SEBASTIAN BACH’S UNUSUAL ADVERTISING STRATEGY

When I saw Sebastian Bach earlier this decade – I don’t remember the exact year, only that he had a Native American named Larry who literally had a feather in his hair playing bass – I was more than a little surprised to see a small group of overweight, middle aged women standing near the front. These ladies screamed at some kids who dared to mosh during “Sweet Little Sister” and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what the hell they were doing at the show – until Baz played a song from the musical version of Jekyll & Hyde in which he had starred. In other words: part of the guy’s Broadway audience had become so enamored of his golden locks and girlish features that they’d come to see his live gig. So the rest of us had to suffer through some awful show tunes he played just to appease them (as if the show hadn’t already been embarrassing enough: “There are three times as many people here as there were the last time I played with Skid Row!” Baz announced enthusiastically to the mostly empty house).

So I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised to see the Not-So-Much-a-Youth-Anymore Gone Wild shilling his new album, Angel Down – which hits stores today – on the website Theatermania.com. What will all those Andrew Lloyd Weber fans make of an banner advertising an album that promises guest appearances from Axl Rose, “Metal” Mike and Roy Z? Will any of them actually buy the album? Bach had better hope so, as he’s gonna need all the help he gets selling this piece of crap: when I checked in the Union Square Virgin Megastore this morning, they weren’t even stocking the album. Now that’s something to get dramatic about.

-AR