SKID ROW’s Erik Grönwall Releases Music Video for “Chop Suey!” Cover by SYSTEM OF A DOWN and talks About Acceptance by Fans and Original Lineup Reunion Hopes
SKID ROW frontman Erik Grönwall has just released a music video for his cover of SYSTEM OF A DOWN’s classic “Chop Suey!” track. The song was produced by Philip Näslund, who played all instruments on the recording.
Erik spoke to The Rock N’ Roll & Coffee Show about how he’s been accepted by SKID ROW’s fans since joining the group last year as the replacement for ZP Theart. Some fans still want the band’s classic lineup, but Erik isn’t bothered and understands their perspective. He thinks people are excited about their new album and are starting to approve of the current lineup.
SKID ROW was originally fronted by Sebastian Bach until 1996 when he was fired. The remaining members took a hiatus and formed a band called OZONE MONDAY. They reformed in 1999, and after some changes over the years, the current lineup consists of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave “Snake” Sabo and Scotti Hill, drummer Rob Hammersmith, and Erik.
“The Gang’s All Here” album was released in October, with producer Nick Raskulinecz at the helm. Erik was a member of H.E.A.T. before joining SKID ROW in January 2022, and Theart played his final gig with the band in February before being officially let go.
Erik auditioned for the competition show “Swedish Idol” in 2009 by singing a cover of SKID ROW’s “18 And Life”. In September 2021, he announced that he was cancer-free after receiving a bone marrow transplant.
In 2018, Erik debuted in the US for 10 million viewers in NBC’s live broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s and Tim Rice’s musical “Jesus Christ Superstar”. Along with John Legend, Alice Cooper, Sara Bareilles, and others, he played the key role of Simon Zealotes.
Now, SKID ROW frontman Erik Grönwall has released a music video for his cover of the SYSTEM OF A DOWN classic “Chop Suey!”, which was produced by Philip Näslund, who also played all instruments on the recording. The video, which you can watch on YouTube, features Grönwall rocking out to the song and delivering his own take on its iconic lyrics.
Speaking to The Rock N’ Roll & Coffee Show, Grönwall discussed how he’s been accepted by SKID ROW’s fans since joining the band as the replacement for ZP Theart. He acknowledged that some fans are still hoping for a reunion of the band’s classic lineup, but he also expressed gratitude for the attention that SKID ROW is still receiving.
“When I joined this band, I realized that it’s such a privilege to have people so interested in the band, talking about the band, discussing everything,” Grönwall said. “A lot of bands would kill for that, and that’s a privilege. You have all these people talking about SKID ROW and they like that singer or they like that song or they like that era, and that’s just incredible, having people so excited about it or hating it.”
Grönwall’s debut with SKID ROW came on the band’s most recent album, “The Gang’s All Here”, which was released in 2021. The album was recorded mostly in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has worked with many notable rock acts like FOO FIGHTERS and ALICE IN CHAINS.
Before joining SKID ROW, Grönwall made his mark in the music world by auditioning for the competition show “Swedish Idol” with a cover of SKID ROW’s “18 And Life”. He was also a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T. for several years before leaving in 2020.
Aside from his music career, Grönwall is known for his performance in the 2018 NBC live broadcast of “Jesus Christ Superstar”, in which he played the role of Simon Zealotes alongside John Legend, Alice Cooper, and Sara Bareilles.
Grönwall’s SKID ROW cover of “Chop Suey!” is just the latest example of his passion for music and his willingness to put his own spin on beloved classics. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of SKID ROW or just a casual listener, it’s clear that Grönwall is a talented performer with a bright future in the music industry.
