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Skid Row (Skid Row album)

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Skid Row
Studio album by
Skid Row
ReleasedJanuary 24, 1989 (1989-01-24)
Recorded1988
StudioRoyal Recorders, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Genre
Length39:28
LabelAtlantic
ProducerMichael Wagener
Skid Row chronology
Skid Row
(1989) 		Slave to the Grind
(1991)
Singles from Skid Row
  1. "Youth Gone Wild"
    Released: January 1989
  2. "18 and Life"
    Released: June 1989
  3. "I Remember You"
    Released: November 1989

Skid Row is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Skid Row, released on January 24, 1989, by Atlantic Records. After signing with manager Doc McGhee, Skid Row signed with Atlantic and began recording its debut. The album was recorded in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, with producer Michael Wagener, and received mixed reviews upon its release. The band toured behind the album mainly as an opening act, supporting Bon Jovi and Aerosmith in 1989–1990. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and was certified 5× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1995 for shipping five million copies in the United States. It generated four singles: "Youth Gone Wild", "18 and Life", "I Remember You" and "Piece of Me", all of which were accompanied by music videos and received heavy rotation on MTV. The album's commercial and critical success made Skid Row a regular feature in rock magazines and brought the group nationwide popularity.

Background and recording

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Skid Row was formed in 1986, in Toms River, New Jersey, when guitarist Dave Sabo met bassist Rachel Bolan in a local guitar store where Sabo worked. As they shared similar musical influences, they began rehearsing in Bolan's parents' garage. Guitarist Scotti Hill came from Bolan's previous club band, and Sabo's acquaintance, upstate New Yorker, Rob Affuso, played drums in a Rush tribute band.[4] Once the band was formed, Skid Row started gigging in nightclubs throughout the Eastern United States and quickly built a small following.[5] Sabo was a childhood friend of Jon Bon Jovi and they had agreed if one of them succeeded in the music business, to help the other out. Skid Row caught the attention of Bon Jovi's manager Doc McGhee while opening for Bon Jovi on their 1987 Slippery When Wet Tour. McGhee suggested the band replace original singer Matt Fallon because he lacked the rest of the group's drive.[6][7]

Sebastian Bach was introduced to Skid Row by the parents of Jon Bon Jovi, who saw Bach sing at rock photographer Mark Weiss' wedding. After completing the lineup, the group signed with Richie Sambora's and Bon Jovi's publishing company Underground, unknowingly giving them the lion's share of the group's royalties. Skid Row later restored Sambora's share of the royalties, but Bon Jovi kept his, which caused a rift between Bon Jovi and Bach.[6] After negotiating with Geffen and A&M, Skid Row finally settled with Ahmet Ertegun and Atlantic in 1988. The band used the Royal Recorders studio in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with producer Michael Wagener to record its debut album. The unpretentious studio was in the back end of a hotel, where the band stayed. Skid Row worked according to a schedule made by Wagener and stayed "dry" while recording.[8] The sessions went smoothly as the band had been playing and performing the songs for the past year.[9] The label initially pressed 150,000 copies of the album and booked the band an opening slot on Bon Jovi's 1988–1989 New Jersey Syndicate Tour.[4]

Critical reception and legacy

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[11]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[13]
Kerrang![14]
Los Angeles Times[15]
Q[16]
Rock Hard7.0/10[17]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[18]
Sputnikmusic[19]

Upon its release in January 1989, Skid Row did not immediately connect with listeners and received mixed reviews from the music press.[13] With the success of the "I Remember You" single which cracked the Billboard Top 10 in the autumn of 1989, the album took off and eventually sold over 5 million copies, establishing the band as one of the top metal acts of the late 80s. Phil Wilding of Kerrang! found the album quite formulaic, but wrote that the praises for Skid Row expressed by Bon Jovi band members and the range of diversity in their music were "a big hint that they could be something very special in the future."[14] Q magazine described the album as a fusion of rock riffs and commercial hooks, and proclaimed it a notable debut.[16] Spin's Erik Davis said Skid Row was slightly different from contemporary albums by Warrant and Great White because it contained less "fake-gutter narratives of sluts and bad boys", and instead leaned more towards Bon Jovi's earnest anthems.[20] Aniss Garza was more critical in the Los Angeles Times, finding the record "highly unoriginal" and lacking any lyrical substance or musical ingenuity.[15] Robert Christgau in his negative review remarked how the band attempted some social commentary and was not "offensively sexist" if only by heavy metal standards, jokingly saying that the disreputable women in the songs were at least "characters rather than objects".[11] Rock Hard reviewer wrote that this album is an example of how "independence and originality are by no means as in demand" in the US music world as the following of the "success schemes" established by bands like Guns N' Roses, with only a couple of good songs saving it from "sad mediocrity".[17]

Modern reviews are generally more positive. Canadian journalist Martin Popoff described the album as a "basic well-executed corporate metal feast" and praised Bach's performance for carrying the record and "raising the average to something worth reckoning."[12] He thought Skid Row represented a "grittier, more street version of hair metal", unlike its California-based peers.[21] AllMusic's Steve Huey classified the album as "typical pop-metal fluff" of the late 1980s, but praised it for the consistent songwriting and said Bach's vocals gave the songs the much-needed nasty attitude.[10] Sputnikmusic's Dave Donnelly considered Skid Row one of the more talented bands of the glam era because of its charismatic frontman, and described the group's debut as mainly a "party album" best remembered for its ballads.[19] The critical and commercial success of Skid Row made the band a regular feature in rock magazines such as Hit Parader, Circus, and Metal Edge in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[22]

In 2022, Loudwire placed the album at No. 4 on their list of the Top 30 Hair Metal Albums, saying Skid Row "were decidedly more edgy [than other hair metal bands of the decade], focusing more on razor sharp riffs than razor-slashed stage wear".[23]

Promotion and touring

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The 17-month worldwide tour included an appearance at Moscow Music Peace Festival in August 1989 to a crowd of 70,000. The event was organized by McGhee as a penance for drug smuggling and featured artists managed by him or his brother. Skid Row made its UK debut at the Milton Keynes Bowl supporting Bon Jovi, and headlined London's Hammersmith Odeon two months later.[24] After finishing the tour in support of Bon Jovi's New Jersey album, Skid Row opened on Aerosmith's Pump Tour, which launched in October 1989 and lasted a year. At the concert in Springfield, Massachusetts in December, a fan threw a bottle onstage during Skid Row's set. Upset, Bach threw the bottle back into the crowd and hit a 17-year-old female fan in the face. The incident was filmed by a fan and Bach was arrested after the show. He was set free on $10,000 bail and received three years of probation.[25] At another show in 1990, Bach wore a T-shirt with the anti-gay slogan "AIDS Kills Fags Dead". Bach said he put the T-shirt on after a fan threw it onstage, but later regretted the incident, saying he does not support homophobia.[26] Thanks to heavy touring and the band's exposure on MTV, Skid Row quickly went platinum and remained a Billboard top 10 album three months after its release.[9] The album spawned three singles: "Youth Gone Wild", "18 and Life", and "I Remember You", of which the last two charted in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.[27] "Piece of Me" was released as a promo single and also featured a music video.

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Dave Sabo and Rachel Bolan, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Big Guns"
3:36
2."Sweet Little Sister" 3:10
3."Can't Stand the Heartache"Bolan3:24
4."Piece of Me"Bolan2:48
5."18 and Life" 3:50
6."Rattlesnake Shake" 3:07
7."Youth Gone Wild" 3:18
8."Here I Am" 3:10
9."Makin' a Mess"
3:38
10."I Remember You" 5:10
11."Midnight / Tornado"
4:17
Total length:39:28
30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Forever"
  • Sabo
  • Bolan
  • Hill
4:05
13."Makin' a Mess" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89)
  • Sabo
  • Bolan
  • Bach
4:11
14."Piece of Me" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89)Bolan3:07
15."Big Guns" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89)
  • Sabo
  • Bolan
  • Hill
  • Affuso
4:07
16."18 and Life" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) 3:49
17."Sweet Little Sister" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) 3:55
18."Rattlesnake Shake" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) 3.43
19."I Remember You" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) 5.55
20."Here I Am" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) 5.34
21."Youth Gone Wild" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89) 4.27
22."Cold Gin" (Live at The Marquee, Westminster, CA 4/28/89)Ace Frehley4.53
Total length:1:27:00

Personnel

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Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[28]

Skid Row

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Production

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[44] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[45] 3× Platinum 300,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[46] Gold 29,570[46]
Japan (RIAJ)[47] Platinum 200,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[48] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[49] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[50] 5× Platinum 5,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Top 20 Hair Metal Albums of All Time: The Complete List". LA Weekly. December 9, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  2. ^ Marshall, Clay (November 13, 2019). "Skid Row: the crazy story of hair metal’s last superstars". Metal Hammer. Future. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  3. ^ Pareles, Jon (June 30, 1991). "Wise Guys, Tough Guys And, Yes, a Few Nice Guys". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 7, 2021. Musical originality isn't part of Skid Row's appeal. Its 1990 debut album, "Skid Row," was a virtual heavy-metal sampler
  4. ^ a b Wild, David (September 19, 1991). "Skid Row: Pretty Bad Boys". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  5. ^ Hur, Michael (2014). Shadows of the Music Industry. Lulu.com. p. 172. ISBN 978-1-31230-605-9.
  6. ^ a b Ling, Dave (December 10, 2003). "How Skid Row and Sebastian Bach Went To War". Classic Rock. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  7. ^ Metzer, Greg (2008). Rock Band Name Origins. McFarland & Company. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-7864-3818-1.
  8. ^ Derrough, Leslie Michele (August 4, 2014). "Interview with Dave 'Snake' Sabo of Skid Row". Glide Magazine. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  9. ^ a b Black, Lee (December 1989). "Born to Be Wild". Spin: 45–47. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Skid Row – Skid Row". AllMusic. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  11. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1990). Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. p. 372. ISBN 0-6797-3015-X. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  12. ^ a b Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 326. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
  13. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  14. ^ a b Wilding, Phil (January 28, 1989). "Slippery Customers". Kerrang!. No. 223. p. 16. ISSN 0262-6624.
  15. ^ a b Garza, Aniss (May 14, 1989). "Pop Stars". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Skid Row CD Album". CD Universe. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  17. ^ a b Schäfer, Wolfgang (1989). "Review Album: Skid Row- Skid Row". Rock Hard (in German). No. 31. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  18. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 644.
  19. ^ a b Donnelly, Dave (January 16, 2006). "Skid Row – Skid Row". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  20. ^ Davis, Erik (July 1989). "Skid Row – Skid Row". Spin. Vol. 5, no. 4. p. 114. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  21. ^ Popoff, Martin (2014). The Big Book of Hair Metal: The Illustrated Oral History of Heavy Metal's Debauched Decade. Voyageur Press. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-7603-4546-7.
  22. ^ Klosterman, Chuck (2007). Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota. Simon & Schuster. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-7432-0227-5.
  23. ^ DiVita, Joe DiVitaJoe (October 24, 2022). "Top 30 Hair Metal Albums". Loudwire. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  24. ^ Bon Jovi, Jon (November 1989). "Let Freed". Spin: 56. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  25. ^ Catlin, Roger (December 2, 1999). "Bach: Put A Cork On Bottle Incident". Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  26. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (January 21, 1990). "Skid Row's Sebastian Bach Embroiled in AIDS Row". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  27. ^ "Skid Row – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  28. ^ Skid Row liner notes. Atlantic Records. 1989.
  29. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Skid Row – Skid Row". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  30. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6609". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  31. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  32. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Skid Row – Skid Row" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  33. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved January 26, 2024. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Skid Row".
  34. ^ "Skid Row Chart History". Oricon. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  35. ^ "Charts.nz – Skid Row – Skid Row". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  36. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Skid Row – Skid Row". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  37. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Skid Row – Skid Row". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  38. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  39. ^ "Skid Row Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  40. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  41. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  42. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  43. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  44. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 255.
  45. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Skid Row – Skid Row". Music Canada. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  46. ^ a b "Skid Row" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  47. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Skid Row – Skid Row" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1995年8月 on the drop-down menu
  48. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Skid Row – Skid Row". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 15, 2022.[dead link]
  49. ^ "British album certifications – Skid Row – Skid Row". British Phonographic Industry.
  50. ^ "American album certifications – Skid Row – Skid Row". Recording Industry Association of America.
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