Skid Row’s Rachel Bolan Is On This Month’s Groove – The No Treble Podcast

“Wait… did I miss something? Why is there an article about a bass podcast on Six Pixels of Separation?”

Here’s why:

In the late nineties my first job was as a music journalist (actually, my first interview was with Tommy Lee from Motley Crue right before the band released Dr. Feelgood).
I spent many years interviewing musicians and artists for local weekly alternative newspapers, national and international magazines (and even published three music magazines – before we had the Internet).
I also studied and played the electric bass (in high school and post-secondary) and always felt like bass players never really had a chance to tell their stories.
So, about ten years ago, Seth Godin introduced me to Corey Brown (founder of No Treble – one of the world’s biggest bass platforms – and he also worked on Squidoo with Seth).
From there, Corey and I decided to try this monthly podcast where I would interview bass players and talk about their music, art, creativity and more.
I’m hopeful that these conversations will inspire your work, creativity and innovation as much as they do for me…

Rachel Bolan From Skid Row is this month’s conversation on Groove – The No Treble Podcast.

You can listen the new episode right here: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #140 – Rachel Bolan.

Rachel Bolan has always been far more than the bassist in Skid Row. As the band’s co-founder, principal lyricist, and one of its primary songwriters, Rachel helped build one of hard rock’s defining catalogs, from the multi-platinum success of their self-titled debut through the groundpounding Slave to the Grind (the first heavy album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200). Along the way, he became known for a style that balanced melody and aggression… never playing simply to be noticed, but always serving the song. I’ve been following the band from day one and had the privilege of interviewing them several times throughout their ascent. What makes this conversation especially compelling is how little Rachel seems interested in living in the past. We begin at the beginning, with a childhood obsession with KISS’ Gene Simmons and how punk rock, new wave, and players like Graham Maby gradually expanded his musical vocabulary beyond hard rock. Rachel shares some remarkable stories about discovering the Ramones, writing songs long before he ever considered himself a musician, and the relentless focus that carried Skid Row from rehearsals in a New Jersey garage to worldwide success before any of the band members were old enough to appreciate what was happening. We also spend considerable time revisiting one of my favorite heavy albums, Slave to the Grind, discussing how the band consciously pushed toward a heavier, grittier sound, why producer Michael Wagener helped them rediscover their identity in the studio, and how difficult it was to navigate both internal tensions and the seismic shift that grunge brought to the entire rock landscape. Rachel is refreshingly candid about songwriting, explaining why the best bass players know when to step forward and when to disappear, why songs should excite the writers before anyone else, and why he still writes virtually every day. That creative drive naturally leads to his recently released debut solo album, Gargoyle of the Garden State, a deeply personal project that gave him an outlet for songs that never quite belonged in Skid Row. We also discuss the future of Skid Row, the ongoing search for the band’s next vocalist, and why, after decades of success, setbacks, reinvention, and survival, Rachel remains as motivated by the next great song as he was when he first picked up a bass. Enjoy the conversation…

What is Groove – The No Treble Podcast?

This is an ambitious effort. This will be a fascinating conversation. Our goal at Groove is to build the largest oral history of bass players. Why Groove? Most of the content about the bass revolves around gear, playing techniques, and more technical chatter. For us, bassists are creative artists with stories to tell. They are a force to be reckon with. These are the stories and conversation that we will capture. To create this oral history of why these artists chose the bass, what their creative lives are like, and where inspiration can be found.

Listen in: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #140 – Rachel Bolan.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends).