<p>Most people remember their first concert. I’ve talked about mine more than a few times —<strong> David Lee Roth</strong> and <strong>Poison</strong> on the <strong>1988 Skyscraper</strong> tour. But the <strong>second one </strong>hits differently for a lot of people.</p><p>For me, it was <strong>Aerosmith </strong>and <strong>Skid Row</strong> on the <strong>Pump</strong> tour in <strong>1990</strong>. I was <strong>12</strong>, standing there completely wide-eyed, when Skid Row tore into<strong> “Piece of Me” </strong>and something just clicked — <strong>that bass line</strong>. That moment revealed how much <strong>attitude</strong> and <strong>power </strong>could <strong>live in the low end</strong>, and it played a <strong>big role</strong> in me picking up a <strong>bass</strong>.</p><p>This week, I’m joined by <strong>Rachel Bolan</strong> of <strong>Skid Row</strong> to talk about his debut solo record <strong><em>Gargoyle of the Garden State</em></strong>. We get into <strong>the DNA of the album</strong> — how it leans into his <strong>punk influences</strong> while <strong>still reflecting decades of defining Skid Row’s sound</strong> — and what <strong>punk really means </strong>when you<strong> strip it down</strong> to <strong>attitude over genre</strong>. We also talk about <strong>creative freedom </strong>after years in a band with a <strong>defined identity</strong>, and what it means to<strong> step outside that without losing your voice</strong>.</p><p>The conversation also covers<strong> collaboration</strong>, as <em>Gargoyles </em>features appearances from <strong>Corey Taylor</strong>, <strong>Nuno Bettencourt</strong>, <strong>Danko Jones</strong>, <strong>Steve Conte</strong>, <strong>Damon Johnson </strong>as well as contributions from fellow Skid Row bandmates — and how outside voices can either <strong>elevate a track</strong> or <strong>shift its intent</strong>. And, as a longtime obsession of mine, we dig into <strong>cover songs</strong>, ranging from <strong>Skid Row’s “Psycho Therapy”</strong> to Bolan’s take on <strong>Oasis’ “Rock &amp; Roll Star,”</strong> and the <strong>balance</strong> between <strong>honoring an origina</strong>l and <strong>making it your own</strong>.</p><p>A conversation about <strong>influence</strong>, <strong>identity</strong>, and the <strong>long arc of music</strong> that started with a bass line in 1990 that still echoes today.</p><p>Photo Credit: Anabel DFlux</p><p></p><p>🎙️ <strong>LEARN MORE</strong></p><p>🎵 <strong>Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠</a></p><p>💬 <strong>Join the Mixtaper Community (Patreon):</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠">https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠</a></p><p>🌐 <strong>Connect on Social:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠</a></p><p>📧 <strong>Email the Show / Contact:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠</a></p>