REVIEW: Skid Row – “Wasted Time” (1991 7″ single)

SKID ROW – “Wasted Time” (1991 7″ single)

I don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb if I call this the best song on Slave to the Grind.  The closing song on a damn fine metal album, “Wasted Time” is awesome.  It’s in “power ballad” territory, but it’s much darker than Skid Row’s prior hit ballad, “I Remember You”.  Sebastian Bach turns in the best vocal performance of his life on this one.  Sebastian co-wrote the song, about the damages of addiction.

Both the 7″ and the 12″ singles come with the previously unreleased live bonus track, “Get the Fuck Out”.  (The other bonus tracks on the 12″ are “Holidays in the Sun” and “Psycho Love” which are both available elsewhere.)  “Get the Fuck Out”, recorded at fuckin’ Wembley fer Christ’s sakes, features a long Sebastian intro that is probably more interesting than the song itself!  Apparently, Skid Row were given a letter that stated specifically that Skid Row were not to play “Get the Fuck Out”.  So what do they do?

Sebastian:  “It says here, they’re gonna stop the show, because they don’t like the word ‘fuck’!  And you’re not allowed to hear it!”  Baz then leads the crowd in a chant of “get the fuck out!” before Skid Row drive into the song.  As fans know, it’s a short firecracker punk rock song, and Baz is in top voice.

5/5 stars

45 comments

      1. Supposedly! Banned from playing in the Brent Council area (and therefore Wembley) ever again! Doubt that matters much to them now though hee hee…

        I think I once read Seb say that after the incident he became Axl Rose’s favourite Rock Star!

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        1. I guess that council really didn’t want to hear the word “fuck”.

          Yeah, I doubt Skid Row would have the opportunity to play there again, although the ban would probably extend to Sebastian too, so no opening for Guns N’ Roses there anymore eh?

          I have no doubt that he is Axl’s favourite rock star. Axl’s done a lot for him since he’s gone solo. Sebastian was trying to get Axl to appear on Trailer Park Boys, I hope it happens.

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        3. And vice-versa: Bach sang on “Sorry” from Chi-Dem.

          Sebastian’s one of the few who seem to still be inside Axl’s circle. He’s heard a lot of unreleased Guns music.

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        5. Yeah I can hear Baz very clearly on Sorry. Give it a shot and listen to the choruses, the higher part.

          Baz mentioned a song called “The General” which hasn’t been released yet.

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        6. I think I’ve just never thought about it while listening. Now you mention it I can hear it in my head. That’s one of my favourites on that album. I read that General quote in Mick Wall’s Axl book. I wonder if it was renamed for CD or just a completely unreleased tune? I remember some early gig track listings mentioning songs like Silkworm and The Blues. Never really paid much attention to all the early bootlegs etc… I just waited (and waited) for the official release.

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        7. The General is supposed to be a completely unique song that hasn’t been heard yet. Silkworms was played in Rio (I think) and probably a few other places but is supposedly being held back for the next album. The Blues was just re-titled Street of Dreams but it’s the exact same song.

          I’ve seen lists and lists full of unreleased songs, and as far as I know all of them are actual songs not on the album — Cock-a-roach Soup for example.

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        9. I on the other hand was following their every move, and downloading every new track I could find.

          I think “Better” is absolutely as good as any classic Guns N’ Roses song. It’s too bad that there was so much expectation about it. If GN’R was one of those bands that put out a new album every 2 or 3 years, Chi-Dem would probably have been more accepted for what it is.

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        11. One of my prized possessions is a 2 CD bootleg of the Rio show. Here’s a funny thought — the GN’R that came back to play those shows in Vegas and Rio isn’t much like the GN’R out today! All three guitar players are different and so is the drummer. Back then the lineup had Buckethead, Robin Finck, Paul Huge, and Brain.

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        12. Ah the classic lineup!

          I have to say, I’ve never been a bootleg guy. The only one I ever bought and listened to regularly was the Carnival of Souls one before it finally got an official release.

          I always thought the first two Chinese Democracy tracks were the weakest. I got the vinyl too! It sounds great and the song sequence really fits the 4 sides.

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  2. Definitely my favorite TUNE of the Album! I love Slave to the Grind. I mean…the self titled Skid Row album put the album on the map but Slave was the most powerful heavy masterpiece that they ever produced! I wish they would reunite…Sebastian and the Original band!

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  3. To join the Chinese Democracy discussion – I imported the cd & switched the itunes artist to ‘Axl Rose’ on my computer. As an Axl Rose CD, I’m a big fan! Catcher in the Rye & Shackler’s Revenge (to go along with the aforementioned Better) were/are the favourites for me

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    1. Yeah and I can’t argue with it being an Axl CD. That’s fine — if Axl had released a solo album post-GNR I would have bought it.

      Funny you mention Shackler’s — that’s actually one of my least favourites, but ample proof that different songs appeal to people differently!

      I have it on vinyl as well, purely because I read an interview with Sebastian Bach who said he preferred to listen to Chi-Dem on vinyl. It does have a great tonal quality.

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      1. I could picture Shackler’s being polarizing, has that nü-metal vibe which I find can be hit & miss, I just found it a hit here! Interesting about the vinyl – if I ever see it on sale, I’ll likely pick it up. It’s definitely a ‘produced’ album. I bought Chi Dem for a Christmas party where everyone opens & steals gifts from each other, was pleased to end up with it at the end of the night!

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        1. You do that gift giving/stealing game too? Cool! I usually end up with something crappy! (We ended up with the movies Dear John and The Notebook this year.)

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  4. I still need to get a copy of STTG. Can you imagine, in this day and age? Shame on me. I don’t have Chinese Democracy either. Clearly, I am not playing the LeBrain home game! ;)

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        1. There is not one with both versions. The one with Get the Fuck Out is the standard version, but some retailers like Columbia House carried the alternate version. I’m not sure if one is more rare than the other. Obviously working at the store, I could pick them both us for peanuts.

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        2. Oh, and here I was thinking that there was a studio version, and that these extra tracks were bonus tracks on various re-releases. See? Shows what I know! I only know the hits from that record, but I am aware that it’s one of the better ones to have.

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        3. Arguably the best one. Even though the first album has the biggest hits, it’s not as strong as an album, nor as heavy.

          Skid Row were HEAVY! A lot of people who only know radio hits don’t realize that. They were giving thrash metal bands a run for their money…they took Pantera out to open for them too.

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  5. Actually I give these guys credit as they actually rolled thru Tbay back in June of 92 on the Grind tour….Killer Dwarfs opened the show…..the ting that was impressive was Tbay actually got a headline act during there Peak time so to speak!
    Usually once a American band was on the decline than they would roll thru here….ie I seen REO Speedwagon in June the previous yr (91) at Tbays circus for a Looney!
    Hahahaha…..

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    1. I’d like to think Deke that Sebastian had something to do with them touring Canada so heavily. I’m sure he could have been saying, “Dudes, we gotta fuckin’ play up in T-Bay dudes! Those guys know how to fuckin’ drink!” Or something to that effect.

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  6. Funny u say that as I read a MEAT issue once and Sebastian had said that the Grind your wasn’t ending until he played Tbay !.hahahahaha…

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    1. Stop reading me the riot act,
      While my brains are still intact,
      You say it’s raining but you’re pissing down my back
      Stop reading me…the riot act!

      I am also a huge fan of Psycho Love.

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  10. This was the Wembley show where Baz read the letter from Brent Council to the crowd and then proceeded to pull his arse out and wipe it with the letter, as I recall. Yeah, as the good HM Overlord pointed out, it got them a ban… So rock and roll.

    Actually, isn’t this one of the gigs that Rob Affusso pulled his knob out at too? He used to like playing naked, as I recall.

    Boys will be boys.

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    1. I read that the Skid Row guys were pissed off at Sebastian for doing that. Apparently the manager told him specifically NOT to do that. So of course he did!

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      1. I should think they would have been bracing themselves for Bas to go off on one and do something he possibly shouldn’t since he was specifically told not to, espcially when that something would be live on stage infront of 70,000 people.

        That said, when the Skids returned to do headline dates, that incident did fuel the bad boy credibility of the band even more and it garnered them a lot of positive feeling from the UK crowds and rock press for actually living up to what the band seemed to talk up.

        They could do no wrong in 1992, no matter what crazy shit Bas put them through.

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