Just days after he was publicly accused by former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach of using pre-recorded vocal tracks during live performances, FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho sang an a cappella version of one of SKID ROW‘s biggest hits.
During last night’s episode of “Saturday Night Special”, Jericho‘s weekly live series which airs on his YouTube channel and Facebook page, Chris ended the show by tackling the chorus to “Youth Gone Wild”, SKID ROW‘s first single from the group’s self-titled debut album. Calling it “a tribute to a great band,” Jericho sang the lines “They call us problem child / We spend our lives on trial / We walk an endless mile / We are the youth gone wild / We stand and we won’t fall / We’re one and one for all / The writing’s on the wall / We are the youth gone wild” while clearly struggling to hit some of the highest notes. He later posted an extended version of his “Youth Gone Wild” rendition on Twitter, writing in a caption: “Saturday Night Singalong! One of my all time favorite tunes…. @OfficialSkidRow”
On Thursday (July 16), Jericho challenged Bach to a “singoff” with “no effects, no tuning, no bullshit” in response to Sebastian‘s claim that Chris “mimes to a tape” during FOZZY‘s live shows. “Bas is a great singer…but I’m better,” Chris wrote on Twitter.” The wrestler-turned-singer added: “I’ve never mimed anything ever! I will fucking sing in your face anytime, anyplace dude. I’ve been a fan & a defender of u since day one…but don’t u ever question my rock abilities!” Bach fired back: ” You’re full of s*** bro. Every clip on the Internet is you miming to a tape. I will sing in your f****** face anytime. Wrestling is not rock and roll. I will show you f****** rock and roll. Check your texts set up The Sing-Off I am ready when you are”
In response, FOZZY guitarist Rich Ward called Sebastian “universally disliked” and said that seeing Bach “publicly go after the only guy that I have ever witness utter a nice word about him is sad.”
Sebastian, who has been outspoken about rock bands using pre-recorded backing tracks during live shows, later tried to explain his outburst, writing: “I’m not trying to beat anybody at anything. I’m actually trying to say hey Chris maybe you’re right maybe I’ll stop singing live and prance around while the tape is playing just like you do Chris. I’m tired of trying so hard it’s like beating my head against the wall.”
After a self-proclaimed Bach fan called Sebastian “an asshat” on Twitter for firing “the first shots” in his war of words with Jericho, Bach came back with: “Hey man f*** you. I have spent my life learning how to sing live on stage. When someone comes along and mimes to a tape it sucks for all of the rest of us that don’t. You want to go see a wrestling match good. Don’t call it rock and roll”
Jericho has long been suspected of relying on backing tapes during FOZZY‘s live performances. When the band played in Canada in November 2018, several concert-goers accused Jericho of singing along to pre-recorded tracks. After a video of FOZZY‘s Toronto gig surfaced online, Bach weighed in, writing from his personal Facebook account: “Wow he mimes to a tape very well”
