Rachel Bolan (Skid Row bassist/songwriter)

Episode #67 - Rachel Bolan from Skid Row! Rachel is the bassist, songwriter and co-founder for Skid Row, one of the biggest and best metal bands of all time.  Skid Row's self titled debut album sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. and had two top 10 singles.  Tours with Guns n Roses, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith and Motley Crue followed.  Their follow up, "Slave  to the Grind" was the first metal album to debut at number one on the charts.  We discuss the band's entire career including Bon Jovi's involvement with the band, John Corabi blowing off an audition, John 5 appearing in a music video and much more! Plus hear why Rachel and Scotti think ZP Theart is the best singer they've ever had and check out Rachel's new soap company!  

0:00:00 - Intro
0:01:58 - Liberace Concert Inspires Music 
0:03:51 - Kiss, Gene Simmons & Bass 
0:04:28 - Not Fitting In As a Kid 
0:06:54 - Working With Scotti Hill 
0:09:05 - Coming Up With The Name "Skid Row"
0:11:10 - JC Penny's Cafeteria 
0:11:51 - Jon Bon Jovi & Snake Sabo's Pact 
0:13:15 - Jon Bon Jovi's Advice 
0:15:46 - John Corabi Blows Off Skid Row Audition 
0:17:23 - Work Ethic & Knocking On Doors
0:23:10 - Signing with Atlantic Over Geffen 
0:25:25 - Producer Michael Wagener 
0:27:15 - Choosing  "18 & Life" Over  "I Remember You" 
0:28:35 - "Piece of Me" Single 
0:29:41 - John 5 in the "Piece of Me" Video 
0:30:43 - Snake's Vocal on "Making A Mess" 
0:32:17 - Jon Bon Jovi on "I Remember You" 
0:32:53 - Guns 'N Roses & Izzy Stradlin' 
0:34:42 - Slave to the Grind Record & Video 
0:36:11 - Pantera Tour 
0:36:50 - Home Video Re-Release 
0:38:55 - "Subhuman Race" Album 
0:40:10 - Touring With Van Halen 
0:40:45 - Eddie Van Halen 
0:43:40 - Skid Row Ends 
0:45:35 - Possible Reunion in 2015
0:46:05 - Drinking & Sebastian Relationship 
0:47:25 - New Singer ZP Theart
0:50:55 - Doing Shots 
0:51:44 - Why ZP Is The Best 
0:53:40 - Songwriting Collaboration With Corey Taylor
0:54:25 - Other Collaborators 
0:55:25 - Jason McMaster from Dangerous Toys 
0:57:23 - Alice Cooper Songwriting & Cat Staring Contest
0:58:50 - Partying, Drinking & Drugs
1:00:10 - Dirty Rocker Soap 
1:03:26 - Drive The Music & Music Alliance Nashville 
1:05:00 - Tour Dates for 2021
1:06:38 - Wrap Up 

Rachel Bolan Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/officialrachelbolan/

Skid Row Band Site:
https://www.skidrow.com

Drive the Music Nashville:
https://www.drivethemusicnashville.com

Chuck Shute Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/chuck_shute/

Transcript

Chuck Shute: 0:14

Welcome to the show. Wow, it's exciting. Rachel Bolan bassist and songwriter from Skid Row is my guest today. Where do I begin on this one? I mean, Skid Row is my literally number one favorite band when I was a kid. They are the reason that I like metal and rock music. I was actually more into pop and rap stuff when I was a kid. And then I remember I was hanging out with this girl in eighth grade. And she's like, Hey, can we listen to skid row? And I was like, I don't care. I'm hanging out with a girl like let's, you can do whatever you want. And so she put on Skid Row slave to the grind. And my ears like perked up and I was like, What is this music? What Who's this skid skid was Skid Row like, and then I instantly became a fan. I started getting into Guns and Roses, Metallica, Pantera, Allison chains, all the rock stuff. Back in the day, that Skid Row to me was the coolest. I love everything about them. The name, the logo, their look, their sound, the songs, the home videos, they showed like how they was just such a fun and cool band hang out with. So it was very surreal to chat with Rachel day and he was such a cool guy. You know, they say don't meet your heroes. But I'm so glad I got to meet Rachel and chat with him is just a lot of fun. He's a funny guy, great stories. Skid Row is just there's they're an amazing band. They've had some amazing success. Their debut album sold 5 million copies. In the US they had two top 10 power puppets. And then the slave of the grain record that was the first metal album to debut at number one on the charts. And they toured with everyone from Aerosmith to Soundgarden. So do yourself a favor definitely take a listen to their music, especially the first two records if you haven't already. And if you are a fan. You're going to love this interview. I think it was a lot of fun. Check it out. Good. Welcome to the show. Welcome to chuck shoe podcast. I really appreciate you doing this is I'm going to try not to fanboy out too much. But I like you guys were my number one favorite band in high school. So this is a little weird for me.

Rachel Bolan: 2:11

I love the shirt. Yeah, I wore that. I know you're a big fan. So yeah, wear that for you. Um, so yeah, let's just get right dive right into it. Um, talk about your background. So you're, you were exposed to a lot of different kinds of music and I thought that was interesting that your first concert was actually Liberace and that's when you decided you were going to be a rock star from the Liberace concert? Well, kinda Yeah, I knew because I was such a young kid and it just moved me like I can't even describe it. I can remember like 50 years ago that that happened. And I I can remember it like it was yesterday, man. And it would just had such an impact on me the the sound of the crowd and just is over, over all talent and just the people feeding off of what he was doing and him feeding off of the crowd as well. Yeah, just had a huge impact on me, man.

Chuck Shute: 3:05

So it was a lot of like, not just the music but the showmanship and stuff right? Or I don't I never been to Liberace concert. But imagine that. Yeah, I mean, that was the only one I was ever at. But

Unknown: 3:15

it

Rachel Bolan: 3:17

it just it was just him in a piano and just his playing and people were so entranced in what it was doing. And it was, you know, just you could feel it. You could just feel everything in the air. And yeah, after that. After that, I started listening to so much more music, you know, of my brothers and sisters that they had on 40 fives and stuff. And the living room stairs became my stage and the entryway to the house was the big crowd. You know what I mean? It was all up here. And yeah, man, it was a pretty monumental, but kiss was really the thing that got you into rock. But that was your first rock concert, the rock and roll a lower album. And that's when you decided to play the bass because you're like, well, that's what Gene Simmons does. And he's awesome. he spits fire. I want to do that. That's correct. Yeah. And I showed the pictures to my parents at the dinner table. And they were like, Huh, all right. And my mom said, What's the bass? And I'm like, it's bass mom. Did you get in trouble for like taking the album to school for show and tell or something that Oh, that was a that was Alice Crowes Cooper outfit. It was Yeah. So yeah. So then you play the bass, you're in a couple bands and your life changes when you meet snake at a music store. And he says that this is a love this you walked in. This had to be the 80s you walked in wearing a pink baray and a red leather jacket. And snake is like, this guy's a rock star but I heard you say that you were kind of like an uncool kid in high school. So did you When did you become cool? Well, I always thought I was cool. But, but I never. I didn't really fit into anything because there there were, you know, I like punk rock and I like kiss and there was a Very few of us, you know, there were the deadheads the lead heads, you know, and then the southern rock bands and then just, you know, the jocks and stuff like that. And I never I had friends kind of in each of those cliques, but I never really, truly fit in. So I always felt that you know that Yeah, no, I didn't feel cool. But I in my head, I was like, the coolest kid around you know, because I've worn leather jacket, the school or, you know, or Sex Pistols or Ramon shirt to school or kiss and whatever. And you know, I took a lot of flack for it, but

Unknown: 5:39

no,

Chuck Shute: 5:40

oh, you just kind of got bullied a little bit or like, chill.

Rachel Bolan: 5:44

I got bullied when I was a little kid. Yeah, because I, I you know, I kept my hair longer. And but my parents are always always about doing your own thing. And you know, my my dad said, You could either run or if if people pick on you, you could either run away or you could fight them because, you know, he always used to use is this one saying he's like, they're bigger than you and they're picking on you for no reason. He goes, hit him with a stick.

Chuck Shute: 6:14

There you go.

Rachel Bolan: 6:15

And that I kind of applied that to everything I do in life. If I see a challenge in front of me, I hit him with the hit it with the proverbial stick, you know what I mean? The metaphorical stick. And yeah, so I just, I got through best I could, you know, and here I am, man. Bullying is a lot worse today because you have the internet and whatnot. Right? That's scary. Yeah, back then it might have meant a punch in the face or, you know, getting knocked down and made to eat dirt or whatever. But you know, I never I never stood down, huh? Yeah. Even if I get my ass kicked. I just didn't stand down. It's not my nature. That's Yeah, no, that's Well, yeah, like your songs. We'll get to but so yeah, so you met snake at the music store. And then this is crazy. I heard. Scotty joined the band. He was actually from upstate New York and he would drive. You knew that he was for real cuz he would drive three and a half hours to try out for your band. But that was for the band before skip. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we're looking for guitar players. And we, I was keeping a, you know, I put an ad in the quarian, which was the music newspaper still live, I think, the tri state area. And

Unknown: 7:30

he,

Rachel Bolan: 7:32

and I just write names of people that call the run the answering machine, and I call some back and I kept just skipping over scotties because he was so far away. And then I was like, You know what, I'm gonna call this dude. And just see what's up. Just pick his brain. I was like, dude, you know, you're almost four hours away. So yeah, no, he's like, I'll come down, I'll drive down and he did. And he started playing and the drummer Damian and I, we were just like, You got to be kidding me. This guy's amazing. Yeah, I mean, and, and I went into work the next day, just so psyched because Scotty drove home that same night, we came, drove eight hours for the play for an hour and yeah, his work ethic. And just his his dedication was was a it blew me away and him and I became friends really fast

Chuck Shute: 8:29

so that he might then eventually move at what point did he move so that because you guys are a band called God? Sander? Correct.

Rachel Bolan: 8:35

Yeah. And he, while he started staying, we'd rehearse on the weekends, like, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and he come down. He drives down Friday and then stay at my parents house with me until Sunday night, and then he drive home and then and then he eventually when Skid Row happened, he moved to Jersey full time,

Chuck Shute: 8:59

right? So Skid Row happens. You guys bring in a snake, you know, you start the band. So I'm curious like I didn't know I just found this out your stage name was a combination of your brother Richard and your grandfather manual and then you will see her Alice Cooper fans are like well, Rachel, it's a girl so I'll just and bold to say Marc Bolan from T Rex, but I'm curious about like the name, Skid Row and the logo. Like who came up with that? Because that's that was one of my biggest things when I was a kid was like, that logo just looks so cool. And like the name it just sounded cool. Like who came up with all that stuff?

Rachel Bolan: 9:31

Yeah, snake and I came up with the name. This is before Scotty was even in the band. It was always jamming with snake. And Scotty and I were in a band before Skid Row and we disbanded and snake had a band together. And we you know, we're driving up to rehearsal one day and the band was actually called darkness. Believe it or not? Yeah, yeah. So He, I think I got you really into this name. He's like, yeah, I kind of dig it. But I'm not 100% sure, but I think all the guys are into it. And I was like, he's like, obviously you're not. I was like, I don't know, man, I think they relate more to us, especially the direction of the songs and just something that more encompasses where we are at in our lives. And, and we came up with Skid Row on the way to, on the way to rehearsal and told the band that we were changing the name, and they were just like, pissed. And, and it's okay, there. None of them are in the band anymore. Anyway. Right. So then, yeah, that's when the name was born. And we attached it to all the songs we had written, and it just made it just made way more sense. Yeah, that's because we had absolutely nothing like pulling our money together to make it to rehearsal on gas and paying the tolls on the jersey, the Garden State Parkway. And man, I mean, you know, other than living off my parents is, you know, I didn't want to, but I had a JC Penney's credit card that I used to use for the cafeteria. They're really interesting. That's another struggling musician, buddy of mine turned me on to that. He's like, Yeah, man, you could eat so much for so cheap and just pay it at the end of the month. You could go. All you can do that. I ate with so many people over eight years old. It was ridiculous.

Chuck Shute: 11:36

I did not know JC Penney had a cafeteria. That's hilarious. They used

Rachel Bolan: 11:39

to cafeteria and then it turned into kind of a restaurant, but it's just fluorescent lights. And you

Chuck Shute: 11:45

know, that's funny. It was

Rachel Bolan: 11:47

Yeah, it was pretty funny. But man, it was his sustenance.

Chuck Shute: 11:50

Yeah. So this is a cool little side note for the people who don't really know the whole story of Skid Row. Obviously Jon Bon Jovi was an integral part of your success. And this is so smart of snakes. So when snake and Jon Bon Jovi they grew up neighbors, and they were kids, I don't know if it was seven years old. I know what the actual age was. But I think I heard seven they made a pact that whoever became a rockstar first, they would use their influence to help the other person that is so smart of him to hitch his wagon to Jon Bon Jovi, like he must have known, but like I bet that kid came out of the womb just like looking like a rock star with perfect hair. Like he knew. He's like, I'm gonna hit my wagon and I guess, yeah, right. Um,

Rachel Bolan: 12:31

yeah, that was that was you know, you, can't you no one could ever accuse snake of not being clever. You know what I mean? Yeah, they they made that I'm not sure the age that they made that pact either. But they did. And obviously, john became very successful. And those guys are still dear friends to this day.

Chuck Shute: 12:54

Yeah. So what did

Rachel Bolan: 12:55

yeah, sorry, gone? Yeah. Yeah. So so they made that pact. And john hit success first. And for a short time, they actually played together in a band. JOHN became successful first. And he, you know, he,

Chuck Shute: 13:09

he kept the pack. That's super cool. I love loyalty, things like that. It's really cool. So what advice did he was it mostly just like, they would tell you how to tweak songs like, hey, change this part change that, like, they kind of put you guys to work, right? Because you guys would be working and slaving away writing these songs, and then they would hear them and go, you need to change this, you need to fix that. Right? Yeah, john, especially, he would make suggestions. You know, we,

Rachel Bolan: 14:08

you have to write stuff that's not so self indulgent, that you're going to be the only one that understands what you're saying. You have to write for people to understand, you know, other other people to understand stuff. And you know, you can be metaphorical and you can be poetic. But if you're trying to reach other people, you have to make it a little more general and not self indulgent. And that that was really, really important because, you know, you want to create a song or a poem or whatever it is, and you want to make it kind of like a suggestion. Unless you're telling a literal story. You want to make it a suggestion, but you also want to don't want there to have to be cliffnotes to it. Yeah. And what you're saying

Chuck Shute: 14:59

no, I think that's Yeah, that's good. That's good advice because it definitely those songs resonated me with me. And, you know, I that's what I hated about English class and literary thing outreach. I don't understand this. I mean, when I listen to your songs, I those lyrics. Yeah, that totally resonated with me because I knew exactly what you guys were talking about.

Rachel Bolan: 15:15

That's cool. Yeah. So that that was that was a really valuable lesson that john. So So

Chuck Shute: 15:21

yeah, so you guys got to open up for Bon Jovi when you had the other singer Matt Fallon. And it's so fat. Like, I feel so bad for that guy. Because he was like, almost, he's a singer Skid Row almost made it then he was he was the thing if it was anthrax first, but he was a singer in both those bands. And then, you know, just, it's like, gotta be so close. But doc McGee was the guy that said, You guys got to get a new singer. So you got rid of him, and then you audition some other singers. This is a crazy story. I didn't know. I thought this was like Internet farce or something. But then I heard you guys talking about it. JOHN corabi, who would later go on to be a singer Motley Crue, he was given an opportunity to audition for the band?

Rachel Bolan: 16:01

Mm hmm. He blew it off.

Chuck Shute: 16:03

What the fuck...

Rachel Bolan: 16:05

Yeah, he blew it off. And to this day, he'll, he'll see me He's like, yeah, I'm really glad I blew off that that audition? Like why did he blow it? Like, what was his story or reason? Because it's too far away? He's in Philadelphia, right? Yeah. But I mean, we weren't far from Philly. We were about an hour and a half. You know what I mean? Not even, maybe an hour and 10. But he... I don't know... I think he told us that his water heater broke. I think that was him. Somebody that we auditioned said I can't come in my water heater broke and I had my basements full of water and then never heard back.. But yeah, John, I bust his balls.

Chuck Shute: 16:41

How did you how did you even find him? Did he send in a tape or something? Or did someone recommend him?

Rachel Bolan: 16:46

No, I yeah. Someone recommended him. I think Snake jammed with him once or maybe Affuso did? I forget... One of the guys knew him.

Chuck Shute: 16:55

Okay,

Rachel Bolan: 16:55

I know it wasn't Scotti or myself.

Chuck Shute: 16:58

Okay. Yeah.

Rachel Bolan: 16:59

I think it was Snake because Snake had a lot of ties to the whole Philly scene. Gotcha.

Chuck Shute: 17:06

Okay, that makes sense. Yeah.

Rachel Bolan: 17:07

So I think that's how John's name came up. And yeah,

Chuck Shute: 17:11

that is so that is just such a I'm surprised no one ever I didn't know that. I thought of myself as a die hard fan. I never knew that story. I couldn't believe it. But um, so anyways, you get Sebastian Bach that the rest is history. But I'm curious about this part. So like, and up until the time that you guys got signed, you would rehearse in your garage and like, I think it was like your parents said they had to turn the TV up full blast and like drown out your sight sound and then it sounded like how did you guys like can you talk about the work ethic? Because I people I think people always assume that some of these rock stars Oh, they just they haven't lucky. They're lucky. That's always like a thing. I hear from people success. Oh, they got lucky. Oh, they knew Bon Jovi. Oh, so so lucky. But I mean, it sounded like you guys were working day jobs. And then you come home and you rehearse and you write songs and all that stuff. And then you I heard you stay up till like five in the morning sometimes then go to work at eight in the morning. Like talk about your like, how hard it has worked in those days before you made it?

Rachel Bolan: 18:05

Well, yeah, we'd we'd rehearse about five days a week. And, you know, whatever time we had to stop by 10 because like you said it was in my parent's garage was two car garage. We had stopped by 10 because of the neighbors but we pretty much do about six hours a day six hour rehearsals for five days a week and when when we weren't doing that snake and the snake and I were writing constantly after we got out of work and sometimes on the on the days off. You know, we would we'd write and we just keep going sometimes till seven in the morning getting a quick our sleep and then I'll go into work and getting home going straight into rehearsal. So it was I mean, luck is a small part of success. It's all the hard work. And that leads up to that lucky that small luck window is what really what really brings on the success you know, we Yeah, we were non stop and then we tried to get as many gigs in as we could but I just remember some days where snake and I would be writing I remember you is one of them where we were writing and writing and writing and writing. And I I just remember like looking over at snake and he's looking at the clock He's like, Oh my god, I gotta be to work in like an hour. And it was fuzzy everything was totally fuzzy and and yeah, we we went to work right after that and then either rehearsal or writing some more, you know, we just want to keep piling up the songs and getting as many as we could and then you getting feedback from john and Richie was really important. And we were just demoing stuff with drum machines and then sometimes we didn't even have a microphone and we'd sing in with we have had a broken like we took a speaker like the casing off of a pair of headphones and we took the speaker and we just use that to sing into and just get a slightly distorted but we would get a scratch vocal down you know, singing through singing through the speaker and through the mic input. Because we were broke man we couldn't afford anything we're recording on a used Yamaha four track that was on cassette. And we just keep bouncing tracks and bouncing to where you hear all that believe in that hiss. But we got the idea the song across and that's what we shopped to wow shop stuff like that. And did you do other thing that we were doing in between everything else is going to New York?

Chuck Shute: 20:53

Yeah. Won't you literally knocking on doors and like trying to get people to sign up?

Rachel Bolan: 20:58

Yeah, we had we had some scheduled things that we were lucky enough for friends to set up for us. And and the fact that that john was we got the endorsement from john, you know, bringing up his name helped a lot, obviously. But yeah, sometimes we'd be like, well, we just went to a&m Records, and we're right across the street from you know, the offices of whatever record. How would it we got a few more cassettes in our pocket. Let's just go. say we have a meet. Let's look up, like, Who's the a&r guy there? Who's whoever there. And let's say we have a meeting with him. It's like, Oh, I don't see you on the list. It's like, you'll have to sit down and wait, he'll, he'll be done at two or whatever. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they won't, but most of the times they did. Wow. And yeah, but they were the failure was not an option snake. And that was the one thing snake and I were when I met him, I realized quickly that we were both on a collision course with success. And and it just there was nothing that was gonna hold us back, we would, it would be so cold out sometimes in New York. so damn cold that we would be our hands would be so cold. We're like, Okay, let's go buy a cup of coffee, and then just hang out in this place. And just nurse it as long as we could just to get warm before our next, you know, our next meeting. Did you do like the I know and La they talked about the flyering like, where you put the flyers up all over the place to to promote your shows and stuff. Did you do that? We didn't really have to do that. That wasn't a thing in New Jersey or New York, you know, we we'd make up some of them and take around or if there was like a board at the at the venue, you know, we would stick something up on there. But mostly, we would just rely on the club itself to do whatever promoting. Yeah, and yeah, it it was all worth it. You know, like my dad owes you say you could never be afraid

Chuck Shute: 23:04

of hard work. No, that's amazing. So you finally get an offer. It's actually first year offered by Jeff Geffen sorry, and the ink wasn't even ready to paper. And then Atlantic's swooped in, which was good, because Didn't you say that Geffen they wanted to scrap all you had like 30 songs written they want to scrap all of them except for 18 in life and making a mess. So they wanted to scrap like youth Gone Wild and piece of me and?

Rachel Bolan: 23:30

Yeah, well, Atlantic had had been especially Dorothy and Jason. They've been, you know, tracking us for a long time and come into a lot of shows and and they wanted us and they they were actually the first to make the offer. And then Geffen came in and upped it. And you know, the powers that be said, well, we're going to go with Geffen and snake and I were just like that after our like showcase for them. They picked all the songs that we didn't want to do. And they even wanted to make the producer that they brought wanted to make making a mess all halftime, and it wasn't wanted to be slow. We were just like, you're going to tell this story that we just told in three and a half minutes and seven minutes now. So yeah, it was just we weren't feeling good about it, but we were listening to management and then thankfully, Atlanta came back and up the offer and we felt way better about it because they like things how we wrote it and they wanted the band to be the band, you know, and it all worked out. You know, Geffen's great was a great label, you know, and they had guns and we were psyched about that, but I think what they wanted was a more pop band. Yeah, they scrapped all of our heavier stuff where Atlantic I think wanted more of a Guns and Roses type band with with you know, more street feel to it. And they they genuinely did love our songs and they came to so many shows they saw tons of shows and and so it all worked out.

Chuck Shute: 25:18

Yeah, definitely no so like before recording the album you guys got to meet with producers This is always like fascinating to me like which who you pick so you picked Michael Wagner because he let the band be the band. That was the thing he's like, I'll let you guys be the band, but just at least try my ideas. So that seems to work out because he got to I mean, at least the first two albums then he's doing the the your newer stuff too, right?

Rachel Bolan: 25:39

We worked on some stuff with my offer the new what the new stuff that we're doing. Yeah, he, man we met with a lot of a lot of producers, like that did a lot of big bands. And we were like cool, but there just wasn't. I don't know, you know, the vibe. Yeah, we're just kinda downer dudes. And we didn't really care about their accomplishments as much as we cared about the sounds of things they did and and just there overall. But you know, jelen with the guy in a room for an hour, you know what I mean? And when Michael came, he just showed up. And you know, Jason Flom brought him in to come see the show. I think we're in Rhode Island at the living room. I doubt that's even there anymore. And so we talked them after the show at a little table. And that was the thing he said, first of all, he's like one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. And he's done a lot of records that the whole band really liked. And when he said, I don't want to change anything, I just want the band to be the band. That's the most important thing. Snake kicked me under the table. And I was like, yep, yep. And we're like, cool, man. It's great. And then we're like, This guy has to do the record, you know, has to do the record. And and, you know, we did the first two records with him.

Chuck Shute: 27:09

Yeah. Great. I love the results, obviously. So the first album, you know, it's a huge hit. And the first single youth Gone Wild is the first single then I heard you guys had to actually fight for the second single to be 18 in life because they wanted I remember you. But I found off as you were saying that said if we release I remember you like that'll be it, then we there won't be any more singles. Because that's like, the way that it went. It would be like the ballot was the last single ever. That was kind of your theory. And so then yeah,

Rachel Bolan: 27:36

yes, sort of, we didn't we didn't want to follow the exact formula that seemed like a lot of bands were doing because of that reason, we didn't know for sure whether that be left. But you know, it was actually Richie Sambora his idea he's like you should release 18 in life he's like you guys obviously have that that crowd that is more street than a lot of other bands that are out there now. You've gone wild made such a statement. And if you come out with something so pretty afterwards that he goes to me that's kind of confusing and then there was a lot of resistance about doing a team and thankfully, we won and they trusted us enough the label trusted us enough to go with our gut and ended up selling more as a single than I remember you did.

Chuck Shute: 28:29

Yeah, and that's interesting. I think you guys are right because after I remember you it was like you had another single after that. My one of my favorite songs piece of me and I think that's like a really underrated song. I always look for it in karaoke I can never find it in like every I go to a new city Yeah, I always look for it I'm like I really want to sing this song and I I cannot does not exist in karaoke and I

Unknown: 28:53

don't know you guys get paid

Chuck Shute: 28:54

for those things you get like royalties or anything or

Rachel Bolan: 28:57

Yeah, well yeah, I mean just album sales and it gets played a lot on on a lot of you know, it gets played on satellite it gets played on a lot of European station. But love song.

Chuck Shute: 29:10

Okay, so

Rachel Bolan: 29:10

it was piece of me. I can't remember is that after I remember you before I remember you

Chuck Shute: 29:15

I think that was the fourth single I I thought

Rachel Bolan: 29:19

because I know we did we release that song and the video right before we went to your registry. So I'm not sure the order but yeah, yeah, we did that as a bridge track. Okay. Yeah, it ended up it ended up being like it's it's one of our bigger songs in the set, which a lot of cool. Yeah. Yeah. And a little a little trivia for you. If you go slow, and you see Yeah, he told me. I saw him. He's like, do you If you see this kid with long blonde hair stage diving into know the "Piece of Me" video a d I was like, and he goes on th this blonde guy stage diving into the crowd. It goes by like the crowd, it's John5 from Rob Zombie.... t blonde kid stage diving, that.

Chuck Shute: 29:55

No way! Was that just a regular show? Or was that like, Did you guys hire extras to do that stuff? Or? That was extras.. Yeah. We brought in a crowd and it was that I forget the name of the club it was at but yeah, it was it was staged. It was all set up. But we that's good. They kept it so cold in there that they had to that we couldn't sweat. And they were spraying us with spritzer bottles, and we're just like, and they're spraying us with spritzer bottles. And once we got going, the lights would warm us up, but it was so cold. Wow. So here's another piece of trivia that I learned this is this is hilarious. And when I listened to the song, so "Making a Mess", apparently... can you explain the story how Snake sings lead vocals on that song for like, one second.

Rachel Bolan: 30:56

One word,

Chuck Shute: 30:56

one word. It is a Yeah. So because I always thought but the way it ended was you I never like read the lyrics, I guess. But it said I thought he said it'll be the biggest mess you ever made baby. But it's it's the best mess you ever made. Right?

Rachel Bolan: 31:13

Yeah. And it's it was supposed to be the best mess you ever made. And then they wanted to change. I forget who? I thought

Chuck Shute: 31:25

you said it was Bon Jovi.

Rachel Bolan: 31:27

It might Yeah. Yeah, I think it was it was John, he goes out that should be changed to last. And so Sebastian was already home. Yeah. So snake is like, well, I'll change it and they change it. And it's like, man go back to best so I don't even know what's on there. I can't even remember what's on there. But whatever's on there is the original word. Yeah, because we went to another one and they mix it together and Michael "E-Q'd" it and yeah, that one word is actually Snake. That's hilarious. Isn't that silly? So funny. Wow, we are splitting hairs here. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 32:04

but you can't tell that if somebody else it's not like really like abrupt where it says it'll be the best mess you ever played. It doesn't sound it sounds like it's Sebastian saying so great. Good. Good mixing job Michael Wagner. So

Rachel Bolan: 32:16

yeah, and also, I remember you the at the end, there's a harmony on the word I remember right before the big long note. And that harmony on there is Jon Bon Jovi.

Chuck Shute: 32:30

Oh, did you get a credit for that?

Rachel Bolan: 32:33

No... on the same visit, And he goes, I gotta be on this record somewhere. So Michael was mixing I remember you and Mike was like do a harmony here somewhere. So we did it right at the end. member and that's it.

Chuck Shute: 32:47

Crazy. So you guys did so many amazing tours Aerosmith. And I think Guns and Roses like that would have been I wish that I didn't get into you guys until the slave to the grind record but man Guns and Roses and Skid Row that would be like one of my dream shows. What would you have any memories of that tour? Like touring with them?

Rachel Bolan: 33:04

Well, there's a riot. There is that

Chuck Shute: 33:08

Okay...

Rachel Bolan: 33:09

Yeah, you know what? We didn't hang a lot. You know, if they, you know, back then it was it was Party Central with those guys, but didn't really hang a ton. I had some really deep conversations with Axel and and at times, like maybe two. But I think the guy i that is he was really cool. He obviously he left like mid tour. That's when he left the band. But I had one conversation with Izzy and it lasted almost two hours. We were talking outside the bus and he was into like dirt biking, and go karting and all that stuff. And that's kind of stuff that I liked. I know she had a trials motorcycle. And he was Washington outside his bus. I was like you do trials? Again, you know, trial. So anyway, and then we talked for about two hours. And that that was really the only conversation I had with him the whole tour and I remember telling Duff I was like, Man, this is a really cool dude. I talked to him for like two hours. And he goes,

Chuck Shute: 34:16

who cheats?

Rachel Bolan: 34:18

I said I thought I said I talk to Izzy for like two hours. And he's like, dude, every guy in this band collectively haven't talked for two hours. Wow. I was like that dude is so cool. And we're all the same kind of crazy relationship. But yeah, he was he was really cool.

Chuck Shute: 34:39

Yeah, that's crazy. So slave to the grind record comes out. I think I love that. This is like seriously the first row I used to be like in a rap and pop and stuff. And I was hanging out with this girl and one day and she's like, Hey, can I put on Skid Row and I was like, I don't care. Like I'm hanging out with a girl like I'm just excited. So she puts that album on. And like I'm like this is actually Like, really? I really liked this album Who is this again? Like and that that's what that changed my life. That's why I'm doing rock interviews instead of pop or rap, whatever. So I think it was. Yeah, super cool. It totally changed my life. That's you guys became my favorite band. I love everything about it. But, you know, like, because it was a heavier sound. But this was interesting. I didn't know this. Is it true that the record label wanted to have a bikini model star in the in the video to the title track slave to the grind? Because I was watching that video again last night. I'm like trying to figure out how do you put a bikini model and slave to the grind?

Rachel Bolan: 35:31

I don't think so. Yeah, now we had a pretty strict policy of not doing the TNA thing in our videos, because we wanted to keep it you know, just keep us a little different than everyone else because that seemed to be the norm. And I don't know of any. Any videos. Maybe psycho love had a silhouette. Yeah. Yeah, we didn't. We didn't go for that kind of stuff. Yeah, cuz it didn't make any sense to me. Yeah. Yeah, I don't I don't think I think that's purely rumor,

Chuck Shute: 36:05

especially with that time with that heavier album, and you toured with Pantera and Soundgarden.

Rachel Bolan: 36:12

Yeah, yeah, it's great.

Chuck Shute: 36:13

Yeah. It's gotta be crazy to run with those guys. Like I interviewed the guitars from sacred Reich. And he said, like, they dumped a bunch of hamburger meat on them. At the end of the tour. There's not like a thing that you guys do on each other. Right? you dump stuff on each other at the end of the tour.

Rachel Bolan: 36:27

You know, sometimes with Panthera, I don't think we did anything to them. Maybe it probably did something stupid on stage while they were playing, but we didn't like it done to us. You know, we weren't crazy about it. We didn't want it to disrupt the show. But we had so much fun with the Panthera guys. It's ridiculous,

Unknown: 36:47

man. Oh, yeah.

Chuck Shute: 36:48

No, I remember watching the videos. And that was the other thing like no one ever talks about. You guys had two videos, roadkill and then what's the first one called? Oh, say can you scream that was called the home videos. Whose idea was that? I mean, because this is kind of revolutionary idea at the time to take home videos of all that because before cellphones were everyone just had a camera in their pocket. You had to like carry the big camcorders and shit. Like, thought of like doing that. I mean, it was so that was like another thing that I became a huge fan of you guys. I was like, I look so fun to just like, hang out with these guys.

Rachel Bolan: 37:19

Yeah, I'm not sure whose idea that was. It just I think it just kind of happened organically because we all have video cameras. Okay. Just we had so much footage. It just kind of gave it a insider view of what we're doing sometimes. And just the, the stupidness that happens when you you know, mix rock band and alcohol.

Chuck Shute: 37:40

Yeah. Is there any?

Rachel Bolan: 37:43

So many fun things So many... Is there any plans to do like a rerelease of those like with deleted scenes, or? Or is there any footage that you can't show people that you have like this? This can't go on the DVD? Um, no, not really. I mean, I got a box of little super eight tapes, but we use all the good stuff pretty much okay. But yeah, we're, we're looking to rerelease those videos, it's just, you know, we gotta wait till we claim ownership on them again, because we've been offered to do it through labels. And it's a business thing. You know, let's do it at a 10% royalty rate type of crap. And it's just like, Oh, okay. Yeah, we're that stupid. We built this and we don't we don't want any money for it. You know, you guys take all the money. Right. But yeah, it's just silly stuff like that. But but we will have those soon. And I'm sure we'll we'll put them out.

Chuck Shute: 38:42

Yeah. So then the next record, I love this record, too. I know you're not as big a fan of it the Sub-Human-Race. So why are you unhappy with the production? Did you not like Bob Rock's production? Was that part of our just didn't think it was a good fit for your band? or Why did you guys pick Bob Rock in the first place?

Rachel Bolan: 38:59

I'm not sure. We all... We agreed on him, I should say. We all had different ideas of who we wanted. But Bob was someone that we liked. We liked the stuff that he did with Metallica and with the Cult especially. And yeah, but that that album just kind of seem that it no one was really interested when we did that record, band included. It's just like we're kind of doing it and getting through it and the musical climate change so much. Yeah, so much tension within the band. And it's just something that you know, when I hear it, I listened to the mix and I listened to the production and it just sounds like we just got in there and did it and got the hell out. You know? That there there are good songs on there that I would like to re record one day. But yeah, just not one of my favorite records.

Chuck Shute: 39:59

Yeah, you did get to you that was the 90. So things are a little tough for bands that had the 80 stamp on them. But you got to tour with Van Halen and they were still doing okay, so and obviously you know Eddie Van Halen just passed away. Do you have any memories of him? Did you get to hang out with him at all or interactions?

Rachel Bolan: 40:17

I didn't really... The only guy I talked to a lot was Michael who was super cool. He used to set up like in his guitar world, he'd always have a cooler, some, the red lights and a plate of nachos for the opening bands. And we'd all go over there and like it was us and Brother Cane. Okay, the CO and he'd have beer for us and two bottles of jack and it was always really cool. As far as Eddie- I spoke to him a couple times with the first meeting was pretty damn funny. Sometimes when you hear someone playing like Van Halen in the other room Yeah, it's not Eddie Van Halen, you know what I mean? right.

Chuck Shute: 41:02

Yeah.

Rachel Bolan: 41:02

But in this case, it was and he had a little amp and you know, because you get so used to people that just copped his style, right and his technique.. And it's like, well, this is the guy that invented that shit. You know what I mean? And then he just whenever he walked around, he always had a guitar around his neck, an electric guitar not plugged in, obviously, but and he just talk and he play it and talk and play it. And so he comes up, I ran into him in the hallway outside our dressing room, during the daytime way before showtime. And he goes, who are you? And I go, I go. I'm Rachel. I play with Skid Row. And he looks at me. He goes, Rachel, what kind of name is Rachel? And I just was like, I'm like, dude, I honestly don't even know how to respond.

Chuck Shute: 41:53

Like, I'll change it right now Mr. Van Halen.

Rachel Bolan: 41:55

Yeah. So I was just like, and I just remember looking at his headstock and just said Wolfgang there. And I was like, I don't know how to respond to this to this. So awesome. It's good to be on the tour. Yeah. So yeah, that was my my one big encounter with Eddie. And you know, the other guys were all super cool. Yeah. Really nice. This, they they split out pretty soon after they were done. You know, but getting to watch them from side to stage was a, you know, a huge learning experience. Especially Sammy the way he just grabbed the crowd, you know what I mean? He would it was like a host to a huge event, you know? Yeah, I mean, but, but that huge event just happened to be in his backyard. And it was like a guy talking to, like so many people that he knew and, and watching that style of showmanship was it just blew my mind like, okay, you don't have to always, you know, scream at a crowd or do this or, but the way he handled a crowd and got them on his side was just insane, man. It was insane. Not like they weren't on his side, because they were so big. Then they had what, like two three number one records at that point. Sure. And just just watching him do what he does blew my mind just because I've always been a Sammy Hagar fan from the Montrose days on, you know,

Chuck Shute: 43:25

Mm hmm. And he's great.

Rachel Bolan: 43:27

And just watching those guys play and what a just crazy tight unit that they were. It was mind boggling. Absolutely.

Chuck Shute: 43:36

Yeah. So this is around that time, the 90s that, like I said, the, you know, your waning popularity The scene is it's more about the grunge and stuff, so the band kind of dissolves or whatever. We don't need to go into the details. I'm sure you don't want to relive that. But was there a sense of almost say, like, maybe like relief for you and a little bit that you're like, Okay, like, this is all like, or was it? I mean, I mean, maybe it was a mix of feelings. Were you sad? Like, oh, this is the end of Skid Row or like, what were you thinking at that time? Well, you know,

Rachel Bolan: 44:10

things were pretty bad within the band. You know, even with with, with all of us, actually, it's just like, never heard from each other when we were home and most of us live 15 minutes from each other's house. And it just, you know, it's just such it just became I don't know, it started to get not fun at one point because it was just all bullshit that went along with preparing to do stuff and and whatever it was, it just yeah, it was a relief in a way. It was it was Malakal, you know, and I mean it was it was a relief and good I get to go home and just chill and and, you know, recharge my batteries, but you know, where are we going from here? So it was kind of kind of waiting out. Like a storm, so to speak, and just seeing what's what's going to be there when it goes by. And you know, it was yours. It was yours. And then we decided to get the band back together and, you know, in 2000, and here we are 20 years later and still having fun and doing a lot of shows. Well, not now. But you know, we're doing a lot of shows 100 shows a year. And and that's a lot for a bunch of old guys.

Chuck Shute: 45:28

Yeah, so you reform the band, you guys do a couple albums with Johnny fix, again, revolutions per minute, the United what's it called united rebels united world rebellion. There's like two parts. And then the third part is coming out with a new singer. So but then you guys split with Johnny. And then Tony Harnell was in the band for like a little bit. And that was just not a good match personality wise, or musically. So there was a brief time like five years ago where you were

Rachel Bolan: 45:53

We were entertaining the idea. going to reunite with the whole original band right? Or it was mulling over. Okay, quick detour. So I don't know, did you see recently like Tommy Lee came out And he said, there's an article about him saying that he was drinking two gallons of vodka a day. How could you survive that?

Chuck Shute: 46:17

I won't. So here's my point. I interview a lot of musicians, a lot of musicians go through this like drinking thing. And then like they get older, like, Okay, well, now I'm sober. And I'm in rehab. Like, I don't want to hit this too much. Because I know you don't want to talk about this. But with Sebastian, do you think that is part of the issue why things fell apart internally? Do you think like the drinking and like, like if he went through a 12 step program or something? Do you think that would change anything? Not not with the reunion because I feel like that ship has sailed, but just in terms of the relationship because he was your friend for like, 10 years, right?

Rachel Bolan: 46:51

Well, I right. Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth.., but I wouldn't say we were friends. We were band mates. I mean, yeah, we did. You know, I mean, we're two very different people.

Chuck Shute: 47:06

Yeah. But do you think that would change? At least where you guys could be? Are you even cordial with like, what do you ever see him? Like, just like on in different? No. Yeah. No, just like randomly you don't run into him or anything?

Rachel Bolan: 47:19

Haven't in years. Okay. Yeah. All right. Well, so that ship. Like I said, that ship has sailed. You know, I'm a diehard fan. I'm a Skid Row fan. I'm a Sebastian fan. I'm but I'm a fan of the new band. So tell me about your new singer Z.P. Scotti said he's the best singer you've ever had. I agree. I concur. 100%. He used to sing for Dragon Force, European, like, I guess you could say progressive metal band. And I was a fan of his voice when they came out. And I actually I was in New York, doing press and Dragon Force was playing what was then the Nokia theatre. It's changed so many times. I don't know what it is now, but, and I went and I was like, Man, this guy is GOOD You know? He's so good. And years fast forward a few more years Dragon Force is just blowing up and, and we had a mutual friend and he he said, Hey, I heard that Z is going to leave Dragon Force. Z is a buddy of mine. I heard he's going to leave Dragon Force. And you were saying that he just wanted to put a fun side project together. You should you should call him man. And just chit chat. So Rob Hammersmith and I, we were the band had a gig in Russia. So Rob and I flew to England a few days before that and met with Z and said yeah, man, let's do this. Let's put a side project together have fun and he was the coolest dude. so laid back. He drank beer. He had fun he ate same you know pub food that we both love what I mean? So it was just like it was a friendship like that, and we kept in touch over the years and then it as it so happened, you know, he did lead Dragon Force and he started the band I Am I. Our side project never materialized because Skid Row got so busy and just the distance. You know, just for a side project really didn't make sense. So but we stayed in touch and we stayed friends. And then when things didn't work out with Tony, I think we may have emailed or called each other like within 10 minutes of Hey, dude, it is time. Yeah. He flew to the States. And we got in rehearsal room and he goes, we're just like what songs you want to do? He goes, you guys tell me, you know, it's like you tell me he goes, I'm pretty sure I know all of them. Yes.

Chuck Shute: 50:06

So he was a Skid Row fan?

Rachel Bolan: 50:08

He was a skid row fan.

Chuck Shute: 50:09

Okay, nice.

Rachel Bolan: 50:10

He lived in South Africa, we were one of his favorite bands. When we were just like, Okay, let's do you know, we did the we call them the big five. And we did those and he's like, you want to go for something deeper? We're like, you know, beat yourself blind. He's like, yeah, and he did it. And he crushed it. And then we did some other stuff and he crushed it and crushed it, crushed it and we're just like, this is ridiculous. And then our first gig was we were playing Mohegan Sun arena. And there were you know, 3000 people and it's just like he's going out with a band he never did a live show with and he's like, who wants to do shots? So we all do shots before the show.

Chuck Shute: 50:58

Wait, you guys are doing shots You're too old for shots and shit?

Rachel Bolan: 51:03

We are.... does it stop us? No.

Chuck Shute: 51:12

What do you do shots of

Rachel Bolan: 51:15

before show usually vodka something nice

Chuck Shute: 51:17

straight vodka.

Rachel Bolan: 51:18

Yeah, okay, yeah, well, snakes. Snake NZ like them chilled,

Chuck Shute: 51:23

huh. Okay,

Rachel Bolan: 51:24

so I'll do the chilled shot with them. But yeah, Scotty doesn't drink and Rob doesn't like to drink before show so okay, it's just the three of us in our thing is we do three maybe not full one out shots, but the thing is three shots so that we could you know, that's that's our ritual.

Chuck Shute: 51:41

Interesting.

Rachel Bolan: 51:42

Yeah, so we're like Wow, so for this first show, we're all looking at you're like, man, nothing fazes this dude, like, I like we've had guys in band in the band, like whether it was a drummer, or another singer that have almost fallen apart before the first show with us. And I'm just like, there's 3000 people out there going bananas and this dude, just he just went out man and he tore it up and that is right there when Scotty came over to me on stage and said to me this is the best damn singer we've ever had like Yep, you know and so and the thing is too is he so about the band is just like Skid Row and just just full on team player and just all about what what makes Skid Row better what you know. And he's he's very creative. He's got a great opinion he's got a great outlook on life in general and a great outlook on when things are not going the way we expect them to you know, and it's infectious man. So he gave this band a much needed shot, just of adrenaline and excitement to go back out and just do what we do best you know, and and now he's going on six years in the band. Wait Yeah, but no longer holy crap. Yeah, he came in No, he's going into year five I guess because he came 2015 16 Yeah, I think I don't know how long Yeah, well that's

Chuck Shute: 53:14

a pretty good sales pitch right there for the new singer. I'm excited I haven't seen I don't I think when I saw you guys know I saw you with Johnny. I haven't seen this new guy. He'd been to Phoenix in the last few years.

Rachel Bolan: 53:25

Oh, but probably

Chuck Shute: 53:26

I don't know have to come back and once the concert started... Does ZP, does he do any of the songwriting does he contribute to the songwriting as well?

Rachel Bolan: 53:33

He has Yeah, yeah. With the stuff we're doing he's contributed a bit yeah, yeah.

Chuck Shute: 53:37

Tell me who else is a you've got - Corey Taylor from stone sour and which by the way, I didn't know you play bass on one of stone sour albums and other little side note trivia but you're friends with him right?

Rachel Bolan: 53:49

Yeah, the house on golden bones house golden bone. I played on it double record. Um, yeah, he's a buddy and and we said let's get together and write and we got together pretty quickly and wrote some stuff. And you know, we'll probably write some more it you know, something, we were both so busy and it was like a snake and I were there and Cory was doing his thing. He was recording with stone sour and, and on their last record, so everyone was kind of distracted, but we got some good stuff out of it. And we plan on getting together doing some more.

Chuck Shute: 54:24

Yeah, Andrew, Lizzie from halestorm. co wrote who is there any other co writers that on this album?

Rachel Bolan: 54:30

Yeah, we wrote with Lizzy and Joe, a tune that we really like. All these songs. We're not that we're still undecided. Because now we have so much time we're actually rewriting some and whatever we were up with Marty Fredrickson, who wrote tons of style. Yeah, he's been all over the place. Aerosmith. Aerosmith. Yeah. And yeah, who else I forget, but but we Yeah, it's the first time we've really extended ourselves to Write with outside writers. And you know, we started with our friends because it was a new thing for us. So we're like, well, let's do it with people we're comfortable with and not just go and write with someone that is strictly a songwriter. And, you know, who knows if we're going to even vibe with a person. So it was a big thing for us to put our egos to the side and say, let's go. Let's go right with other people.

Chuck Shute: 55:24

Yeah, are you friends with so this is crazy. I interviewed Jason McMaster from dangerous toys and he told me that you guys had offered him an audition I don't know if you offered him the job but you're interested in having him try out for Skid Row is there true to that? Like they even put that in the Wikipedia? Yeah, so there is truth to that. I broke that story it's I'm on your Wikipedia if you go on their Wikipedia it says Chuck shoot podcast I'm like that it my jaw dropped when I saw it. I was crate that I'm like, somehow associated with you guys is amazing to me.

Rachel Bolan: 55:55

That is so funny. Yeah, Wikipedia. That's the weirdest thing like anyone could go in there and edit it.

Chuck Shute: 55:59

I didn't do it though. I swear to God, it wasn't me. So let's do it. Yeah,

Rachel Bolan: 56:02

but there's some dude, I went to high school with a keeps going on there and putting himself as a past member of our management is like you don't know. Never in the damn band.

Chuck Shute: 56:16

That is hilarious.

Rachel Bolan: 56:18

Yeah, no, we talked we talked to Jason this to see if he wanted to try out. Um, Johnny there was. He was like, supposed to be right after Johnny. Okay. And just worked out. And Jason was busy. He had like two bands going on and stuff.

Chuck Shute: 56:35

Like seven bands or something. Yeah, he's crazy. Yeah,

Rachel Bolan: 56:38

yeah. So it just it you know, but yeah, Jason's a good dude. Man. I like that.

Chuck Shute: 56:43

Yeah, he's really cool. Would you ever do a tour with him? And one of his eight bands?

Rachel Bolan: 56:48

Yeah, man. I like him. He sent me some stuff I forget which of the bands it was but it was really a very metal

Chuck Shute: 56:54

very heavy igniter or

Unknown: 56:58

maybe

Chuck Shute: 56:59

what's

Rachel Bolan: 57:00

broken? wasn't broken teeth broken. Yeah. Oh, yeah. He's got so many It was another one of his metal bands was cool stuff.

Chuck Shute: 57:09

Did you saw the bands that you haven't tour? You said you wanted to tour with Foo Fighters. Judas Priest or AC DC. And you've never never toured with any of those. Right? But you want to?

Rachel Bolan: 57:20

We'd love to

Chuck Shute: 57:21

have you ever met Alice Cooper? Because you said that was like one of the Oh you did get to meet him? What was he like?

Rachel Bolan: 57:26

He's really cool. These great actually wrote some songs with him back in 89 Rila when he was writing for Hey, stupid they didn't make the record but my big one was getting to meet and write with Alice Cooper in my house. It was awesome. Yeah, but Allison is one of those guys that are just He's so nice man. And you know being such a huge influence on me. You know, you're sometimes you're afraid to meet your idols you don't know what they're gonna be like and me right

Chuck Shute: 57:55

now. Yeah.

Rachel Bolan: 57:57

Yeah, I obviously his character is so larger than life. And he's just a cool dude. Man. He just the funniest thing when I first met him is he he had a staring contest with my cat my cat was just across the room and would not stop staring at Alice and Alice just goes your cats having staring contest with me wants to have a staring contest with me. I go Yeah, he does that. And he just looks at the cat and goes you're not gonna beat me and the cat just went

Unknown: 58:31

and looked away

Chuck Shute: 58:37

Wow, that's that's what I love stories like that. You got some good stories?

Rachel Bolan: 58:41

Yeah, man. I've been around what do you have a lot of stories that means your role.

Chuck Shute: 58:46

Hey, as long as you're still kickin, this is good. Yeah. Any other stories that come to mind of rock stars or touring? Or did you guys have like did you see the dirt? Did you see that move in the dirt? Like was that on a scale of like, you know the dirt and like, you know a Where were you? Where were you guys? Cuz like the minerals I saw is pretty crazy.

Rachel Bolan: 59:06

I'm not big on biopics or bio pics. However you Yeah, but yeah, I got to say I didn't make it too far into that movie. Just because when I see stuff like that and see people acting out. I don't know I just this my own hang up. So I didn't see the movie, really. But yeah, but I mean, me. Like my partying never extended past like drinking. You know what I mean? I mean, I try stuff when I was younger. But you know when during our whole time, I mean, Jesus I just recently started like, doing a hit a weed or eating a gummy within the last 10 years. I mean, I just, I just, I never got into any kind of drugs. My whole thing was drinking that you know that that was my extent of partying sometimes. Far too much, you know, but Yeah, that was my only kind of recreation that was unhealthy.

Chuck Shute: 1:00:06

Yeah, no, that's pretty crazy. Well, I'm sorry, I took up way too much your time. But thank you for doing this. Oh, let's talk. Let's talk real quick. I want to promote you're talking about the dirty rocker. So this is interesting. I didn't know. It's my girlfriend has makes fun of me because I like the bar soaps. But yeah, I mean, you you created this. It's like bar soaps.

Rachel Bolan: 1:00:25

Yeah, it's, it was an idea I had a couple years ago. Um, cuz I was like, man. Well, here's how it started. A friend of mine, she makes so. And she has a small soap company. And I tried it. I was like, wow, this is really amazing. Like, all this all natural stuff in here is so much different than because I have eczema. Right, right. Yeah. Like, I can't use deodorant soaps, I can't use a lot of like soaps with a lot of harsh perfumes and stuff like that. And a lot of times when you go to hotels, that's all they have. So I brought a bar her stuff on the road. And I was just like, wow, this is this is really amazing. So I'm like, man, I should start my own every everybody has a coffee. Everybody has a hot sauce. Everybody has this and that. The other thing I said, Now it's something new. And so I was got the, you know, needed to get the licensing and the trademarks and all that stuff. And I was like, if I do it, I wanted, you know, I don't want to just license My name to something I don't want just someone to say hey, we make these and we want your name on. So I just started from the ground up man and it was just going to kind of be a hobby. And I had I commissioned my friend to make some of them. And I you know, we formulated together and they sold out in a couple days I built a website I built the you know, just very hands on and and now with all the downtime it it launched and it it's pretty crazy. It's

Chuck Shute: 1:01:57

the the logo is really I haven't tried to soak yet I'm gonna get some but the logos again, you hit another home run with like the skid row logo. But I had a question. I was on the website. And there was like a section about returns. I was like, Who's returning an $8 barf. So I mean, it's got to cost more to ship it than the dragon is like a big thing. Like, hey, look at the ingredients. If you're allergic to this stuff, don't buy it, you know, but it's like, like, Wow, did you have an issue with that? were pure return. Oh, I

Rachel Bolan: 1:02:27

did it. I didn't I just did research, you know, okay, I just did research about a lot of other smaller soap companies. Like dirty rocker and I can't because I thought the same thing I was like, Who's gonna return a bar? So? Yeah, I thought and I was like, wow, every single one has this. Oh, okay, you know, so I'm gonna put it on there.

Chuck Shute: 1:02:52

You know, and better safe than sorry, I guess. What's that? That's funny that you mentioned that guy's just funny cuz I was like, Who's gonna return an $8 barf. So but there are people out there that are crazy that Yeah, so no, that's smart. So yeah, so the soap we got the new album is maybe coming out 2021

Rachel Bolan: 1:03:12

Yeah, yeah point hoping I'm hoping for that with everything is crazy. It is it is we have so much time to rewrite stuff and more so but if i can i want to mention this one thing. Okay. Scott, with it's called drive the music. And it's in conjunction with what's the name of the music venue, Alliance, Nashville, and it's all about there's so many local Nashville venues that have closed their doors and that and may have to close for good and in order for them not to drive drive the music nashville.com you could go and get one of these shirts, oh, at for 30 bucks and 100% of the proceeds go to music venues. Alliance, Nashville. It's it all these clubs are very similar. Like any band that you grew up listening to or I grew up listening to have come through clubs like this all over the United States and all over the world and and we're just you know, I'm in Nashville now and a lot of these venues I have seen bands go through and Skid Row has been in when we were coming up and they're very, very important to music. So we're just trying to raise enough money so we could hopefully keep these venues open. And and to keep getting music live again in Nashville and any support that that would be appreciated. Drive the music nashville.com get a shirt show you. Okay, I will do that for sure. I'll get some soap

Chuck Shute: 1:04:56

and I'm hoping to see the new album and then hopefully also your tour days. rescheduled for 2021 like that you had this big tour you announced with a rat Tom keefer and slaughter Yeah, and all those objects did not just know that didn't move to 2021 is canceled completely. That that tour is cancelled, okay

Rachel Bolan: 1:05:13

Ratan he forgot to hook up, but I'll come about that. But a lot of most of our European shows just kind of got picked up and dropped into next year. Okay, date a day or two off to where they were this year. A lot of the US shows are being rebooked now. Okay. Our China shows I got pushed to the beginning of 21 have now been pushed to the beginning of 22. So, yeah, it's it's weird, man. It's a very weird experience, you know, and, you know, hopefully, hopefully, we'll be back out there next year. But we're not going to go out too soon. Because we're not going to endanger anyone. And we are planning when I don't know, maybe early next year planning a live streaming event, right. So, you know, stay tuned for that. Okay. That's where we are man.

Chuck Shute: 1:06:05

Very cool. Thank you so much. This is like I know you guys another charity work with the Make A Wish Foundation. This was like my mega wish fund. So thank you for doing this. It's amazing. It's really cool. I appreciate it. And I hope to see you guys, if you're in Phoenix or if you're close. I'll take a road trip. I've gone to Vegas and stuff like that. So

Rachel Bolan: 1:06:22

I know I we actually I think we have Vegas book but we usually come through Phoenix. Yes.

Chuck Shute: 1:06:27

Yeah, Tucson I did. I drove you guys played with worn le guns. I drove to Tucson to see that was a good show. So cool. All right. Thanks so much. I do. Okay, still pinching myself, that I had the bassist songwriter and founder of one of my all time favorite bands on my show today. But yeah, I mean, I think that really happened. So I had an absolute blast. hearing all those stories from Rachel, I don't know. I feel like we kind of bonded a little I don't know, hopefully he'll do my show again, even though I asked the dreaded Sebastian question. Sort of though, I gotta say I'm listening to him talk about his new singer. I mean, you can just you can see the excitement in his eyes, you can hear it in his voice. He just seems genuinely happy. And I just truly want that for everyone. And so even though I'm a diehard fan, and of course, seeing a reunion of the original lineup, someday would be cool. I really want to give the new singers EP a chance. I'm really excited to see them live when concerts come back someday. And I'm actually looking forward to the new album. And also, I'm definitely getting one of those t shirts for Nashville and some of that dirty rocker. So I will forever be eternally grateful to Rachel for doing my show. And of course, I'm grateful to all of you for listening. Make sure to follow Rachel and Skid Row on social media so you don't miss any updates about their new tour and upcoming album. Make sure to follow me on social media so you don't miss any updates on my show. The show is growing. I'm getting some great guests and I think the names are just going to get bigger as time goes on. So go ahead and smash that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. In the words of Skid Row, no need to whimper No need to shout. This party's over. So get the fuck out. Thanks for listening. shoot for the moon.