Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French has opened up about the immense shock of learning that long-serving frontman Dee Snider would not be joining the band for their highly anticipated 50th-anniversary reunion tour.
The heavy metal icons originally called it quits in 2016 following their “Forty And F**k It” farewell trek, with Snider repeatedly insisting he would never agree to a reunion. However, in September 2025, the group stunned fans by announcing a 2026 anniversary tour, a decision Snider later revealed was prompted by a personal health scare. The reunion plans ground to a sudden halt in February when Snider officially resigned from the band due to health concerns, forcing the cancellation of their initial spring tour dates.
In an exclusive conversation with Classic Rock, French detailed the unexpected moment the singer officially pulled the plug on the tour.
“About a month before his public announcement, Dee gave Eddie and myself a hint of what might be happening,” French explained. “Dee told us both he was starting to feel his age of seventy-one. But when we received the email saying: ‘I can’t do this’, we were gobsmacked. Dee said his family were begging him not to do the tour. Which felt ironic as he had talked Eddie and I into doing it in the first place. For a week or so we were dumbstruck. But of course nobody wants to put anyone’s life at risk.”
Faced with the daunting task of finding a vocalist capable of matching Snider‘s legendary stage presence, French and fellow guitarist Eddie Ojeda ultimately reached out to former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach to front the band for a series of rescheduled dates.
“When I called to ask if he was interested, Sebastian sounded like a kid on Christmas morning,” French said. “Twisted Sister is larger-than-life, and we wanted a singer who is just the same.”
Bach, a lifelong fan who famously wore the band’s logo on his denim jacket after seeing them live in Toronto in 1983, accepted the offer immediately. Before committing, the singer held a lengthy phone call with Snider to secure his blessing.
“That was important to me,” Bach added. “I have such a reverence for Dee, he wrote all of these great songs. I’m also very good friends with him. Twenty-five years ago Dee himself named me SMF #2. Dee is SMF #1.”
Following two days of top-secret rehearsals in New York City, Bach was officially brought into the fold. The singer noted that he will be performing the material in its original keys and has been given significant input regarding the setlist, with a particular focus on the band’s classic first two studio albums, Under The Blade and You Can’t Stop Rock ‘N’ Roll.
“The answer, of course, was yes,” Bach said. “I have been a huge fan of Twisted Sister since first seeing them with Queensrÿche at the Masonic Temple in Toronto in 1983. I wrote their logo on the back of my denim jacket. My real passion is their first and second albums – Under The Blade and You Can’t Stop Rock ‘N’ Roll. It will be my honour to sing songs like ‘Tear It Loose‘, ‘Shoot ’Em Down‘ and ‘Destroyer‘.”
Bach added: “When I sing Twisted Sister music, I’m like a steamroller. I’m a beast. I’m out of control.”
The secret rehearsals also proved to be a personal milestone for French, who has been managing his own health challenges over the last decade.
“The question was not whether Sebastian could do this, I knew that he could,” he stated. “He was phenomenal. But because of a medical issue of my own I hadn’t held a guitar next to my body for more than forty-five minutes in ten years. And it was all absolutely fine.”
Addressing Bach‘s notorious reputation in the rock world, French expressed zero concerns regarding the singer’s commitment or performance level, comparing the transition to another high-profile rock lineup change.
“Axl Rose had a bad reputation, and after he joined AC/DC some time in Angus Young’s boot camp everything changed,” he noted. “I don’t doubt Sebastian’s professionalism at all. The guy plays a hundred shows a year and never misses a gig.”
The revamped Twisted Sister lineup is completed by long-term bass technician Russell Pzütto and drummer Joey Cassata. Former bassist Mark ‘The Animal’ Mendoza will not be involved in the reunion, with French confirming that “that ship has sailed.”
Bach emphasized that fronting the legendary outfit will not interfere with his solo career, though he is fully investing himself in the new role. The band is currently taking a measured approach to their touring itinerary, opting to test the waters with a handful of North American appearances before eyeing massive global events.
“We’re not going to Europe or South America this year,” French revealed. “Right now it looks like there will be two shows in Canada and maybe four in the US. Before committing to the big summer festivals like Wacken and Graspop, we want to ensure that everything is done right. Promoters won’t trust too many bands to play for a hundred thousand people, but Twisted Sister is one of them.”
Acknowledging the mixed emotions surrounding a version of the band that does not feature Snider, French believes that moving forward is ultimately the correct choice for the group’s legacy.
“Eddie and I felt it ourselves,” he stated. “We know that it brings up a lot of existential questions such as should we even be doing this at all without Dee. We believe that if a band can move forward, then it should do so. Although of course the public is in command of whether or not it will be successful.”
He concluded by drawing comparisons to other legendary rock transitions: “But let me remind you, without Freddie Mercury nobody gave Queen a chance in hell, and the same with Journey minus Steve Perry or the David Lee Roth-less Van Halen, and look what happened there.”
Twisted Sister featuring Sebastian Bach 2026 Tour Dates:
- Sept 04 – Palmer, AK @ Borealis Theatre
- Sept 12 – Durant, OK @ Choctaw Grand Theatre
- Sept 27 – Puyallup, WA @ Washington State Fair
- Oct 08 – Niagara Falls, ON @ OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
- Oct 10 – Windsor, ON @ The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
