Robert James Affuso (born March 1, 1963, in Newburgh, New York) is an American heavy metal drummer best known as a member of the band

Skid Row A skid row or skid road is an impoverished area, typically urban, in English-speaking North America whose inhabitants are mostly poor people "on the skids". This specifically refers to poor or homeless, considered disreputable, downtrodden or fo ...

from 1987 to 1996. Affuso is currently the band leader and drummer for Soulsystem, a band he formed while touring with Skid Row in 1992. He also formed an entertainment company Soulsystem Orchestras Inc. in New York. Affuso played in the band Ozone Monday with several of his former Skid Row bandmates. He was not involved in Skid Row's 1999 reunion. He has said that he would not rejoin the band without former lead singer

Sebastian Bach Sebastian Philip Bierk (born April 3, 1968), known professionally as Sebastian Bach, is a Canadian-American singer who achieved mainstream success as the frontman of the hard rock band Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. He has acted on Broadway and ...

. Affuso is the only former member that keeps in contact with all former Skid Row bandmates and is still good friends with them all. He met Dave "Snake" Sabo while auditioning for Bon Jovi in 1985. He normally plays Pearl drums and Sabian Cymbals with Soulsystem, and also used them whilst with Skid Row. He was also a member of the Sutton Thomas Band prior to joining Skid Row. He also played on

Gilby Clarke Gilbert J. "Gilby" Clarke (born August 17, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He had a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tou ...

's debut solo album in 1994 and

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff ...

bassist,

Duff McKagan Michael Andrew "Duff" McKagan (born February 5, 1964), sometimes credited as Duff "Rose" McKagan, is an American musician. He played bass for twelve years in the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late ...

's solo album. Affuso played on the debut album of

Jill Hennessy Jillian Noel Hennessy (born November 25, 1968) is a Canadian actress and singer. She is most known for her roles on the American television series ''Law & Order'', on which she played prosecutor Claire Kincaid for three seasons, and ''Crossing ...

(Crossing Jordan/Law & Order) in 2008. Affuso made his first appearance in years in the metal community on VH1's '' That Metal Show''. He was a guest in the audience, where host

Eddie Trunk Edward Scott Trunk (born August 8, 1964) is an American music historian, radio personality, talk show host, and author, best known as the host of several hard rock- and heavy metal-themed radio and television shows. Biography Trunk was born o ...

asked him if he would accept a Skid Row reunion, which he replied by saying "absolutely." He reunited with Skid Row onstage in 2002. He also appeared with Sebastian Bach live on August 25, 2011, performing "I Remember You". In April 2015, Affuso joined the band Four by Fate, which features former Frehley's Comet members

Tod Howarth Tod Howarth (born September 24, 1957) is an American rock musician from San Diego, California. He is best known as serving as a keyboardist, a guitarist, and vocalist for the melodic hard rock group Frehley's Comet, led by former Kiss guitaris ...

and John Regan.

References

1963 births Living people American rock drummers Skid Row (American band) members People from Newburgh, New York 20th-century American drummers American male drummers American people of Italian descent American heavy metal drummers {{US-rock-drummer-stub