“In 1989, we did not know any other way to live, other than being drunk and/or high pretty much all of the time. The only thing we lived to do was rock ‘n’ roll and fuck. That’s all we did. In every city around the globe,” says Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach in his new memoir. Completely on par with The Dirt, this must-read autobiography is overflowing with eye-popping tales of success, excess, and sorrow. Commencing with the infamous “bottle incident,” that also occurred in 1989, Baz then goes back to the very beginning. Childhood memories – some pleasant, some not so nice – from Freeport, Bahamas, California, and Peterborough, Ontario are shared. As a young boy, Baz falls in love with KISS, who completely dominate his world. In his late teens, Sebastian fronted Kid Wikkid, Madam X, and VO5; then Skid Row came calling.
 
Lurid details, shocking truths, and unbelievable admissions follow at a tumultuous rate. A small sampling of which include: Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora imparting the dietary properties of cocaine, Sebastian’s rendez-vous with actress Christina Applegate, getting banned from The Rainbow Bar & Grill on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. In fact, Baz admits, “I have put a lot of people through a lot of pain with my behaviour.” Self-described as “The Baz-manian Devil,” Sebastian is not at all shy, regaling in the fact that his life consisted of “snorting, drinking, smoking, screaming, swearing, fucking anything I felt like.” Learn how Sebastian and a bicycle wheel derailed Metallica’s rooftop photo shoot in Toronto. It’s interesting to note that the vast majority of partying stories have Baz indulging with members of other bands; including Lars Ulrich, Duff McKagan, Axl Rose, and Ace Frehley – not the guys in Skid Row. After the astonishing confession that “I count myself lucky at how I have abused my body, over the years, and am still here to tell the tale,” Baz goes on record saying, “I never once saw (Skid Row members) Snake (Sabo), Rachel (Bolan), or Scotti (Hill) do cocaine.”   
 
In December 1996, Sebastian is kicked out of Skid Row. Fast forward to the year 2000, and Baz gets the call to do Jekyll And Hyde on Broadway, an experience he intimately describes as “one of the most challenging, satisfying, and rewarding, ever.” Following stints with The Rocky Horror Show, Jesus Christ Superstar, Gilmore Girls and VH1, Hurricane Irene decimates Sebastian’s New Jersey home of 20 years, which he “has not healed from yet.” Then, “getting divorced in 2010 was a trauma that I do not wish upon anyone.” Unfortunately, from this point on, the end of the book seems a little rushed. For example, Sebastian’s Kicking & Screaming solo album barely gets a page worth of type. But that’s a minor complaint as 18 And Life On Skid Row is 448 glorious pages, complete with a plethora of photographs, guaranteed to enlighten and delight the Youth Gone Wild everywhere.