Salah satu dari Band generasi "hair metal" yang sempat sukses dan mencetak hit sebelum digeser oleh aliran grunge di awal thn 90an adalah Skid Row, grup band asal New Jersey,Amerika, yang beraliran "glam metal" ini terbentuk pada tahun 1986 dengan formasi awal: Matt Fallon,Dave Sabo,Steve Brotherton & Rachel Bolan.
Pada awal masa pembentukan,mereka manggung di klab-klab lokal di bagian Timur Amerika. Dengan dukungan dan support untuk menjadi band Rock terkenal,sang frotman Dave Sabo pd thn 1989, Skid Row dengan formasi baru Sebastian Bach (Lead Vocal), Dave "Snake" Sabo (Lead Gitar), Scotti Hill (Gitar), Rachel Bolan (Bass) dan Rob Hammersmith (Drum) akhirnya mampu menembus Major Record setelah dibantu oleh senior mereka,seorang frontman grup Rock, BON JOVI yang telah sukses terlebih dahulu, yg sama-sama berasal dr New Jersey yaitu Jon Bon Jovi yg ternyata adalah teman baik Dave "Snake" Sabo, Skid Row merilis album pertama mereka yg bertitel SKID ROW. Menyusul pada tahun 1991 Skid Row merilis album kedua mereka SLAVE TO THE GRIND.
Dua album yg cukup suskes dan mencuatkan nama Skid Row di belantika musik Rock papan atas ini tercatat mendapat masing-masing 5 dan 2 platinum dari angka penjualan album tersebut. dengan single "18 and life" dan lagu fenomenal mereka "I Remember You". SLAVE TO THE GRIND berhasil masuk ke billboard chart. Pada tahun 1992 mereka merilis album ketiga B-SIDE OURSELVES dan pada tahun 1995 mereka merilis SUBHUMAN RACE yang secara mengejutkan berhasil nangkring di top 40 Billboard Chart, namun para pecinta musik Rock / Metal dan juga Fans mereka menilai Skid Row telah kehilangan warna musik mereka. Yah,kesuksesan kilat mereka langsung dihadapkan pada ujian-ujian berat, dipecatnya Sebastian Bach setelah rekaman untuk soundtrack film "Scream" bersama Alice cooper di tahun 1996. Dikatakan, pemecatannya karena ulahnya yang sangat memalukan.
Saat konser, Bach sempat kedapatan memakai t-shirt bertuliskan "AIDS KILLS FAGS DEAD", Bach juga pernah melempar botol kaca ke arah crowd ditengah konser dan mengenai seorang penonton wanita. Dan masih banyak lg kelakuan-kelakuan Bach yg brutal. Pantaslah ia di juluki "The Beast". Setelah keluar dari Skid Row, Sebastian Bach ber solo karir. Penggemar Skid Row, pelan tapi pasti mulai beralih,tidak lain karena munculnya aliran Grunge yg dipelopori oleh Kurt Cobain, NIRVANA yg berhasil meraih simpati dunia musik internasional dan mampu merajai tangga lagu - tangga lagu dunia pada tahun 92 an. Di tauhun 1995 Skid Row merilis The Best Album, 40 SEASONS.
"18 And Life" (Lyric ada di bawah)
Nama Skid Row mulai tenggelam. Pertengahan dekade 2000,mereka merekrut Johnny Solinger menggantikan Sebastian Bach dan menjalani tour sebagai band pembuka KISS. Di thn 2003 mereka merilis THICK SKIN dan menyusul pada tahun 2006 REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE. Semenjak itu nama Skid Row semakin tenggelam. Ke eksis an mereka mulai pudar. Hanya saja penggemar setia nya dan pengamat musik serta kita yg menyukai musik Rock, tau bahwa Skid Row pernah berjaya dan mewarnai belantika musik Rock pd akhir dekade 80an,masa di mana musik Rock dan Metal jaya pada era 80 an.
"18 And Life"
[Bolan, Snake]
Ricky was a young boy, He had a heart of stone.
Lived 9 to 5 and worked his fingers to the bone.
Just barely got out of school, came from the edge of town.
Fought like a switchblade so no one could take him down.
He had no money, oooh no good at home.
He walked the streets a soldier and he fought the world alone
And now it's
18 and life You got it
18 and life you know
Your crime is time and it's
18 and life to go [repeat above]
Tequila in his heartbeat, His veins burned gasoline.
It kept his motor running but it never kept him clean.
They say he loved adventure, "Ricky's the wild one."
He married trouble and had a courtship with a gun.
Bang Bang Shoot 'em up, The party never ends.
You can't think of dying when the bottle's your best friend
And now it's
[chorus]
"Accidents will happen" they all heard Ricky say
He fired his six-shot to the wind - that child blew a child away.
[chorus]
[Bolan, Snake]
Ricky was a young boy, He had a heart of stone.
Lived 9 to 5 and worked his fingers to the bone.
Just barely got out of school, came from the edge of town.
Fought like a switchblade so no one could take him down.
He had no money, oooh no good at home.
He walked the streets a soldier and he fought the world alone
And now it's
18 and life You got it
18 and life you know
Your crime is time and it's
18 and life to go [repeat above]
Tequila in his heartbeat, His veins burned gasoline.
It kept his motor running but it never kept him clean.
They say he loved adventure, "Ricky's the wild one."
He married trouble and had a courtship with a gun.
Bang Bang Shoot 'em up, The party never ends.
You can't think of dying when the bottle's your best friend
And now it's
[chorus]
"Accidents will happen" they all heard Ricky say
He fired his six-shot to the wind - that child blew a child away.
[chorus]