With an inimitable presence as loud as his instantly identifiable voice, Sebastian Bach has left a San Andreas Fault-size imprint on music, theatre, film, television, and culture. Moreover, his influence only continues to magnify.
He has penned and voiced some of the most iconic anthems in rock history, crafting a catalog highlighted by generational hits such as "18 and Life," "I Remember You," "Youth Gone Wild," "Slave to the Grind," "Wasted Time," and "Monkey Business," to name a few. He has made history as "the first heavy metal singer on Broadway" with a now legendary turn in Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical in addition to leading roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Jesus Christ Superstar. He has appeared in dozens of television series and films, ranging from Trailer Park Boys and Robot Chicken to Spongebob Squarepants, The Masked Singer, and Hell's Kitchen. Speaking to his versatility, he's the rare force of nature who can duet with Axl Rose and reprise a seven-season recurring role on Gilmore Girls.
After selling tens of millions of albums, generating billions of streams, toppling charts, and packing arenas and amphitheaters around the world, he does what he does best on his long-awaited sixth full-length album, Child Within the Man [Reigning Phoenix Music].
"All I can do is make music that I love," he explains. "That's all I've ever done—and I really love this album. I have the same feeling for these songs that I did for '18 and Life.' I hear the same emotion. If anyone is feeling down or depressed, crank this record. You'll realize you can take the bull by the horns."
Sebastian's return is long overdue, to say the least.
He dropped his last solo record, Give 'Em Hell, in 2014. Since then, he remained as busy as ever on the road. He launched popular tours such as 18 and LIVE as well as celebratory 30th anniversary jaunts in honor of the self-titled Skid Row and Slave to the Grind albums, performing each classic in its entirety. Not to mention, he unveiled his acclaimed autobiography 18 and Life on Skid Row.
Along the way, he carefully assembled what would become Child Within the Man with none other than powerhouse producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette [Mammoth WVH, Alter Bridge] behind the board. He proved to be the perfect fit both sonically and philosophically. Rather than record on the West Coast, Sebastian and his cohorts Devin Bronson [guitar], Todd Kerns [bass], and Jeremy Colson [drums] decamped to Florida and holed up at Elvis's Studio Barbarosa.
They invariably benefitted from living, writing, and recording together under one roof - a first for Sebastian.
"In my whole career, I've never lived in a house with the band, and it was like a whole family. We'd walk downstairs, get coffee, eat breakfast, and go to work. It's how Elvis does things."
The title represents the arc of the album for Sebastian and, ultimately, his journey thus far. No matter how much the world around him has changed, he has never lost sight of why he pursued music in the first place. Like a surge of uncontainable energy, his excitement powers up the album.
"Nothing makes me feel more like a little kid than great rock 'n' roll does," he exclaims. "You can put on a song, and it'll make you feel like a child—no matter how old you are. That's what music is all about to me. It's a valuable thing to have in life. During the years of being shut down for the Pandemic, I'd remind myself how much fun rock is. It adds light to your life. That's the core theme of the album. Along with the artwork, it's why Child Within the Man is such a perfect title."
