Rachel Bolan

Rachel Bolan (born February 9, 1964), born James Richard Southworth, is an American musician, best known as the bassist and main songwriter of the metal band Skid Row. Bolan was born in 1964 to Aida and Hubert Southworth. He grew up in Toms River, New Jersey. He's the youngest of four children, and he is half Portuguese. When he was in junior high school he began considering a career in music after drummer Damian Cordisco asked him to play bass in his band. Bolan's first gig was in 1978 at Manasquan High School. Bolan credits Cordisco with opening his ears to music he had not heard, by artists such as Ramones, AC/DC, Joe Jackson, Sex Pistols, the Cars and Elvis Costello. Bolan graduated from Toms River High School East in 1982. His stage name 'Rachel' is a hybrid of his brother's name, Richard, and his grandfather's name, Manuel. 'Bolan' is a tribute to one of his childhood idols, T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan. In 1990, Bolan legally changed his name to Rachel Bolan Southworth.