Sebastian Bach, former frontman of Skid Row, recently spoke with Classic Rock about his new album ‘Child Within The Man’ and reminisced about the time he almost joined Velvet Revolver.
Reflecting on the opportunity, Bach revealed that he had to decline the offer due to his close friendship with Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose. He explained:
“I used to stay up late into the night and early morning with Axl, discussing his grievances with his former band. Around that time, Wayne Kramer and Slash reached out to me. They had a benefit event in New York for John Varvatos, and Wayne asked me to sing with him and Slash at the event. Because of my friendship with Axl at the time, I had to tell them over the phone, ‘No, I can’t do it. I don’t want to upset Axl.’ Now, Wayne Kramer is no longer with us, and I really regret not taking that opportunity.”
Bach Criticizes Velvet Revolver’s Decision
In earlier discussions, Bach expressed his belief that Velvet Revolver made a mistake by not choosing him. He implied that instead of selecting him, the band opted for someone dealing with addiction issues, alluding that his inclusion could have ensured their longevity:
“They put their faith in a heroin addict. How did that work out for them? Listen, if they had picked me, we’d probably still be together right now. I’m a musician like them. I’m not into that lifestyle. So now they’re without a singer, and I have a new album ready. Let’s rock!”
Slash’s Perspective Differs
In a 2014 Q&A with Rolling Stone Australia, Slash offered a different perspective. He mentioned that Bach auditioned before Scott Weiland joined the band and humorously suggested that if Bach had joined, they might have sounded too predictable, like ‘Skid N’ Roses’:
“Sebastian was in the mix before Scott. I love Sebastian, but, you know, it would have been like Skid N’ Roses. It would have been cool, but everyone would have been like, ‘Oh yeah, that makes sense.’ It was a bit too expected.”
Velvet Revolver eventually continued as a trio after briefly considering Franky Perez as their new singer but never released new music and disbanded after Scott Weiland’s passing in 2015.
