Sebastian Bach was reportedly a fan of Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale’s performances with his former band, Skid Row.
Speaking onstage during an acoustic performance with her Halestorm bandmate Joe Hottinger in Glasgow on Sunday (June 14), Hale reflected on the four shows where she sang for the glam metal veterans in May and June 2024, replacing ex-singer Erik Grönwall after he stepped down to focus on his health.
Hale called the opportunity “a wonderful thing”, because “we had all of these Halestorm fans coming and they would bring in their dads”, and said she went in not knowing about the nature of the band’s distant relationship with Bach, who departed the lineup in 1996.
She added, though, that she knows Bach “very well”.
“He’s always been sweet to me,” she continued (via Blabbermouth). “And the best was, after it all went down, I got to talk to [late Pantera guitarist] Dimebag Darrell’s [partner Rita Haney]. And she’s like, ‘Hey, we were up all night with Sebastian watching those Skid Row videos of you singing with them.’ I’m like, ‘Uh-oh. What’d he say?’ And apparently, he looks at Rita and he’s like, ‘Man, I hate those guys, but she’s fucking awesome!’”
Bach wasn’t the only famous face to express his support for Hale as Skid Row’s singer. Fellow glam metal icon Jon Bon Jovi urged her to become the band’s full-time vocalist after seeing her perform. Hale called the endorsement “sweet” during a Consequence interview.
“I’m hearing from my dad,” she said. “We used to cover Livin’ On A Prayer back in [Pennsylvania] bars and stuff, and he’s like, ‘You used to listen to [1992 Skid Row album] Slave To The Grind. What are you thinking right now?’ I’m like, ‘I don't know what to think. This is crazy!’”
Despite all the positive feedback, Hale didn’t end up joining Skid Row permanently. She explained in June 2024 via social media that “this particular time in my life prevents me from committing” to the band.
Skid Row haven’t performed since the shows with Hale and are yet to confirm who their next singer will be, despite holding an open audition this February. Guitarist and founding member Dave “The Snake” Sabo has ruled out the possibility of reuniting with Bach.
“Well, the answer has been the same for – I don’t know – 20,000 years now. It’s not gonna happen,” he told The Hook Rocks in May 2024. “And I say the same thing every time. I’m thankful that people have such an interest in wanting to see that happen, but I also have to reiterate that this is about being happy in the situation that you’re in.”
Sabo added that, although Skid Row have previously been offered “a good amount of money” to reunite with Bach, “it’s just never been about the money, man”.
“I choose my happiness, my willingness to continue to be a really good friend to my best friends and a really good husband and a really good dad and bandmate and person,” he said. “And I don’t wanna endanger that in any way.”
While Skid Row reboot, Hale continues to tour and record with Halestorm. Their sixth album, Everest, was released in August and topped the UK Rock & Metal chart. Hale and Hottinger’s acoustic tour of the UK continues tonight (June 16) at the Engine Rooms in Southampton, UK.
