Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider reflected on bands who are constantly coming back for more tours and reuniting, despite previously doing what they promoted as “farewell tours.” Speaking to Vintage Rock Pod recently, Snider explained how artists who are doing this aren’t really respecting their fans.
During the chat, Dee pointed out that Twisted Sister has called it a day for good. There might be a symbolic one-off performance, like the one for the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame induction ceremony. But other than that, they’re not up for anything serious. He explained (transcribed by Killer Guitar Rigs):
“I hate shit talkers, and I pride myself on not being one. Just like with retirement, we are retiring. And people keep saying, ‘So when’s the reunion? That was 2016. There’s no reunion?’ I won’t answer your question.”
“No, we’re not getting full set. I’ve always said it. The Heavy Metal Hall of Fame in California inducted us, we gathered, we did three songs together. We had the time of our lives, and it was a moment. People could watch it online, it was great. People see it and go, ‘Why don’t you guys come back? You were amazing!'”
“No, it’s done. If some TV show — The Tube, somebody has a ‘Let’s remember The Tube 15 years later and bring some of the greatest shows in the history of The Tube’ and they ask Twisted Sister… Like, you know what? We will go through a song!”
“You know, that’s a moment, that’s a song. But getting up on that stage and doing a full set, having that responsibility? It ain’t happening because I’m not a shit talker like most of the other people.”
So obviously, some will point out how Dee tends to shit-talk bands who come back after their supposed “farewell” tours. And although admitting he’s a shit talker, the Twisted Sister frontman explains that there’s an important difference between bands continuing on at older age and bands that are coming back after what they announced as their final tour:
“People get upset when I say that. ‘You’re mocking Scorpions, KISS, Mötley, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.’ Yeah, okay, but I didn’t tell you to retire! As a matter of fact, you don’t have to. Your fans don’t want you to. Stay forever! Stay forever.”
“Rush stayed until Neil passed. Metallica says they don’t think they’re ever going to retire officially, and maybe they’ll just stop playing whenever they… I don’t want to put words in their mouth, but that’s fun.”
Discussing this further, Dee also implied that what some bands are doing is kind of milking this opportunity and making it seem that they’re going away which ends up giving them more money:
“Just don’t sell me a ‘No More Tour’ shirt. Just don’t sell me a premium ticket. Don’t sell me a tour book. Don’t sell me that stuff and then change your mind. Three-year farewell tour in and, ‘We changed our mind because we haven’t played everywhere!'”
“No, Scorpions, you played everywhere three times. Three times! Okay? Time to go! You said you were going! That’s bullshit, okay? Just don’t announce you’re leaving, stay forever. We love you, we don’t want you to leave.”
An example of a band doing this properly is, in his opinion, Blue Öyster Cult:
“Blue Öyster Cult have tour jackets ‘On Tour Forever’. It terrifies me, but that’s their statement, ‘We’re never retiring. We’ll always be playing.’ God bless you, and I’ll never shame them for going out there and keep doing it. They’re living their dream, and there are people coming to see them — God bless them.”
“But they didn’t go out there and say, ‘We’re signing in blood! This is it! Farewell!’ Three years later, big checks waved in their face, ‘We’re back! We’re back!’ And now members are aging out and replacing members. That’s bullshit. Bullshit.”
During the interview, Dee also recalled one particular “roast” from Zakk Wylde, which Zakk himself said was more of an “intervention.” For a while in 2010, Dee Snider was doing that reality TV show called “Growing Up Twisted.” However, he eventually decided to stop:
“I just feel this, as I get older, I try to have some sort of dignity. I feel that the words on the page are something that allow me really great freedom that I don’t have being in a band or acting for that matter, being the talent on a television show, or being on a reality show, or whatever crazy shit I’m doing.”
“So I was roasted a few years ago, and Zakk Wylde was there. And so Zakk is up there and says, ‘Dee, you’re surrounded by friends and family who love you. This isn’t a roast, it’s an intervention — you gotta stop doing reality TV!'”
“And at that point, I had done pretty much anything in the States with the word ‘celebrity’ in front of it. It was ‘celebrity’ or ‘turn down.’ But I just really have done way too much reality TV. [Laughs]”
Instead, Dee feels like he has other stuff to offer to the world. Sure, there won’t be any new music from Twisted Sister, but he’s doing something else instead:
“So yeah, writing is free, I’m freed and I can do whatever I want — so expect more books, screenplays, articles, things like that from Dee Snider. Don’t expect more music, go back and enjoy the stuff that I did.”
“And by the way, I love you all for wanting more. I love you all for not wanting to see me go, but that’s partially because your memories of me are really positive. The shows you’ve seen are great memories.”
Photos: Sven Mandel (Dee Snider – 2023111214509 2023-04-21 Rock Meets Classic – Sven – 1D X MK II – 2666 – B70I2995), MorganaPhotolive (Black Label Society (26643606944))
