Curiously, although released in 2004,
Sebastian Bach's first official DVD,
Forever Wild centers on a live concert shot all the way back in 1998, at Los Angeles' Whisky A Go-Go. As if this long delay wasn't turn-off enough, the fact that said footage looks and sounds awful grainy and spotty (the show itself, not the actual DVD, mind you), and contains generally lackluster performances from
Seb's hack backing band hardly makes for an auspicious digital video debut, my friends. In fact, it's rather troublesome when that post-glam atrocity of a backing band goes by the name of the
the Last Hard Men, but is most distinguished by some
Brian Eno-looking bald dude in silver-sparkle batwings! In any case (and before we get totally lost in the details here),
Skid Row tunes like "Slave to the Grind," "18 & Life," "Riot Act," and "I Remember You," rightfully dominate proceedings, and are only rarely alternated with disappointing solo fare -- best of which may be the
Judas Priest-inspired "Blasphemer." With all these knocks against it, the DVD's saving grace may well be the numerous scenes from
Bach's short-lived VH1 show named Forever Wild. These come intertwined with the concert footage and its standout moments find
Bach visiting with the ever entertaining
Ted Nugent, nervously chatting with The Sopranos star Drea DeMattea, and, in a show of truly reckless stupidity, racing cars with
Mötley Crüe singer (and drunk-driving poster boy)
Vince Neil! Bonus materials also help this DVD's cause greatly, by including a comprehensive "Bachography" listing all of the artist's numerous
Skid Row and solo releases (made more interesting by
Sebastian's commentary); additional outtakes from the VH1 show (
Seb's encounter with a dozen alligators offering another highlight); yet another
Joey Ramone-introduced live song by the
Last Hard Men; a rendition of
Jekyll & Hyde's "This Is the Moment"; and, best of all, an Easter-egg-featuring home video of ten-year-old
Sebastian mugging through
Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me." Other DVD options include 5.1 surround sound, French and Spanish subtitles, and, together with the bonuses listed above, will hopefully get
Sebastian Bach fans their money's worth.