Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach Apologises for 1989 MTV VMAs Love Triangle Drama
Sebastian Bach, the iconic frontman of the heavy metal band Skid Row, has finally broken his silence on a particularly memorable incident from the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, involving a young Christina Applegate and a pre-superstardom Brad Pitt. The revelation stems from Applegate’s recently published memoir, “You with the Sad Eyes,” where she detailed the awkward love triangle that unfolded that fateful night.
Bach, now 57, expressed his surprise at the anecdote resurfacing and offered an apology for any hurt he may have caused. “I was a single guy on tour, in a band, and I met a lot of girls and I apologize if I hurt her… If I hurt anybody,” he told Billboard in a recent interview. He reflected on the whirlwind of rock ‘n’ roll life during his younger days, likening it to a chaotic roller coaster. “When you’re young you get thrown into the whirlwind of rock ‘n’ roll, meeting a lot of people and you better hold on tight. It’s like being on a roller coaster…” he mused. “It was a long time ago. If I hurt anybody, I apologize for it.”
The story, as recounted by Applegate, paints a vivid picture of a teenage sitcom star making a bold move. At the time, Applegate, then 17 and already a household name from “Married… with Children,” brought a then-25-year-old Brad Pitt as her date to the prestigious awards ceremony. Pitt, though on the cusp of fame, was still a struggling actor trying to make his mark.
However, once inside the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, Applegate found herself utterly captivated by Bach, who was then the charismatic, long-haired lead singer of Skid Row. She admitted in her memoir that she spent the entire night “staring at Bach.”
“I hate to put it like this, but Brad back then was still making his way as an actor, and he wasn’t yet THE Brad Pitt, the man of so many people’s dreams,” Applegate wrote. She confessed to feeling an unprecedented sense of power and self-assurance, leading her to make a rather dramatic exit.
A Night of Ditching and Dodging
As the awards show concluded, Applegate made the fateful decision to leave with Sebastian Bach, leaving a bewildered Brad Pitt behind. The situation reportedly became even more awkward for Pitt, as he was then tasked with driving Applegate’s mother and her friend, Lori Allison, home. Allison, a makeup artist, is also notable as the first of Johnny Depp’s ex-wives.
The journey home for Pitt, Applegate’s mother, and Allison was not without its own drama. Applegate recounted that at a gas station stop, Pitt nearly got into a physical altercation with a group of gang members. This, understandably, left him “very mad at me,” she stated.
The sting of being left at the MTV VMAs was apparently long-lasting for Pitt. Applegate revealed that two of his later “movie star girlfriends” had inquired about the incident, as Pitt had apparently confided in them separately about his lingering anger over the situation.
Reconciliation and Rock Star Romance
It took several years for Pitt and Applegate to reconcile. Eventually, they reached an understanding, with Applegate acknowledging her youthful impulsiveness. “Eventually, we agreed that I’d been a child, and though he deserved much better, it was time to forgive the child who dumped him for the lead singer of Skid Row,” she explained in her memoir. She wryly added, “Of course, Brad is now Brad Pitt, and Sebastian Bach…well, he still has long hair, I guess.”
While Applegate’s youthful dalliance with a rock star didn’t lead to immediate romance, she did eventually find love with a musician. She was married to actor Johnathon Schaech from 2001 to 2007. More recently, she exchanged vows in 2013 with Dutch bassist Martyn Le Noble, known for his work with the Los Angeles alternative rock band Porno for Pyros.
The story serves as a fascinating glimpse into the early days of Hollywood stardom and the often-unpredictable paths of young celebrities navigating fame, relationships, and the intoxicating allure of the music scene. Sebastian Bach’s apology, years later, adds a layer of closure to a tale that has clearly endured in the memories of those involved and now, thanks to Applegate’s memoir, in the public consciousness.
