New Jersey rockers Skid Row have just released The Gang’s All Here, the band’s 6th full studio album – and it’s absolutely outstanding! This latest release is 2009 Swedish Idol winner and former H.E.A.T. vocalist Erik Grönwall’s debut with Skid Row, and we believe Erik joining the band to be one of the best decisions Skid Row have ever made. Quite simply, Erik is one of the most gifted vocalists in rock. He brings everything that is great about original vocalist Sebastian Bach. He does every song justice and is wholly deserving of the honour to front this incredible band. But make no mistake, Erik absolutely has his own voice, and it’s this authenticity and individualism that means this partnership truly works on every level. At 34 years old, his youth hugely reinforces the energy and vitality of Skid Row. Another great decision made by a Skid Row was to bring in producer Nick Raskulinecz. His simple demand for the band to be ‘more Skid Row’ has resulted in 10 exceptional tracks that sit together cohesively as a perfect body of work. All this has coalesced into possibly Skid Row’s best ever album. It certainly deserves to stands proudly alongside Skid Row’s 1989 self-titled debut and 1991’s Slave To The Grind. It is that good! As the band make their way across the UK on The Gang’s All Here Tour, justifiably referred to as the hottest ticket of 2022, we catch up guitarist Scotti Hill ahead of the Manchester show to get the full story. 

The new album The Gang’s All Here is absolutely outstanding. You must be hugely proud of what the band have created here.

Oh yeah, very! I remember one particular moment when we were all standing in a circle in a room playing, and I thought to myself ‘it feels like we’re making something special’. The whole record just feels great and it was a great experience.

Your producer, Nick Raskulinecz, said he wanted the record to be ‘more Skid Row’. Did that make sense to you?

Well once he said it, once the words came out of his mouth, it made perfect sense, but before that we just needed that reminder of who we were and to bring us back. The ideas he was throwing out at us we’re really simple things: throw a pick slide here, play a little solo lick in here. It was things like that. You know, gang vocals, twin guitar solos – tons of them! And we had so much fun with that. I can’t wait to get to work on the next one! He’s ready to go!

The new vocalist Erik Grönwall is absolute gold, and when I hear the album title ‘The Gang’s All Here’ and the title track, yes it’s a great song but to me it is so much more than that. It’s perhaps a statement that the band is complete. This feels like a launch pad, an opportunity to retake the crown and to catapult Skid Row to the next level. Does it feel like that to you?

Yes it feels like that, absolutely! Erik is a powerhouse. The first time I heard him singing on one of our tracks I had could feel this smile on my face and I was just thinking ‘Holy shit! This is fucking amazing!’. Then he came and we played and we rehearsed and he did those shows in Las Vegas. The guy is just the coolest dude and he’s a positive energy, always looking on the bright side of things, friendly and hilarious. He is hilariously funny! He fits in perfect because we’re just a bunch of goofballs, man. There’s a lot of humour in our camp! It’s just a perfect fit, so awesome and it’s great to have him around.

As our conversation draws to a close, we simply reflect on what a wholly outstanding record album The Gang’s All Here really is. Head over to www.skidrow.com to find out more and in the meantime time, enjoy the copyright-free photos from Manchester show and the video for the title track below.