It’s called Skid Row 18 and Life Single Origin Ultra Premium Rum. It’s been 35 years since Toms River band Skid Row launched the song “18 & Life” into the stratosphere. Now, after a year of development, “combining the artistry of Guyanese rum distillation with European aging methods, and after being housed in American oak barrels in Guyana, the rum was finished in rare teak wood leggers in Europe,” according to a band press release.

In what’s being publicized as a “Super-Collab Rock Collective,” This Wild Darkness has released the second single (“The Wild Darkness”)—the first single was “Dawn Rider”—from The Notorious Memphis Rains EP, a five-song concept EP landing Friday. Scotti Hill, from Toms River—Ocean County—band Skid Row, known to shred bigtime electric shrieks, plays some subtle slide guitar on the project.

‘Skid Row—Live In London’ was recorded on October 24, 2022. That concert will mark the first live album/concert film from these Toms River, Ocean County, headbangers. So far, all we have is one song—“Slave To The Grind”—that you can see below. The complete package won’t be out until September 20, according to the band’s earMUSIC label.

Erik Gronwell is out and Lizzy Hale is in within Skid Row. Gronwell added punch to their sound, singing on ‘The Gang’s All Here’ album and fronting the band since early 2022. Unfortunately, he’s been battling leukemia. His disease had been in remission enough to rock out but now a decision was reached amicably for him to concentrate on his health.

Skid Row, the Toms River hair-metal band that reached the pinnacle of success in the ‘80s, is doing just fine with singer Erik Gronwell. Their sixth album, ‘The Gang’s All Here,’ in 2022, was their first in 16 years, and it’s selling. But the gang isn’t exactly all here, is it? Sebastian Bach is solo and released his “What Do I Have To Lose” single in December, his first in nine years. Meanwhile, Skid Row has been around the world and back. In fact, they’re still on tour and, reportedly, sounding better than ever. But what led to the split?