Erik Grönwall recently opened up about his time with Skid Row and the reasons behind his departure.
In a Q&A video on YouTube, Grönwall explained that he left the band because he needed more time to recover between tours. The singer had been dealing with health concerns after his leukemia treatment and felt the band’s busy schedule was too demanding during his recovery.
“At the time when I was in Skid Row I was doing a blood checkup every month in Sweden, and then every third month,” he recalled. “Now it’s every sixth months, so that makes it a lot easier, obviously.”
He proposed a touring schedule to manage his health better. “My last proposal was to be on the road, tour, three weeks including traveling, and have one month off, and then three weeks including traveling,” he said, detailing his offer. However, he admitted that this plan wasn’t going to work for Skid Row.
“I know that’s not good enough for a great band like Skid Row, obviously, and they’ve been doing this since before I was born. So, that’s the reason,” he stated. “I wanted to tour less in order to have more time to recuperate and after my reset of the immune system and everything.”
In an interview with Chaoszine, Grönwall gave details about his decision. He shared that he promised himself he would always put his health first after battling leukemia. He loved being in the band and got along well with the other members, but they couldn’t agree on a touring schedule that worked for both sides.
Grönwall said it wasn’t about giving up touring entirely but finding a balance that allowed him to recover properly.
Grönwall announced plans to tour Europe with Michael Schenker this year. Some fans criticized the news by pointing out his earlier comments about not being able to tour with Skid Row. Grönwall responded by stating that his health has improved significantly and that the problem was the intensity of Skid Row’s schedule, not touring in general.
He shared that he is now medicine-free and has received all necessary vaccinations, and this is making it easier for him to get back on the road.
Fans also suggested that Grönwall should rejoin Skid Row, especially with their upcoming live album. But the band has moved on and completed their 2024 tour with Lzzy Hale as their guest vocalist. Meanwhile, Grönwall is focusing on his solo career and performed live for the first time after leaving Skid Row at a concert in Gröna Lund, Stockholm, on May 23, 2024.
