Rocker Sebastian Bach taking nothing for granted as he brings worldwide tour to St. Charles, Joliet

These days, rocker Sebastian Bach, former lead singer of the hard rock band Skid Row, takes nothing for granted as he embarks on his What Do I Got to Lose? worldwide tour, with stops at The Forge in Joliet on Friday, June 7, and at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles on Saturday, June 8.

Nearly 40 years into his career, Bach, 56, appreciates “everything” in his life much more, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I don’t take any show, any interview, any album, anything I do, for granted, especially after sitting in my house for two years; it all feels precious to me,” Bach said. “[The pandemic] just made me appreciate the simple things in life, like a rock concert, getting together with friends, things you realize how important they are when they were taken away from you. That’s what rock ’n’ roll is to me, it’s a precious art form, the most visceral art form that makes you feel inside your heart. When we couldn’t do it, it made me love it all the more.”

And a true rock ’n’ roll show is what fans can expect from Bach and his band, who perform completely live. Bach prides himself on singing live, doing extensive vocal exercises every day to ensure his pipes are up to the task.

“Fans can expect fun. My mission with this record and tour is to bring the fun back to rock ’n’ roll,” he said. “I find fun to be sorely lacking in the music scene. I think the internet takes 99% of fun out of it. That’s not what rock ’n’ roll is; it’s about bringing people together as a tribe, a community. I scream and shout and get everybody excited, [people should] come see it while it still exists.”

Bach is touring in support of his new album, “Child Within The Man,” which he wrote during the pandemic lockdowns. It was released in early May.

“As horrible as the pandemic was, it gave guys like me a chance to focus on writing,” he said. “The first single [‘What Do I Got to Lose?’] has almost two million views on YouTube, and, in my day, two million equaled double platinum. The fact that it’s a hit song on FM radio is shocking. It’s doing incredible, and I can’t think of any other guy from my era to have a new song on the radio in 2024.”

The album was recorded in 2021, but took nearly three years to be released, partly because of a record label change, but also because Bach recruited some legendary producers to collaborate with him. “Child Within The Man” was mastered by Robert Ludwig, who worked with iconic artists such as Led Zeppelin, KISS, Eagles and Jimi Hendrix.

Several guest musicians also worked with Bach on the album, sharing co-writing credits and performing on several songs. Current Motley Crue guitarist John 5, guitarist Orianthi, guitarist Steve Stevens from Billy Idol’s band and Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy all have appearances on the record.

Bach said that thanks to Ludwig, the album was recorded on a 1974 console and has a more dynamic, softer sound akin to the music produced in the ’70s, which is Bach’s favorite era and where he draws much of his musical inspiration.

“This is the first solo album that I’ve ever done where I have a full team of people helping me,” he said. “It’s very organic and dynamic, there’s no Pro Tools. I wanted to make a record in 2024 that somehow could feel like it came from the ’70s, because that’s what I like to listen to.”

The new record has special meaning to Bach for another reason. The album cover art was painted in 1978 by his dad, who died in 2002.

“We just got new T-shirts that have the album cover on them, and to see [people] wear that painting on the shirt, it made me weep. It’s bringing the artwork my dad did in 1978 back to life, so it’s beyond emotional to me. It’s like he’s still alive because his art is alive,” he said.

Even though he’s promoting his new album, fans can expect to hear “Youth Gone Wild,” “18 and Life,” “I Remember You” and other Skid Row songs performed on this tour. Bach is celebrating the 35th anniversary of Skid Row’s debut album, and as the co-writer of many of the band’s biggest hits, the songs will be prominently featured in his set list.

One thing his show won’t have, however, is the signature headbanging that Bach is known for. He said that he was “paralyzed” from headbanging on stage earlier this year while performing in South America, and has to stop to keep himself healthy for the tour.

“At my age, I’m still figuring out how to do this without injuring myself,” he said. “I have a lot of moves I’ve done my whole career, but my body tells me I can’t do that anymore. Those days are behind me. Touring is very physically challenging, but I do enjoy it.”

As far as Skid Row, who is currently without a singer, Bach said he’d consider returning to his former band if the opportunity arose.

“It would be respectful to the fans who’ve brought us houses and cars and made us all not have to work a real job [to reunite with Skid Row]. I’d like to pay them back for giving me a fun life, but it’s up to [Skid Row],” he said.

As of press time, tickets were still available for both shows. For more information about The Forge or to purchase tickets to the June 7 concert, visit theforgelive.com. For more information about the Arcada Theatre or to purchase tickets for the June 8 appearance, visit arcadalive.com.