Skid Row founding member and bassist Rachel Bolan has provided a major update on the group’s ongoing search for a new lead vocalist, while simultaneously shutting down any remaining hopes for a reunion with former frontman Sebastian Bach.
During a June 17, 2026 appearance on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk,” Rachel Bolan detailed the massive response to the band’s recent partnership with Sweetwater. The unprecedented collaboration with the online instrument retailer invited vocalists from across the globe to submit audition tapes for the chance to front the legendary rock act.
When asked about the current status of the audition process, the bassist revealed that the band is actively testing out their finalists in person.
“Well, the campaign we did with Sweetwater Music was overwhelming, to say the least, and we’ve gone through the video submissions, about close to 400. And there’s a lot of really talented people out there, a lot of great singers. We’ve also been outside of that — friends from bands may have seen someone while they were on the road or whatnot, and we check everybody out. So what we do is once we see or hear — we get a batch together, like four or five people, and we’ll bring them into New Jersey, and we’ll get in a rehearsal room and check ’em out live. ‘Cause it’s cool when you hear them in a studio situation, but it’s a studio situation, so everything is nice and got a lot of takes and stuff. So, that’s the point we’re at again. We’ve done that three or four times so far, so we’re at that point right now again where we’re gonna bring a few guys into Jersey, get into a room and see what they got,” he explained (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
The conversation naturally shifted to the vocal segment of the fanbase that continuously demands the return of Sebastian Bach. Responding to the pressure, Rachel Bolan made it clear that the band is entirely focused on carving out their own path, particularly following the sudden departure of their most recent singer, Erik Grönwall, who stepped down from the position earlier this year to prioritize his health.
“It is what it is,” he continued. “People could like us or they could not like us. I really don’t give a s**t. I want people to be at our shows. We’ve been doing fine. We’ve been doing great. And the last singer we had, Erik [Grönwall], we got thrown a curveball, because of his health. So, we’re forging forward, and we want to do things our way, and that’s what we’re doing.”
He further addressed the online noise surrounding the classic lineup, expressing his frustration with commentators attempting to dictate the band’s career trajectory.
“I don’t really get it, the reunion thing [with Sebastian] much more, unless we have to look for a singer, and then some people, like the keyboard warriors, tell me exactly what I should be doing. And then, ‘One tour and then call it a day and quit because you suck.’ It’s just, like, yeah, but I wake up and I’m still in Skid Row. What do you do? You know what I mean? So it’s just like a non-issue for us anymore,” he added.
Rachel Bolan concluded with: “It’s not gonna happen.”
Looking ahead, the bassist emphasized that the group is under no pressure to rush their decision. Unlike previous lineup changes, their current schedule allows them to carefully evaluate every candidate before committing to a new era of touring and recording.
“We have the luxury of time. Last time [we were looking for a new singer] we were in the middle of doing a record and had a decent amount of tour booked. The time before that, I think we had a tour booked. The four of us promised each other, okay, we’re going to take our time. Now, for Skid Row, two years for me personally — two years is a long time for anybody, but for Skid Row, we put out albums every eight years. We’re just taking our time, and we’re going through every single person that submits something, and we’re listening to it. And like I said, soon we’re gonna get into a room, a rehearsal situation, and try a few more people out and see what happens… We have time, and we’re not in any rush, and that’s what afforded me the time to put out a solo record. And it is what it is.”
Sebastian Bach originally fronted Skid Row during their commercial peak before being fired from the group in 1996. Following the highly publicized split, the remaining members took a brief hiatus from the scene, spending a short period playing together in a project known as Ozone Monday before officially reviving the Skid Row name.
As his former bandmates scour the globe for a new voice, original frontman Sebastian Bach has been vocal about his desire to see the classic lineup restored, a sentiment fueled by recent activity from other Canadian rock icons.
During a recent appearance on “The Metal Voice“, Bach expressed his enthusiasm for the return of Triumph, recalling how their concerts shaped him as a youth in Peterborough, Ontario.
“I’m happy for Triumph. I think it’s incredible. I’ve always loved Triumph,” Bach said at the time. “I bought a ticket when I was like 10 years old to the Peterborough Memorial Center. I saw the poster of Triumph on the wall at A&A Records and Tapes in the Peterborough Square and it was the poster of Gil Moore on the drum kit with his hand up in the air and then there was pyro going off and Rik Emmett was playing his double neck. I thought, I got to go to this show.”
He recounted the profound impression left by drummer Gil Moore‘s command of the crowd.
“I couldn’t believe it when Gil Moore came down off the drum throne and started talking to the crowd because I never saw a drummer do that. Moore said, ‘Hey, Peterborough, what’s going on?’ and I was like, ‘Oh, he’s the drummer. Like, how’s that happening right now?’ I thought Rik Emmett was going to be talking to the crowd. No, Gil’s in charge. So, I love the band. I’ve always loved a band. Well, I was happy to be part of the tribute album, Magic Power. I got to do ’24 Hours A Day’ and then ‘Rock And Roll Machine’.”
For Bach, witnessing these reunions inevitably lead to frustration regarding his own situation with Skid Row bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist Dave “Snake” Sabo.
“And when I see Triumph get together, I’m like, ‘Hey, Snake and Rachel, what do you think of the Triumph tour? What do you think? What are your opinions on this? Well, if Triumph is going back on tour and Rush is going back on tour, what is our problem? Like what the heck’s wrong with us?’ Like it’s just silly.”
Despite his confusion over the estrangement, Bach clarified that his career is not paused in anticipation of a reunion.
“I mean, but I’m not waiting around either at the same time. I got my own band. I got my own albums and I play tons of shows. I’m extremely busy.”
In a previous interview on “Get On The Bus“, Bach elaborated on the “business matter” that keeps the parties separated, admitting that the inability to play with his old bandmates is a lingering regret.
“Well, yeah, the fact that Skid Row is not together doesn’t make any sense,” Bach stated. “We’re five guys that are playing the same set, but we’re not together. Well, they don’t have a singer right now, but… I play with everybody. I’m in a band, Kings Of Chaos, with Matt Sorum, and I’m in a band called Royal Machines with Billy Morrison, and I play with all kinds of musicians all the time. So it doesn’t make sense that I can’t play with those guys.”
He added: “But as I said, it’s a business matter and maybe someday the business can get sorted out. That is a regret, that that band broke up. Yeah, that’s a regret.”
However, Bach also admitted that discussing the topic publicly often makes him uncomfortable, given the band’s steadfast refusal to engage with him.
“I do, but when I read myself talk about this, I kind of cringe ’cause it’s not up to me,” Bach said. “Those guys are currently on their eighth or ninth replacement for me. And there’s been a miscommunication from my camp to theirs that I will attempt to clear up, but I am way too focused on what I’m doing in my career to even really even think about that right now, to be honest with you. I’m just not thinking about the old days right now. I’m thinking about the fact that I’ve got a new song on the radio. ‘What Do I Got To Lose?’ is on FM radio across the country. That video is almost two million views in 2024. And in my day, two million views was double platinum. [Laughs] So, I’m not thinking about 1989; I’m not thinking about 1991.”
He concluded by emphasizing his satisfaction with his current creative output.
“I am overjoyed to hear my voice on the radio in 2024. That is more important to me than thinking about what happened in ’91. I just don’t think about that, really. Not to say that I wouldn’t get the band back together, but I’m just focused like a laser beam on what I’m doing right now. So that’s gonna have to take a back seat, like for real. This is more interesting to me. My album, the way it sounds and the reaction that people are giving it is more exciting and interesting, and creating new music instead of just playing the same old songs over and over. I love having new songs to play, even though I haven’t learned how to play them yet. [Laughs]”
The current veteran lineup, consisting of Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave “Snake” Sabo and Scotti Hill, and drummer Rob Hammersmith, has cycled through several vocalists over the past two decades. Johnny Solinger held the position from 1999 until his dismissal in April 2015. He was briefly replaced by former TNT vocalist Tony Harnell, who exited eight months later. The band then recruited South African-born singer ZP Theart, known for his work with DragonForce, Tank, and I Am I. He remained with the group until February 2022, paving the way for Erik Grönwall‘s acclaimed but abbreviated tenure.
