach has established himself as a vocalist, actor, and television star during his lengthy career. After leaving the band in the mid-'90s, Bach brought his brash vocal style and larger-than-life showmanship to 1999's solo debut Bring 'Em Bach Alive; those qualities also made him a perfect fit for Broadway, where he performed in productions of Jekyll & Hyde and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. From the 2000s onward, he balanced stints on reality TV shows, roles in series including Gilmore Girls and Californication, and parts in films such as Rock of Ages with his music. Albums such as 2007's Angel Down won praise for being hookier, heavier, and more fun than Bach's work with his former band, while 2014's Give 'Em Hell and 2024's Child Within the Man boasted a leaner attack that honored his roots and proved his ongoing rock relevance in the 21st century. Growing up in Peterborough, Ontario, Bach was inspired by the way his mother and aunt sang at home. He started his musical career at an early age, auditioning successfully for the local act Kid Wikkid when he was 14. When Bach sang at the wedding for rock photographer Mark Weiss, his performance caught the attention of Jon Bon Jovi's parents, who recommended he get in touch with Dave "The Snake" Sabo, the former Bon Jovi guitarist whose band, Skid Row, was in need of a new vocalist. After hearing the band's demo tapes, Bach flew to New Jersey to audition and became Skid Row's singer in early 1987. Signing to Atlantic, Skid Row issued its self-titled debut album in 1989. An opening slot on Bon Jovi's U.S. tour, combined with heavy MTV airplay of the video "Youth Gone Wild," launched the band to stardom: The singles "18 and Life" and "I Remember You" both reached the Top Ten, while Skid Row was ultimately certified platinum several times over. Bach, with his wildman persona, quickly emerged as the focus of fan and media attention. Skid Row's second album, 1991's Slave to the Grind, debuted at number one, an unprecedented accomplishment for a metal band. While the album didn't chart any real radio hits, Grind received stronger critical praise and eventually reached platinum status. Skid Row then took a hiatus, returning with 1995's more aggressive Top 40 hit Subhuman Race. Skid Row disbanded shortly after the Subhuman Race tour, and Bach formed the Last Hard Men with Smashing Pumpkins' Jimmy Chamberlin, the Frogs' Jimmy Flemion, and the Breeders' Kelley Deal in 1996. The group recorded an album's worth of songs, including a cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out," that appeared on the original soundtrack to the movie Scream. The Last Hard Men's self-titled album was released by Deal's Nice Records label in 1998 (and was issued by Spitfire in 2001 with additional material), but by that time, Bach had embarked on his solo career. He debuted with November 1999's Bring 'Em Bach Alive, a collection of live renditions of songs including Skid Row material as well as studio recordings including the singles "Superjerk, Superstar, Supertears" and "Rock 'N' Roll." Around this time, Bach broke into acting, appearing in the films Final Rinse (1999) and Point Doom (2000). He also performed in Broadway productions, making his debut in April 2000 by playing both lead roles in Jekyll & Hyde and appearing in The Rocky Horror Picture show as Riff Raff in 2001. That year, he also performed at the 9/11 benefit concert New York Steel and issued Bach 2 Basics, a collection of covers of songs by fundamental artists such as Kiss, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Ozzy Osbourne. In the early 2000s, Bach added television to his repertoire. In 2002, along with performing in the national touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar, he signed on as the host of VH-1's hard rock-themed show Forever Wild (a DVD of the same name, which collected clips from the show as well as a 1998 concert at the Whisky A Go-Go, arrived in 2004). Bach began his recurring role on Gilmore Girls as Gil, the guitarist of Lane Kim's band Hep Alien, in 2003, and appeared on the VH1 show I Married … in 2004. The following year, he sang on Frameshift's album Absence of Empathy, and in 2006 he joined Guns N' Roses on-stage to perform "My Michelle" on several dates of their world tour. Also in 2006, Bach starred on the VH-1 reality show Supergroup, which documented the group Damnoracy formed by Bach, Ted Nugent, Jason Bonham, and Evan Seinfeld as they lived in a Las Vegas mansion and created music. He returned to his solo career with November 2007's Angel Down. Bach's first studio album as a solo artist, it topped the Billboard Heatseekers chart and featured Guns N' Roses Axl Rose on three tracks. Additionally, he appeared on MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar, performing Onyx's "Slam" during his time on the competition. In 2008, Bach teamed up with Guns N' Roses again, lending backing vocals to Chinese Democracy. That year also saw him tour with Poison and Dokken, and win Gone Country 2, the second season of CMT's country-themed celebrity reality show hosted by Big & Rich's John Rich. As the 2000s came to a close, Bach remained busy as he juggled the different aspects of his career. Along with releasing the EP Finding My Way, in 2009 Bach joined Guns N' Roses on their Chinese Democracy tour and made an uncredited appearance in Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day. The following year, he voiced Prince Triton, the rebellious son of King Neptune, on an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. In September 2011, Bach issued Kicking & Screaming. Produced by Bob Marlette and featuring guitarist John 5, the hard-hiting set reached number six on the U.S. Top Hard Rock Albums chart. A deluxe edition with a bonus DVD was also released. In 2012, Bach made a cameo in the film Rock of Ages and appeared in an episode of Californication. He also joined the all-star band Big Noize as lead singer for their date at the Kavarna Rock Festival as well as on their 2013 South American tour. In addition to appearing in the TV film Yukon Kornelius and releasing the live album Abachalypse Now, he returned to the studio with Marlette and John 5 to make April 2014's Give 'Em Hell. Also featuring Duff McKagan and Steve Stevens, the album peaked at number three on the U.S. Top Hard Rock Albums chart and earned strong reviews. Along with touring in support of the album, Bach appeared on episodes of Trailer Park Boys and in Swearnet: The Movie. In 2016, he reprised his Gilmore Girls role and published his memoir, 18 and Life. Following an uncredited turn in 2017's American Satan, Bach embarked on a 2019 tour playing Skid Row's debut album in its entirety to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its release. Similarly, he performed the band's second album, Slave to the Grind, in full on his 2021 live dates. In 2023, Bach competed in season ten of the popular top-secret vocal competition The Masked Singer and released his first new single in a decade, "What Do I Got to Lose." The song appeared on the full-length Child Within the Man the following year.
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