by Andi Bricklin
When you start naming bands from the late 80s, you come up with a list that sounds something like this: Bon Jovi, Warrant, Def Leppard, Poison, , Motley Crue and Skid Row. This was a time when metal was king and these guys ruled the airwaves. Now, we are far away from those care free days of the youth gone wild. When you think about these bands today, some have become constants, other have ended tragically, and some, like Skid Row, continue to make the best music that they know how.
Today marks the release Skid Row’s EP United World Rebellion – Chapter One, which reignites the youthful energy Skid Row is known for. Rachel Bolan, founding member, co-songwriter and bass player for the band Skyped in from the UK tour to talk about Skid Row, metal, the new EP and coming home to New Jersey. In a very un-rock ‘n roll-like fashion Bolan contacted me at exactly the time we discussed, exuding “cool”, pride and excitement for the latest project from the band. He informed me that they were just finishing up some shows in the UK and were headed to the Czech Republic before heading back to the States and then down to Mexico. I asked him how the metal scene was in the UK and he enthusiastically stated that the UK loves metal!
We talked about how the metal genre has changed over the past few decades, specifically the lack of melodies in songs and the possible death of the power ballad. Bolan says that even though there are those bands that do a lot of screaming in the genre, that there will always be melody in metal as long as Skid Row is around. I asked what were some of his favorite up and coming bands and was delighted to hear that he was fond of hometown favorites, Halestorm.
The new Skid Row project is really interesting and breaks the rules of traditional record releases. The title of the EP implies that a Chapter 2 is close behind. “The idea [of releasing EPs] really appealed to me” says Bolan. The band plans to release a steady flow of music over the next 12-18 months, just right for the fast paced social media world we live in.
When asked what’s the most important part about songwriting and making music, Bolan stresses the importance of being yourself and doing what’s meaningful to you as an artist. It’s good to know that his roots remain firmly in New Jersey, and that he hasn’t broken the 25-year-long promise he made to his mother to come home for Christmas every year.
United World Rebellion – Chapter One is available everywhere today! Join the rebellion because Skid Row is back and better than ever!
