Sebastian Bach Wants More Cowbell
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at 12:01AM After the awesome show at Sweden Rock Festival, I’ve had some huge cravings for more Sebastian Bach. And yes, I have been a bit skeptic toward the album Kicking And Screaming, but I decided it was time to give it a chance. Just like Allyson, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the title song when I first heard it. But it has grown on me and I thought it was time to let the whole album do that as well, so I bought it.
As you all know, the album artwork is a bit odd, but inside the cover I found something that made me laugh even more – Sebastian Bach on cowbell.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there’s a lot of effort behind the cowbell on this record. But giving yourself credit for playing it on your solo album? Is it really necessary? Who else would get the credit if he didn’t write it? And is there even a thing called ”getting credit for playing the cowbell?"
That surely made me laugh for quite a while. And then I even felt a bit sad. Standing next to guitarist Nick Sterling, who plays almost every instrument and also wrote most of the songs, it just looks desperate. At least to me. What do you think? And what do you think of the album?
And also, this past weekend we celebrated ”Midsummer” in Sweden, which of course included ”Små grodorna” (”Small frogs”) – a song that apparently even Sebastian Bach knows. Here’s a clip of him performing with Dee Snider at Sweden Rock Festival, and also surprising the crowd with the midsummer anthem.
Reader Comments (16)
I have to say - Great Voice, Easy on the Eyes (20 years ago) but Dumber Than a Bag of Rocks. That's how I would sum up Baz.
It's from that immortal Saturday Night Live skit spoofing Blue Oyster Cult recording "Don't Fear The Reaper" in the studio with Walken portraying record producer, Bruce Dickinson, obsessively requesting more cowbell over and over from Will Farrell's character, Gene Frankel, professional Cowbell player. Incidentally, Farrell wrote the skit.
Anywho, I think what Bach is saying here, quite humorously, is that he demands his brand of Rock and Roll to ROCK more, thus delivering to his fans an album that ROCKS more than the rest of the stuff out there. Plus, I think he's making a statement, subtly implying that he brings a little more to the party than a mere cowbell, considering the set of pipes he was born with.
Gotta love this guy on several counts -- vocal chops, appreciation for humor and the sense to let this kid, Nick Sterling, run wild with the songwriting on the album.
p.s. Rita -- I assure you, the guy is smarter than you think (at least when he's sober) -- just look at the adventurous path his career has taken him.
I'm sure he didn't appreciate this woman attempting to cause trouble in his relationship but his response was really classless, imo. I lost a ton of respect when I read what he said about her. Then, I also didn't appreciate that the cowbell thing was a joke. Looks like a couple of us jumped the gun on that.
Agree he has one of the best voices and I do appreciate his humour. I really do. He is a riot.
I briefly hung out one time with Sebastian Bach circa '98. I told him that the next time he sees Axl, he should tell Axl to get GNR back together and put out new music. Bas said that many people would like to see that, but "Axl is Axl". I then asked him why he doesn't perform, "Get the f*ck out" in concert anymore. In his high-piteched speaking voice he replied something like, "Well, fletch, the women don't like that song. The lyrics put women off. If you look at my audience, it's a lot of women who like the love songs and they get pissed at me when I sing that song...now pass that over, FLETCH!"
And I love that song - I can take that language in a song. When it's real life though, I tend to be turned off.
Just picturing him saying that in that voice makes me laugh my head off though.