"Youth Gone Wild" by Skid Row

Song#:  3926

Date:  06/10/1989

Debut:  99

Peak:  99

Weeks:  2

Genre:  Hard Rock, Glam Metal

Pop Bits:  This band began to take shape in '86 in Tom's River, New Jersey, when guitarist Dave Sabo met bassist Rachel Bolan. Over time they would fill out the other spots with guitarist Scotti Hill, drummer Rob Affuso, and vocalist Matt Fallon. After spending time on the club circuit, the band scored an opening slot on Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet tour. It was then that Bon Jovi's manager suggested a lead singer change as Fallon wasn't matching the rest of the band's intensity. Through a connection, it was suggested that singer Sebastian Bach might be the right fit. Bach was hired in after an audition and the new line up of Skid Row was able to get signed to Atlantic Records. Work then began on a self-titled debut album. As the band continued to tour with Bon Jovi, the LP got released in late January of '89. This first single would follow. It would peak at #27 on the Rock chart in April of '89. A couple of months later, the song would make a very brief two-week appearance at the bottom of the Pop chart. Yet despite not having a significant single, the Bon Jovi connection and touring helped to gain fans and the LP would initially peak at #18. In March of '89 it would go gold. It was a good start, but their next single would kick things into overdrive for the band.

ReduxReview:  This was a solid introductory single for the band. It was a catchy arena rock anthem with a "we are the youth gone wild" chorus that was perfect for angsty head bangin' teens. It was elevated by the vocal performance given by the volatile Sebastian Bach. It was a heavy tune for pop radio, but with Guns N' Roses making the Top 10 with their meaty metal tracks, it seemed like a path was forged for this single to do well, but for some reason it got ignored. Still, the album was selling and the band's next single would break them in a big way.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  The band's link to Bon Jovi came about when Jon Bon Jovi recruited friend and neighbor Dave Sabo to play guitar in his band to support a single Bon Jovi had recorded and was getting airplay around New York in '83. Sabo would only be in Bon Jovi's supporting band and not become an official member, but the friends made a deal with each other that whoever made it first in the music business, they would help the other person out. That agreement came into play later when Bon Jovi hit the jackpot with their album Slippery When Wet. Through that connection, Sabo was able to land Skid Row an opening slot on a Bon Jovi tour and get signed up with Bon Jovi's manager. That quickly led to the band getting a deal with Atlantic Records. However, it all came with a bit of a price. Around the same time, Skid Row signed a contract with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora's publishing company, Underground. That meant that a large chunk of royalties would go to Bon Jovi and Sambora instead of members of Skid Row, which certainly was an incentive for Bon Jovi to make sure that Skid Row succeeded. That contract would be loosened a bit later on with additional funds going towards Skid Row's way, but in the long run, Bon Jovi and Sambora greatly benefited from the success of Skid Row. Alas, they call it the music "business" for a reason.

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