A masterpiece (Slave To The Grind - Skid Row)

Member Name: Buzby

Product:	Slave To The Grind - Skid Row
Date:	04/02/01 (121 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great music, Great lyrics

Disadvantages: Couple of weak tracks

Skid Row were undoubtedly one of the best bands rock bands of the 80's, though for some reason they never achieved the kind of fame afforded to bands such as Guns N' Roses or Posion.

Unfortunately, the things that Skid Row seemed to get the most publicity for, were falling out with Jon Bon Jovi, getting banned from Wembley Stadium by Brent Council, where they were asked not to play 'Get The F*** Out' and played it anyway, and the time when Sebastian Bach had a bottle thrown at him while onstage, and hurled the bottle back, hitting an innocent spectator in the face.

This album walks the fine line between hard rock and heavy metal, which is hugely satisfying for all those who yearn for something heavier than Bon Jovi, but can't quite stomach Sepultura.

Every single track on this album will blow you away either musically, lyrically or both.
Sebastian Bach, the loud mouthed, angst ridden vocalist of the band, may look a bit girly, but he is a great frontman with a voice capable of spitting poison on the heavier numbers, and melting your heart on the ballads.

ABOUT THE BAND

Skid Row are:
Sebastien Bach ? Vocals
Scotti Hill ? Lead Guitar
Dave ?the snake? sabo ? Lead Guitar
Rachel Bolan ? Bass guitar
Rob Afuso - Drums

In 1986, Skid Row formed when Dave Sabo and Rachel Bolan began writing together. Scotti Hill and Rob Afuso joined, and the line up was complete when Canadian born singer Sebastian Bach joined after hearing a demo tape of ?Youth Gone Wild?.

Their first album, (simply titled ?Skid Row?) was released in 1989 and went quadruple-platinum.
The band opened for Aerosmith, Motley Crue and Bon Jovi, and were such a hit that even when the headliners took the stage, the crowd were still chanting ?Skid Row.?

Such success put a lot of pressure on the band when they released their follow up album on June 11th 1991.
Musically, ?Slave To The Grind?
glanced once at the debut album then kicked its scrawny ass!
Unfortunately, commercially, this album did not do as well as its predecessor, despite going straight to number one on the billboard charts.


THE SONGS

MONKEY BUSINESS
The album opens with a gentle piece of music and Seb singing softly over the top of it. Don?t be fooled, seconds later the gentleness becomes a snarling scream of metal mayhem as the lyrics are spat out and the guitars scream.

?Blind man in the vox that will
probably die
The village kids laugh as they walk by
A psycho is on the edge of this human
garbage dump
And the vultures in the sewers
are telling
Him to jump?


SLAVE TO THE GRIND
The title track follows and keeps a good rocking pace with its angry attack upon modern society?s expectations and values.

?You got me forced to crack
my lids in two
I'm still stuck inside this rubber room
I gotta punch the clock that
leads the blind
I'm just another gear in the assembly
line - oh no?


THE THREAT
Track three is another rant against society. There is some great bass from Bolan and some good lyrics, yet I find this one of the less memorable tracks on the album.

?I wasn't put here to be treated
Like some disease you hoped would go away if left alone
You can sweep me under the carpet
But I'll still infect your need to use me as a stepping stone.?


QUICKSAND JESUS
With the fourth track on the album the listener gets a breather from the hardcore rock that?s gone before, and gets to appreciate the diversity of Skid Row?s musical talent.
Skid Row really show their spiritual side with this stunning ballad. As always the lyrics are pure poetry:

?She caught the melting sky.
It burned but still the winter passes by and by to the other side
A slow parade of wind that blows through trees that wilt
ed
With the season's children
Are we saved by the words of bastard saints?
Do we live in fear or faith
Tell me now who's behind the rain.?


PSYCHO LOVE
Ballad break over, the Skids get back to kicking some serious butt with Psycho Love.

?Legs at ten and two, chain her down, that's what you do
King Tut and snake- eyed slut in the pink but screamin' blue
I'll taste you crazy, you smell insane
I'm just another ghost inside your spirits hall of fame.?


GET THE FUCK OUT
Of course this song was always destined to be a hit with teenage rockers the world over, who love nothing more than a song with swear words ? and this one has ?the ?f? word? right there in the title!!!
As I mentioned earlier, Skid Row were banned from Wembley after playing this song against Brent Council?s wishes. I can only conclude that Brent Council find a song with swearing in the title to be a far greater sin than songs with innocent titles and obscene lyrics, since the Skids were supporting Guns N? Roses at the time, who were never asked not to play ?It?s so easy? or ?Mr Brownstone? or ?Double Talkin? Jive? or ?.. you get the picture!
Putting the shock value of the song aside, this song is a real rock anthem ? this album?s equivalent of ?Youth Gone Wild.?

?Well I puke I stink bitch get me a drink 'cause I?m payin' for the room
I ain't buying you breakfast so keep your mouth busy and wrap your lips all around my attitiude
Take a walk with me with your triple double Ds and your 40 foot do
Why you walking funny you must have spent some time with the boys in the crew ?


LIVIN ON A CHAIN GANG
This is probably my least favourite song on the album ? having said that, on a weaker album it might have been my favourite, it?s just that this album is so good that (in my opinion) this track pales a little in comparison.

?Turn on the TV, 
9;cause I got nowhere to go
Seems that there's a little trouble down in Mexico
A 13-year-old boy robs a store so he can eat
And they got him doing time while killers walk the streets.?


CREEPSHOW
Another weaker track for me, though I appreciate its subject matter, which basically deals with the modern day trend of ?selling out? celebrities in order to get your 15 minutes of fame.

?Zoned out afternoon
Let's catch ?who's on top of who?
Tell it like it is 'cause it isn't anyway
Much to my surprise I caught it right between the thighs
My sweet little sister was laying me away.?


IN A DARKENED ROOM
Another truly amazing ballad.
For me, these ballads really show the diversity of Sebastian?s voice which is equally at home with spitting out poison filled lyrics and softly delivering soul stroking ballads.

"Tell me when the kiss of love becomes a lie
that bares the scar of sin too deep
to hide behind this fear of running unto you
Please let there be light in a darkened room"


RIOT ACT
Once again, the listener barely has time to recover from the beauty of the previous track before the eardrums are once again assaulted by the punky ?Riot Act?.
Another track that really makes you want to shake your fist at society and by the time this track is through, you?ve forgotten how you were welling up just a few minutes earlier!

?I never wanted to be President
'Cause it's nothing but an ego trip, yeah
I didn't want your education
'cause it's nothing but a pile of shit
You bore me to death so shut up for God's sake?


MUDKICKER
This is the final societal rant on the album, one last poke at authority before Seb sings us out with another great ballad.

?Your twisted mouths feed the minds of babies
Taught from birth it's crime that pays
One man
9;s fortune is another man's pain
But that's how you play the game.?


WASTED TIME
A truly powerful ballad that is one of my favourite.
The angst in Sebastian?s voice is clear as he sings about the effects of heroine abuse, a drug that claimed a close friend of the band.
This song is a perfect end to a pretty perfect album and will leave the listener with a whirlwind of emotions.

?The sun will rise again
The earth will turn to sand
Creation's colours seem to fade to grey
And you'll see the sickly hands of time
will write your final rhyme
And end a memory.?

From the snarling ?Monkey Business?, through to the haunting ?Wasted Time?, this album is a non-stop roller coaster of mind-blowing music and superb lyrics.
If you have never heard this album, beg, borrow, steal or buy a copy now. I promise, you will not regret it!

Summary: