Twisted Sister are formally reforming for a 50th anniversary world tour in 2026 — 9 years after they wrapped up their 40 And Fuck It! farewell trek. The glam-metal legends will return with founding members Dee Snider, Jay Jay French, and Eddie Ojeda main the cost, joined by drummer Joe “Seven” Franco and bassist Russell Pzütto.
Chatting with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, Snider revealed that the choice to reunite got here after a 12 months of reflection: “I turned 70 in March. And milestones, they’re what they’re, however on the similar time, they’re reflection instances for folks. And me reflecting, I spotted, wow, subsequent 12 months is 50 years since I joined Twisted Sister. And that is important.”
Snider added that the reunion was nearly a dare to his bandmates: “‘Another time. Can we do it yet another time?’ And positively we have folks like McCartney and Jagger and Alice Cooper on the market… how will you say, nicely, I am 70. I am too previous? So, the blokes mentioned, ‘Critically?’ I mentioned, ‘Critically. Another time. Let’s do it yet another time.'”
Notably absent from the reunion lineup is longtime bassist Mark “The Animal” Mendoza. Addressing his exclusion, Snider cited solely “irreconcilable variations,” refusing to go additional into element.
“I am unable to get into the weeds and I am unable to go down that path. And I will not. However irreconcilable variations. Individuals change, and nevertheless it’s, and I am not saying he modified; possibly we modified no matter it’s. So in deciding who to make use of on bass, my bass participant on the final two Dee Snider albums, For The Love Of Steel and Depart A Scar, was Russ Pzütto. And he was Mark Mendoza‘s bass tech, and an incredible bass participant… So, he did an incredible job on these two albums.
“He was an incredible man to tour with. The band all knew him from years of working with Twisted, and once more, he appeared like a possible selection. As a matter of truth, one time he was Mark‘s option to fill in for him. And one gig, it was in Belgium at Graspop, and Mark could not make it, and Russ stepped in and performed with Twisted. So he truly has carried out with Twisted as soon as earlier than.”
In Mendoza‘s place can be Russ Pzütto, a well-recognized face who has performed with Snider’s solo bands and beforehand stuffed in for Mendoza at Belgium’s Graspop competition. “He was Mark Mendoza‘s bass tech, and an incredible bass participant,” Snider famous. “The band all knew him from years of working with Twisted… he appeared like a possible selection.”
The reunion additionally sees the return of Joe Franco, who final recorded and toured with Twisted Sister for his or her 1987 Love Is For Suckers album cycle. Franco steps in as Dream Theater‘s Mike Portnoy, who drummed with Twisted Sister after A.J. Pero‘s dying in 2015, is unable to take part attributable to touring commitments.
Tour dates and venues are but to be revealed, however with the promise of a full world run, followers can anticipate a serious 2026 celebration of one in all steel’s most enduring and defiant acts.
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