In the eighties, there were a number of excellent hard rock and heavy metal bands that emerged in the United States, but sadly, only a few of them got the proper recognition. Although Skid Row was, indeed, an excellent band, they never really got the proper recognition they deserved, because they arrived on the scene so late in the eighties metal movement. Still, the band achieved moderate popularity, and their most popular album remains their 1989 self-titled debut. How does this album measure up? Read on and find out.

Let me start this review my saying that, while they were an eighties metal band, they were NOT one of the many glam/hair bands that pretty much dominated the genre. These guys were much closer to, say, Guns 'N' Roses or Motley Crue. They were a HEAVY heavy metal band, plain and simple. Hard and heavy is the way metal was meant to be played, and these guys demonstrate that point a number of times on the album. The big hits here are the hard rock anthem Youth Gone Wild, and the semi-melodic rocker 18 And Life. These two tracks would become extremely popular, and why not? But, it doesn't just stop with the hits. There are a number of rockers exploring a plethora of styles, and every one does its job excellently. And, as with just about any eighties metal album, there are even a few power ballads. In the end, this is widely varied and excellent heavy metal album.

Currently in America (as of June 8, 2004) the only version of this album that is readily available is the original CD issue. It's good that the album is still readily available, but I think it could use a rerelease. The sound could use some remastering, and some bonus tracks and expanded liner notes would be cool. Let's hope such a reissue takes place, eventually.

Skid Row's debut is damn fine - enough said. If you're a fan of eighties metal (and I mean METAL - not glam rock), there's really no excuse for not owning this album. Even all these years later, this album remains a masterpiece of classic eighties metal. If you're a fan of the genre, you'll be doing yourself a real favor buying this.

One Of the Best Hair Metal Albums Ever
The first time that I heard Skid Row was when i was downloading music that I though my brother would hate onto his computer. The first time that I heard 18 and Life to Go and I Remember You I fell in love with Sebastian Bach's vocal delivery. I continued listening to these two songs until I decided that I needed to get the actual album. I got the CD and found that the rest of the songs were just as good as the two songs that got me into the band in the first place.
Basically this album does have some superfluos filler materail but it is overall a very worthy album. This album features some very formidable guitar solos and superb song arrangements. Even when a song has inane lyrics it is still listenable because the musicianship is very good. Furthermore this is one of the less cheesy hair metal albums. On it is none of that Cherry Pie or Every Rose has it thorn Crap: only powerful rock music.

Classic Cuts by Kasey Ferguson
I'm sure some of you out there are asking ...has Kasey lost his mind? ...a hair metal band with a classic cut?

But truth be told here people Skid Row's debut album represents everything that was good about eighties rock. From the bulletproof voice of lead vocalist Sebastian Bach to the lightning fast guitar solos of guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, Skid Row proved from the get go that they meant business.

Kicked off with the rowdy one two punch of "Big Guns" and "Sweet Little Sister" Skid Row's debut was easily one of the best and in my eyes most genuine albums of the eighties rock genre. Lead Vocalist Sebastian Bach could not only sing circles around just about anyone... he had the x factor in conviction because the material was lived in... which much music of the time lacked.You believed that Bach and the boys were the "Youth Gone Wild" because plain and simple they were. Even on power ballads "I Remember You" and the "guns don't kill people f**ked up teenagers kill people" anthem "18&Life" Skid Row had an authenticity that few could touch... with the exception of maybe Guns N Roses and Motley Crue.

Unfortunatly for Skid Row the band would only release one more album of original material with Sebastian Bach on lead vocals. It really is a shame because altough Skid Row had a good run... it could have been longer and we needed them more than ever in the late nineties. Now Sebastian is singing on broadway while Skid Row is continuing on with a new singer.Rumour had it that Sebastian was one of the singers considered for Velvet Revolver ....the band that contains three former member of Guns N Roses ....now that would have been a rock band.
Skid Row distinguished themselves from the legions of pop-metal bands of the late '80s and early '90s chiefly by their attitude, which was closer to Guns N' Roses than to Bon Jovi. They're also distinctive these days, mainly because they're still around. Though their debut is the most radio-friendly and least musically mature of their albums, it does have some excellent songs on it, including the slow but edgy "18 and Life" and the anthem (every metal album must have one) "Youth Gone Wild". Musical talent and vocalist Sebastian Bach's over-the-top delivery made this band stand out from the crowd, although these days the material on this album does sound dated. -- Genevieve Williams