Vim Fuego Skid Row proved glam metal could be tough and edgy without becoming a self-parody, like Motley Crüe. While second album Slave to the Grind had the obligatory weepy ballads, it also showed more than a passing acquaintance with punk ("Get the Fuck Out") and thrash (the title track). Next came this tasty little covers EP “B-Side Ourselves”, which further showed off the band’s musical versatility.

Singer Sebastian Bach reckoned each band member picked their own song for this EP, but since four out of the five track were previously released as b-sides, he might well have been talking bullshit. No matter, you can actually match the songs to be band members. Bach sung onstage with Rob Halford on the surprisingly weighty cover of Judas Priest’s “Delivering the Goods”, and since it’s too good an opportunity to pass up a cliché, them goods got delivered.

Bass player Rachel Bolan’s punk credentials were often on show in Skid Row’s early attitude, so it’s a fair guess that he picked The Ramones’ “Psycho Therapy”. Now, The Ramones may seem a simple band to cover, but their songs can be fucked up, as Metallica proved with their dire covers of “Commando”. Skid Row did it a shitload better.

Scotti Hill picked the cover of “Little Wing”, a Jimi Hendrix Experience cover (this one’s a cheat- I remember it from an interview), and he weeps and wails. Not quite like Hendrix, no, but a fucking good shot at it.

And so who picked the KISS cover and who picked the Rush cover? Meh, who the fuck knows? It doesn’t matter. Great songs, great versions, and both have that distinctive gritty Skid Row stamp on them.

“B-Side Ourselves” is not life-changing, nor is it deep and meaningful, but there are far worse ways to spend an idle eighteen and a half minutes.

UMUR "Slave To The Grind" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US heavy rock/metal act Skid Row. The album was released through Atlantic Records in June 1991 and produced by prolific German producer Michael Wagener (Dokken, Mötley Crüe, White Lion...etc.) and guitarist Dave Sabo. Upon release "Slave To The Grind" debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart as the first ever heavy metal release to do so. The album spawned no less than five singles, which all were made into music videos too. Skid Row were on the roll in those days and arguably one of the most successful heavy rock/metal artists of that era.

"Slave To The Grind" was released in two different versions. The uncensored version features the track "Get the Fuck Out", which apparently was so offensive that Atlantic Records had to release a version of "Slave To The Grind" where that particular track was removed. The latter version instead features the track "Beggar's Day".

While the music on "Slave To The Grind" is unmistakably the sound of Skid Row (although references to acts like Mötley Crüe and Guns N' Roses are valid), the band have developed their sound quite a bit since the self-titled debut album. The lineup is the same as the one who recorded the debut album, but something must have pissed these guys off because "Slave To The Grind" is generally a much darker and more heavy album than it´s more party tuned predecessor. It´s not all serious subjects and heavy riffs though and "Slave To The Grind" is a pretty varied album, with both heavy metal oriented tracks (the title track is the best example of that), groovy blues based hard rockers and power ballads.

No matter which musical territory Skid Row cover, they do it with passion, skill, and conviction. Sebastian Bach delivers a great vocal performance, the guitars are raw and edgy and the guitar solos blistering. To top it off Skid Row features a tight and organic sounding rhythm section, which successfully drive the music forward. The dark, organic, and heavy sound production are very well sounding too and suits the music perfectly.

So "Slave To The Grind" is a great sophomore album by Skid Row. The band are well playing and have a distinct sounding musical style, and the album is well produced and the material well written. But above all Skid Row have developed their sound and not produced a clone of their highly successful debut album, which is always a danger when you release something as commercially successful as that album was. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Skid Row" is the self-titled debut full-length studio album by US heavy rock/metal act Skid Row. The album was released through Atlantic Records in January 1989 and it is produced by prolific German producer Michael Wagener (Dokken, Mötley Crüe, White Lion...etc.). It´s the band´s most commercially successful album. It charted at number 6 on the Billboard 200 and it spawned three top 10 singles. They were relatively late to the glam/heavy rock/metal party of the 80s, but they made their entrance with a bang and enjoyed great success until the mid-90s.

The music on the 11 track, 39:41 minutes long album is attitude filled heavy rock/metal with nods toward glam. While it´s Mötley Crüe I´m instantly reminded of when listening to the music, Skid Row are generally heavier and more edgy and a comparison to early Guns N' Roses is probably more valid. The vocals are raw yet melodic, the guitar riffs blues based, the solos well played (and quite flamboyant and technically impressive at times), and the rhythm section offers up an energetic infectious drive.

The material are well composed and basically vers/chorus structured rock´n´roll played with a bit more distortion and attitude than usual. That relatively simple approach to writing and playing music works wonders here though because the tracks are as memorable and well played/sung as they are. Big fat choruses with backing choirs will have you humming the melodies long after the album has ended. This is instantly memorable music. The sound production by Michael Wagener is not surprisingly detailed and professional. The music could have prospered from a more organic sound, but considering that this was recorded and released in the 80s, it´s in the better end of sound productions from the decade.

The three top 10 singles from the album, "18 and Life", "I Remember You" and "Youth Gone Wild", are all great tracks, but there are other highlights on the album too like "Big Guns", "Sweet Little Sister", and "Rattlesnake Shake". In fact there´s not a single bad track on the album and with a relatively formulaic style of music like this, that´s quite the achievement. Overall it´s a great debut album by Skid Row, who didn´t have to work their way up before they became big in the mainstream. They started at the top of the world. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

1967/ 1976 Sick, rotten and fucking! This is "Slave To The Grind" 2nd Skid Row album. A perfect album if you love Kiss and Metallica! An album with Blues in veins and Thrash Metal in mind with a great Speed Thrash Metal track "Slave To The Grind" and a great emotional power ballad "Wasted Time" (Error, in my opinion, put it as close track!). The band, already perfect on the first album, in this "Slave To The Grind" decides to become even more gear and more for this American (but already it was), so that "Slave To The Grind" becomes a timeless album! Van Halen, Ted Nugent or Kiss began a type of music that bands like Cinderella, Poison, Bon Jovi and Skid Row led to the top of success. "Slave To The Grind" is, after all, an album remarkable in blending Blues, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Punk, etc... in an explosive and romantic bomb. Willingly I listen to songs like "Quicksand Jesus" or "Wasted Time", good examples of power ballads (with Blues in vein), like "Slave To The Grind", a clear example of Speed ​​Thrash Metal, without listening to stylistic differences, a sign of superior musicians and composers.

Trying to describe "Slave To The Grind" is not easy: follow'd better listen, analyze it, love it. Why, then, should not be classified albums like this!

Stephen Skid Row exploded to the scene with their sensational eponymous debut and they're back again with Michael Wagener to record the follow-up album in 1991. The sophomore release, "Slave To The Grind" marked a change in their sound with a heavier and thrashier edge. The cover album was painted by Bach's father and this album is also set a new record for being the first heavy metal album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200, a record which was later achieved by Metallica's "Black Album" and GNR's "Use Your Illusion II".

From the opener, "Monkey Business", to heavier tracks such as the title track, "Psycho Love", and "Riot Act", Bach proudly unleashed his crazy scream accompanied by Skid Row's signature groove which later inspired many newer singers and bands. You can hear the raging madness in "Get The Fuck Out" when Bach screech the words : "No need to whimper, no need to shout, this party's over!". If you still prefer their earlier sound, "The Threat" got the debut's feel and also a nice track. "Quicksand Jesus" is a very good ballad but sadly is unpopular compared to the timeless classic, "Wasted Time". But I believe "In A Darkened Room" is their best ballad ever penned, a passionate song that reflected anguish and fear delivered perfectly by Bach.

"Slave To The Grind" is a great album to have, especially if you're into glam and thrash at the same time. You can hear Bach's optimal performance and the band's songwriting peak on this album. To me, Skid Row's debut is still unbeatable, either the sales record or personal preference, but the first two albums are essentials to have and stand as the last fortress of glam metal.