Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 4111
Date: 11/18/1989
Debut: 63
Peak: 6
Weeks: 20
Genre: Hard Rock, Glam Metal
Pop Bits: Skid Row's self-titled debut album had already reached gold level sales even before its second single "18 and Life" made the Pop Top 10 (#4). It quickly turned platinum after that hit and it would sell even more following the release of this third single. The power ballad would be a hit at radio and on MTV with the song making it to #6 Pop/#23 Rock. By mid-January of 90, the LP would reach the triple platinum mark. A few years later it would hit the 5x platinum mark. Oddly, the label would opt to not release a fourth single for the album, although a video for the track "Piece of Me" would be filmed and promoted on MTV.
ReduxReview: The success of "18 and Life" really set this song up well. Following up that harder edged story tune with this power ballad was a brilliant move and it sent sales of the album soaring. There were a lot of metal power ballads at the end of the 80s, but this one ranks among the best. It has terrific melodies and a big hooky chorus with standout vocals by Sebastian Bach. Oddly, the band chose not to capitalize on their mainstream success with their second album and opted for more aggressive tracks that weren't necessarily radio friendly. The LP still sold quite well, however, grunge and inner turmoil would do in the band in the mid 90s.
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: For Skid Row's next album, '91's Slave to the Grind, the band would go for an even heavier sound than their debut. Anticipation was high for the LP, which was released just a few weeks after Billboard changed their chart methodology for sales over to the point-of-sale Nielson SoundScan system. That change had a definite impact on the charts. Stats for sales was immediate and that led to many albums hitting their peak position right out of the box in the first week on the chart. Slave to the Grind would be one of them. It would debut at the #1 spot thanks to sales of over 130,000 in its first week of release. The LP would only spend a week at the top. While fans and some critics liked the band's direction, it didn't bode well for mainstream singles. Only one track, "Wasted Time," would make the Pop chart peaking at #88 (#30 Rock). Another song, "Monkey Business," would make it to #13 Rock. Yet despite the lack of hits, the LP would go double platinum. The band would then take a bit of a break due to the advent of grunge, but would return in '95 with the dark Subhuman Race. It would top out at #35. Lead singer Sebastian Bach would leave the band in '96 and the band would go on hiatus. They would reform in '99 without Bach and would continue on with various lead singers. They would record a few albums along the way. Bach would go on to a solo career and also work as a vocalist for other bands. He would branch out into reality TV and appear in several shows including the competition program Gone Country, which he would win. Perhaps most surprising is that Bach would perform in Broadway musicals. It began when he took over the lead role in Jekyll and Hyde in 2000. He would follow that up with a role in Rocky Horror Picture Show along with being in the touring cast and having the lead role in Jesus Christ Superstar.
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