Skid Row Albums Ranked: Episode #4, Hair Metal Haven

In this video I discuss the first 4 Skid Row albums: the debut from 1989, Slave to the Grind from '91, 95's Subhuman Race, and Thick Skin from 2003. I rate each song on a scale of 1-10, and, using those rankings, determine which is the best Skid Row album of all time. Additionally, I discuss some of the history of the band, the 1996 breakup with Sebastian Bach, and much more. Come along for the ride!

[@trippy2767]

Totally agree with this ranking. And Ghost is a great song! One of my favorites by them. Slave to the Grind is easily a 10/10. Not a single skip.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks for watching, and totally agree on Ghost. That album deserved better. Stay tuned--new episode coming Sunday!

[@80sglammetalcast]

Agree with this ranking! Thanks for the shout out! Another great vid🤘🤘🤘

[@HairMetalGuru419]

You're welcome, and thanks, brother!

[@gearsacdc]

Awesome rankings. Super unpopular opinion but I enjoy all Skid Row albums to various degree. I dig Skin and lesser extent Revaluations Per Minute , enjoy World Rebellion, and I love The Gangs all Here. October Song is the best Skid Row song since in a Darkened Room. I don’t get bored with the Gangs all Here at all. I’m in the minority here, if Skid Row reunited cool but I care not that they don’t ever get back with Bach. I applaud the guys for doing what makes them happy and keeps them sane. Never met Bach but I’ve met the guys.

[@rockstarfriend2049]

Self Titled 8/10, Slave to the Grind 9/10, B-Sides 6/10, Subhuman Race 7/10 and I haven't listened to the last one. I saw them last year and they were really good, best singer since Sebastian.

[@wendelladams8060]

Great breakdown brother! Really enjoying your honest rankings of the albums. My rankings would be the same for 3 & 4 (I try occasionally to get into Subhuman Race but still hate it.), but I’d put Slave at #2 and the debut at #1. I know Slave is probably the better album, but damn, I loved and listened to the debut so much back in the day it has to be #1.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks for watching, man, I truly appreciate it. And thanks for sharing your rankings! On some days I could easily put the debut at #1. Keep an eye out for a new video next Sunday!

[@NYUK-x-4]

#1 Skid Row #2 Slave to the grind #3 B-Side Ourselves

[@Jayhawk9]

The producer bob rock had Sebastian sing in a different tone on subhuman race. By the way thank you for your service brother👍🏼

[@dalepafford5732]

I have to agree with you, “Slave to the Grind” is the best Skid Row album. I still remember picking up the Skid Row debut, “Skid Row”, on cassette at Musicland/Sam Goody in the mall when it came out. I wore that tape out.

[@kevinsmith7-7-7]

🤘🤘

[@trevor-johnsen]

1 debut (such a banger) 2 slave to the grind 3 thick skin 4 gang's all here 5 subhuman race 6 revolutions per minute B-side ourselves & the pair of United world rebellion EP's are all fine, but i don't know where I'd rate them. Regarding "Slave to the Grind" - I'm sure a lot of people bought both versions... i know i did - i had to have that extra tune!

[@John-bo1sz]

I was huge fan like you were with Warrant. I still watch the original Oh Say can you Scream almost daily. I met Sebastian once in Omaha. As we a were following them. There's nothing I don't know about him. He was my rock god. That summer was all Skid Row 1989. Then Slave to the grind came out and I liked it alot but not as much as the first cd but nonetheless still played it daily. Seen them at least 8 times. Buy the 3rd record I lost interest and then Bas was out. So I was done with new skid row. I only consider albums 1 & 2. Lars said Piece of me was his inspiration for enter Sandman. Very loosely. The beginning of piece of me and the beginning of Enter Sandman. You can kinda barely hear it but that what Lars said. Pretty cool. Rock on by bro from tho other Dakota.

[@steel_horse7570]

Slave to the Grind 10/10 Debut 9/10 Subhuman Race 8.5/10 B-side ourselves 5/10 I love them all and Subhuman gets a raw deal as it’s so different. The debut could’ve been even better if they added some of the songs that didn’t make it like - Rescue You, Edge of the Night, Walk with a Stranger, Shame Shame, Can’t wait until right here and Behind the 8 Ball - I think they should re-release the debut album as a double with those songs added. I have them on MP3 but would love them on vinyl. Slave the to Grind - it’s a 10/10 the UK Version has GTFO and US/Canada got Beggers Day which is a far better song. But we did get Beggars Day as B-side to Slave single and on the Slave re-issue on Red vinyl. Also, Living on a chain gang is NOT filler. Creep show and Physco love are fillers! Yes…I was at that infamous gig at Wembley stadium in 91 aged 16. The full rant is on the Slave double Red Vinyl re-issue.

[@michaelbates5375]

1& 2.

[@denalemay5578]

Monkey business is their baddest song period. I would put mudkicker over slave and frozen on subhuman is my 2nd fav song of the entire catalog. About half of sub kicksass. Frozen, beat yourself blind, into another, face against my soul imo. Love the channel. The gangs all here is a rockin cd but it doesn't compare to the first 2. I love Eric's vocals but the lyrics to the songs don't compare is what I'm mostly talking about. The gangs is better than anything they did with johnny. Although i do love the cd thickskin

[@Ayerbuds]

Midnight/Tornado is a gem w/ it's maiden-esque guitar solos and dark, heavy vibe. 'Walk With A Stranger" or "Forever" should've made the album but they had a ton of great material to choose from. Slave To The Grind ia pretty much flawless. 'Mudkicker' stands out as being ahead of it's time in '91 w/ all the chugging riffage. Reminds me alot of Soundgarden's 'Outshined'. Subhuman Race has it's moments for me but ultimately falls short. The aggressive stuff comes off cheesy and the drums sound weak as fuck for a Bob Rock production. Dissapointing overrall but 'Eileen' is cool. I hear the Alice Cooper influence in Rachel's writing on that one.

[@juicebirdmedia1406]

Gang's All Here is the best Skid Row album since the first one.

[@DrRyan81]

No lol

[@scottlowe7343]

It definitely took some time to get used to Johnny Solinger and his voice. Nothing like Sebastian at all. But I love Thickskin. And saw them on that tour. I supported Skid Row. I supported Sebastian Bach solo. And still continue to. Erik can hit the notes. But goddamnit. It's been 25 years. Yeah Baz is still a diva, but if Motley can do it. They can suck it up, be adults, and celebrate the classic lineup and the heritage. Before they are too old

[@stephensanchez9590]

Great album I like the second better

[@stephensanchez9590]

In my opinion slave to the grind is such a great album ,I think if there would have more radio stations play more if our music,in Michigan where I grew up the only radio station that played skid row motley crue dokken, and so on and they only play that music Saturday night between 8pm to midnight and that's it ,some songs on sub human race are good but it's not close to the first two albums

[@stephensanchez9590]

Midnight tornado is one of my favorite songs on that album as well as piece of me I would not say Midnight tornado is filler its a kick ass rockin song I would rate them higher

[@Jayhawk9]

Slave to the grind is the best hard rock album of all time

[@otisdriftwood8469]

Slave is by far their best record for the real fans. They lost some female fans with slave over their debut. But they were never even close to the biggest band at any point. They were an opening act most of their time. When they did headline it was 3k to 5k seat venues. Fact. Pantera opened for them at first, but soon skid row was opening for pantera. 1989 to 1990 was their hight of popularity, motley crue, bon jovi, def leppard, and even ratt were the A league bands. Skid row, a few rungs down from ratt, the lowest of the A league bands..im from so-cal, the hub of all of these bands. I met smake a couple time's over the yesrs, the nicest most genuine guy in rock. Imo.

[@patrickreeves4650]

subhuman race came out my junior year of high school. got it on release day, and it has stayed with me since. great record top to bottom. love it. the band does not agree or think it is a shitshow. rachel is on record as saying he enjoys quite a bit of it, however hated working with bob rock, and the infighting amongst band members left a bad taste in his mouth. this was a logical continuation of slave to the grind. touring with pantera, as well as soundgarden, and changing trends helped guide the direction of this album. Revolutions per Minute was terrible. It also barely included any contributions from Snake, and truthfully was mostly Rachel. I tend to enjoy most of the Solinger contributions, but the two EP's were not that great. Go had been released years earlier on a compilation album for drag racing, and they pushed it to one of the albums.

[@Guy0me_M]

Subhuman Races is kinda different for sure but i like it 😅 Sebastian singing a lot different on this record and he left the band after that, something goes wrong i guess..

[@hughesyplays]

It went to 1 on Billboard slave to the Grind was not a failure it just hit its peak too early

[@patrickreeves4650]

The argument that Slave was a failure for selling 2 million is hilarious. Unless you were Metallica, no heavy album was going to sell more than that. The self title album sold with two huge ballads, whereas girls weren't into Slave as it was too heavy. It was a massive success.

[@themindseyecmh]

I remember getting the first Skid Row album...I was 15 (in 2005, so I'm from a different generation) and for 2 months it was my most played album. Then I bought Slave to the Grind, and to be honest, I've never heard that first album the same way again. Slave to the Grind blows it out of the water imo. I actually really love Subhuman Race, it did have to grow on me but I do quite like it. I'm not a big fan of Thickskin, I always thought that album felt generic, like and alt rock band in 03 could have released it, and I never liked Johnny Sollinger's fit with the band. Some good songs on it but not a favorite of mine. By all accounts, RPM is a terrible album, objectively. It's fairly simplistic song writing, lyrics in most places are juvenile, looks and sounds more like a high school band than a successful hard rock band. However.....I love it and I don't know why lol

[@TonyWalkerIsYourBestFriend]

I agree with almost all of this. I hate Breakin' Down though. That song is pure garbage. Into Another is far better and is cool because it is in 7/8 time which is something Skid had never done before

[@tanswanfooken2505]

Debut 7/10 Slave to the grind 7/10. Subhuman race 2/10

[@scottlowe7343]

I'm gonna have to disagree with your opinion that Sebastian's voice lost power on Subhuman Race. It definitely isn't as clean as the first 2 albums, but he's screaming his ass off on some of the songs on Subhuman Race. More rasp. Not a fan of the overall mix. Took me awhile to get into the album and appreciate it. But it was '95 you ain't gonna get 80s rock. I also think his singing on Angel Down album was killer.

[@jimthar17]

I never considered 18 AND LIFE a ballad. It's just a slower paced heavy rocker. I never understood people calling it a ballad. It's not even close to what I consider to be a ballad or "love song", either lyrically or musically. Wasted Time is written about Stephen Adler from GNR and his drug addiction. Honestly can't get into Subhuman Race. Something about it is just OFF to me. A few songs are good but overall it's an OFF album to me. Thickskin IS a pretty good album, aside from the asinine cover of IRY.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Not all ballads are love songs. Songs that tell a story are ballads as well, usually slower paced, which I consider to be "18 & Life." Thanks for sharing your thoughts..

[@Chek.A]

Какой то глупый накопитель винила.🤨👎

[@jeffbach7366]

Gotta give Slave to the Grind a 10, and Subhuman Race a 9.5 ,it was never appreciated like it should have been. Debut a 10, Thickskin 3.