Blog Sebastian Bach is no R. Kelly

AIDS Kills Fags Dead,” Sebastian Bach circa 1989.

What an awesome way to kill a career. When Bach decided to wear a T-shirt adorned with those four idiotic words, he probably didn’t consider the long-term consequences. Skid Row, who plays tonight at the Grizzly Rose (minus its controversial former lead singer), may have been screwed regardless. The demise of the original incarnation of Skid Row was inevitable with the changing times, offensive shirt or not, but the un-PC wardrobe choice didn’t help. Surely Bach was being young and stupid, unaware such a homophobic statement could stain public memory deeper than a single like Skid Row’s “18 And Life” ever could. But being young and stupid helped build rock 'n' roll, and we’re all human. 

After the incident, Skid Row's sophomore release, Slave To The Grind, topped the Billboard charts, proving fans hadn’t turned away just because of Bach’s fashion sense. In a fan’s world, supporting an artist after a bad career move isn’t terribly uncommon. T.I.’s numerous weapons’ charges, Chris Brown’s alleged assault on Rihanna, and Phil Spector’s conviction of second-degree murder didn’t change their career status’ necessarily or have an effect on their legacy (although Brown’s reputation still hangs in the balance). The blinding force field protecting artists from scrutiny can be a golden and everlasting one. Just ask Michael Jackson.

In life, we can’t chose who we love. Love is an unexplainable force that keeps us standing by our man (or woman). I can’t pretend that I don’t love R. Kelly. Did I stand by him when he allegedly had sex with and subsequently peed on an underage girl while videotaping the whole thing? In a sense, yes, I did. As a fan and a woman, I stood back and took an oath of silence and continued to purchase his music. His career seems, to this day, barely tarnished. He can still release a single like “I’m A Flirt” and be guaranteed airplay and a fair amount of record sales. Even his own musical peers didn’t turn on him; Kelly has collaborated with the likes of Young Jeezy, T.I., and T-Pain since the incident.

Bach’s mistake didn’t physically harm anyone, so it may be unfair lump him in with the more illicit crimes of other musicians, but the four words he chose to represent Skid Row on a T-shirt were loaded. Statements that threaten the livelihood of a person’s right to equality are dangerous ones, as liberated as America seems. (This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.)

I might be the only person left on this planet who thinks Bach’s 20-year-old T-shirt mistake is still a reason not to like Skid Row. As a card-carrying member of PFLAG, I’ll never let it go. But as a card-carrying human being, I shouldn’t support R. Kelly either. I can’t deny that I’ve watched “Real Talk” more than 100 times. I have no problem saying Trapped In The Closet may be one of the greatest American musical masterpieces ever created. Does this excuse Robert Kelly? No. It just means that there is nothing rational in love or music.

Maybe Sebastian Bach should start hanging out with R. Kelly—it could be good for his image.