Bach - 18 and Life on Skid Row

This book would not be possible without the guidance, attention to detail, and extreme patience of Carrie Thornton and Ernie Gonzalez. Carrie, thank you so much for your belief in my writing. It means more to me than you could ever know. Ernie, I need to thank you so very much for your professionalism. The way you work with me soothes the savage beast inside. I just cant do it without you man.

To my manager Rick Sales, thank you for being the one guy that I know who truly read this whole thing all the way through from page 1 to page 448. Your input and opinions mean everything to me. Thanks for literally being on the same page as me!

I would also like to acknowledge the following people:

Kenny Fox, Brian Cruikshank, Bill Sax, Dave Aplin, Andy Rytch, Bobby Jarzombek, Brent Woods, Rob DeLuca, Metal Mike Chlauschek, Johnny Chromatic, Steve DiGiorgio, Brent Woods, Devin Bronson, Beta, Fernando, Bascha and family, Mark and Sabrina, Del James, Tommy Mayhue, Sherid, Shayla, Dylan McGhee, Larry Ratso Sloman for thinking I could do this before anyone else, David Hyslop, Joe Godwin, Kevin Phillips, Jim Byk and Jason Howland for turning me into a Broadway Star, Jimmy VanZino, Mr. and Mrs. Mulvehill, Masai, Marshall, Bobby Buckelew, Dave Feld, Scott Trusler, Todd Goldstein, Ian Osborne, Toby Anderson RIP and family, Joe Stable, Alan Tubi, Amy Bailey, Monique Frehley, Rick Krim, Dana Marshall, Wayne Isham, Curt Mavis, Jean Pellerin, Barb Sparkman, Nancy Moore.

God Bless the Roadies. We make it Rock. But you guys make it Roll:

Chris Mohrshead Mohr, Double Live Ronzo, Terry Sasser, Todd Mackler, Steve Pritchengast, Big Jim King RIP, Bob Burly Elkins, James Midge Villasvic, Dave Hart, Bryan Laffin, Chris Miller, Richard Diaz De Leon, Randy, Toby Francis, Jimmy Duncan, Said, Bobby Buckaloo, Jersey Jay Jeffreys RIP, Larry Love Walsh and family, Michael Walsh RIP.

To my Family: Tiana, Presley, Trace, London, Reece, Loc and Lo (rhymes with rock n roll!), Heather, Warren, Marley, Bless, Izzy, Zac, Liz, Kevin, Stacey, Jackson, Alyson, Steve, David and Sara, Hunter and Emma, Michelle and Dave, Max and Nicole, Charlie, Nikki, Alex, and Jeff, Mike and Caity Bierk, Davy Bierk.

To the Perry County Missouri Historical Society.

To Dave Draiman: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for introducing me to the love of my life, Suzanne. I truly never knew life could be so great. I will always love you for that. I wish you all the best and I can never thank you enough. Abby and Brett, Jen and JB, BL Dave, Jeff Fioretti, Jeff Adams, Melissa Correales, Stacey, Mary Hooton, Charrie Foglio, Sergio Perafino, Drew Masters, Lenny Stoute, Mike Moon Taveroff, Kevin McCallion and family, Joe Stable, Mr. Embury, Alan Fullerton, Meredith Usher, Greg Alfred, Scott Carter, Steve Hunter, Judd Smoke, David Wild, Ian OMalley, Fingers from BAB, Gary The Byrd Kempf, Mr. Affuso RIP, Mrs. Affuso.

To the crew at Dey Street BooksLynn Grady, Michael Barrs, Heidi Richter, Julie Paulauski, David Palmer, Suet Chong, and Sean Newcott. For my awesome cover, thanks to the dudes at Meat and Potatoes, and Mark Seliger.

To Mr. and Mrs. Southworth: I will never forget the night (or early morning) you drove me to Newark so I could be there for the birth of my first son. Thank you for opening your house and garage to your sons band and allowing the band Skid Row to happen. Could never have happened without you guys.

To Mama Snake, from Legs: thank you for opening your home to the craziness of the band Skid Row. No one loved Skid Row more than you did. And we all loved you just as much back! We were your biggest fans. Thank you Mama Snake for allowing the band Skid Row to happen. In your living room, no less!

Note to your Self: If I forgot your name, I am truly sorry. I feel like I just played three countries in three days. Oh wait, I did! OK so you got to excuse me, I have to go warm up now tonight for the show TONIGHT in San Juan Capistrano!!

I believe, mother truckers!!

See you at the show!

Theyre coming to take me away, haha...

SEBASTIAN BACH has sold in excess of twenty million records worldwide as lead singer of his former band, Skid Row, and as a solo artist. Far from just being a multi-platinum recording artist, he has expanded his career over the past decade to include a five-season recurring role on the hit series Gilmore Girls, ABCs Sing Your Face Off, the comedy series Trailer Park Boys , voice-over work on SpongeBob SquarePants and Robot Chicken, starring roles on Broadway in Jekyll & Hyde, The Rocky Horror Show, and Jesus Christ Superstar, and has appeared regularly on MTV and VH1.

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LETS BEGIN
AT THE BEGINNING

ca. 1970

Freeport, Bahamas

Its hot. The sun is shining brightly in my eyes, behind my fathers head. I squint from the bright light of the Freeport, Bahamas, sun, but when I stare into my fathers eyes, my own eyes relax. If I just look into my dads smiling face, I realize, I dont have to squint.

This is the first ever memory of my whole life.

I figured I would start at the very beginning.

My bare feet are almost burning from the heat. We are in our backyard. I am beyond puzzled. I just cannot figure it out. There is a large star on the ground. I do not understand what it is. I remember pointing at it, saying, Dad, what is that? He explained to me that it was, in fact, a fish. That it was breathing. That it came from the ocean. It had somehow gotten into our backyard, onto our blazing patio. He said that it belonged in the water, because that is where its starfish home was. I was wide-eyed and wondrous. How could a starfish become so out of its element, a fish out of water, out of breath, out of time? Would it die if it got too hot?

Or could we return it, to where it belonged, and save its starfish life?

What the hell is this thing doing in our backyard?

This is my first ever memory.

Second memory:

I am asleep.

The warm, sultry Bahamian air breezes through our screen porch. I remember the screened-in veranda of our home in Freeport. It ran along the side of the house. The screen was there to keep the island bugs and critters out.

Or so we thought.

I am on my side. My arm hangs down over the mattress, toward the floor below. I doze off to sleep with my mom and dad across the room, in the dining area of the simple island abode. An open floor plan, my bed (crib?) was in the corner of the house, right next to the screened-in porch.

I remember dreaming that something was tickling my hand. I slowly open my eyes out of my slumber and see my parents sitting around the dining room table, laughing and talking. There is a single light on above them, while the rest of the room, where I slept, was dark.