Former Skid Row singer Erik Grönwall has released a new solo cover, offering a unique take on the Iron Maiden classic “Wasted Years”. The track is the latest in a series of covers from the vocalist, who has been focusing on various musical projects since his departure from Skid Row.
“This is my slowed-down, reimagined version of Iron Maiden’s ‘Wasted Years’,” Grönwall said of the new release. “A fresh take on a metal classic, I hope you enjoy it! Recorded on tour in the UK/ Ireland.”
The cover is featured on Grönwall’s second compilation of reimagined songs, Eriksplanations Vol. 2, which is available on Spotify. The album collects covers the singer has uploaded to his YouTube channel over the past two years, including versions of “Painkiller” by Judas Priest, “Kickstart My Heart” by Mötley Crüe, and “Still Of The Night” by Whitesnake.
Tracklist:
“Painkiller” (Judas Priest)
“Kickstart My Heart” (Mötley Crüe)
“Girls Got Rhythm” (AC/DC)
“Livin’ On A Prayer” (Bon Jovi)
“Faithfully” (Journey)
“Still Of The Night” (Whitesnake)
“Eagle Fly Free” (Helloween – featuring Kai and Tim Hansen)
“Neon Knights” (Black Sabbath)
“Alone” (Heart)
“Without You” (Mariah Carey)
In addition to his solo work, Grönwall recently made a surprise onstage appearance with his former band, H.E.A.T. On Friday, May 23, he joined the group at their show at La Riviera in Madrid, Spain, to perform three songs: “Breaking The Silence”, “Inferno”, and “Living On The Run”. The concert was professionally recorded for a future DVD and Blu-ray release. Grönwall was the frontman for H.E.A.T on four studio albums, including Address The Nation and H.E.A.T II.
These recent musical activities follow Grönwall’s decision in March 2024 to step down as the lead singer of Skid Row. The singer, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2021, stated that the rigors of touring were not conducive to his overall health and recovery.
He said at the time: “As a result of the treatments and transplant my immune system was impaired. You can think of my immune system as a 4 year old kid bringing home all kinds of viruses from preschool. It takes awhile to build up that resistance again but my immune system is getting stronger every day. However I’m still doing regular check ups (blood tests) at the hematology department in Sweden, which has proved challenging while keeping up with the Skid Row schedule. I have way too much respect for my medical history to push myself to the limit.⠀
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“I love Skid Row, I have nothing but respect for the guys in the band but I love and respect my health more. I understand that Skid Row is a touring band but like I told the guys: ‘if I can’t prioritize my health, then I’m not the right guy for the job’.”
More recently, earlier in May, Grönwall also departed Michael Schenker‘s European tour to return home to Sweden to be with his ailing father.
