Sebastian Bach
| Sebastian Bach | |
|---|---|
Sebastian Bach, West Hollywood, CA on March 1, 2012
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sebastian Philip Bierk |
| Born |
April 3, 1968 Freeport, Bahamas |
| Origin | Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Heavy metal, hard rock, progressive metal, glam metal, country rock, thrash metal, speed metal |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, actor |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Associated acts | Skid Row, Frameshift, Damnocracy, Michael Schenker, Guns N' Roses, James LaBrie, Dokken, Winter Rose, Bon Jovi, Poison, Madam X, Kings Of Chaos, Hep Alien |
Sebastian Philip Bierk (born April 3, 1968), known professionally as Sebastian Bach, is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987–96. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted in Broadway plays, and leads a solo career.
The members of Kid Wikkid were based in Peterborough. Upon hearing of the band and unaware of their ages, 14-year-old Bach auditioned for the group, and was successfully hired by guitar player and band leader, Jason Delorme. Kid Wikkid moved back to Toronto, and Bach's dad eventually allowed Bach to move in with an aunt.
Skid Row initially formed in the mid 1980s with lead singer Matt Fallon. They began playing at various New Jersey clubs. Fallon would soon leave the band in 1987, leaving Skid Row without a singer. Bach was spotted singing at rock photographer Mark Weiss's wedding by Jon Bon Jovi's parents who suggested that he try out for their son's friend's (Dave Sabo) band. At the time Bach had trepidation in joining another USA-based band (after his negative experience in his previous band Madame X), but upon hearing Skid Row's demo tapes, Bach flew to New Jersey to audition and the members asked him to join in early 1987.
In 1991, Bach was criticized for performing wearing a T-shirt reading "AIDS Kills Fags Dead". Later he claimed he wore it without reading it first; it had been thrown to him by a fan. Although he didn't make light of the incident in his original apology (stating that he also would've been offended by someone mocking his grandmother's then-recent death with a "Cancer Kills Grandmas Dead" shirt), Bach has since apologized for and disavowed the statement, "That was really stupid and wrong for me to wear that for one half-hour in my life. What nobody brings up is in 2000, when I was in Jekyll & Hyde, and at an auction for Broadway Cares, I donated $12,000 of my own money to fight AIDS."
Bach was eventually fired when he booked a show where Skid Row would have opened for KISS in 1996. Other band members told Bach that Skid Row was too big to be an opening act and that they were not going to do the show. Bach then left a message on a bandmate's answering machine telling him that you are never too big to open up for KISS. Bandmate Rachel Bolan also had a side project, a punk band Prunella Scales who were playing at the same time as the planned KISS show. The rift between Bach and the other band members subsequently led to his leaving Skid Row. Four years later, Skid Row was one of the opening acts for the 2000 Kiss Farewell Tour, without Bach.
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