Twisted Sister guitarist Eddie Ojeda recently discussed the decision to bring Sebastian Bach on board to fill in for Dee Snider on the band’s upcoming reunion shows. He shared details about the selection process in an interview with Headbangers Rock Show.
Ojeda explained how Bach emerged as the natural choice for the role. He detailed the rehearsal process that convinced the band he was the right fit.
“Some promoters talked about Sebastian [filling in], and we did think about Sebastian, being friends with him for a long time,” Ojeda said. “I’ve done several shows with Sebastian, doing different things and different projects, and even recorded a couple of things with him.”
The guitarist elaborated on why Bach was particularly suited for the challenging task of stepping into Snider’s shoes.
“And the way he performs — he’s a huge Twisted fan, I mean, huge, and he’s taken a lot [of influence] from Dee,” he continued. “He has his own thing, but he is very much the same type of performer. And his name sort of came up first, but then we just said, ‘He might be too busy or not into it.’ We called him up and he was really excited about it and flew in to rehearse and it went really well, a lot better than anybody thought.”
Ojeda described the positive reaction from those who witnessed the rehearsals. He outlined the band’s plans moving forward.
“And one of the promoters was there and a few people, and they were blown away by the way it sounded,” he said. “And, like I said, he’s probably the only person that could replace someone like Dee, because of the similarities between the two of them and the way they sing, the way they perform. So we decided to give it a try and see how it went, and it went very well.”
“So we decided, ‘The summer shows are done. We can’t do the festivals. But let’s do the American shows,'” Ojeda concluded. “So I think we’re gonna do six shows and see how it goes.”
The band plans to test this new lineup with a limited run of American dates to evaluate the collaboration’s success.
The decision to bring Bach into Twisted Sister comes after Dee Snider was forced to step down from touring due to serious health concerns. These health issues have made the band’s high-energy performances impossible for him to continue.
Blunt Magazine reported that Snider stepped down from Twisted Sister due to severe arthritis and “bone on bone” issues in his knees. Doctors advised against the high-energy performances required for the band’s shows. This medical condition effectively ended Snider’s ability to deliver the physically demanding stage presence that Twisted Sister fans have come to expect over the band’s five-decade career.
The emotional weight of this transition was not lost on either Snider or Bach. Noise11 revealed that Sebastian Bach shared an emotional 45-minute phone call with Dee Snider before agreeing to join. During this call, they both got teary-eyed, highlighting their mutual respect. Bach has long described himself as a lifelong Twisted Sister fan influenced by their early albums like You Can’t Stop Rock ‘N’ Roll and Under The Blade. This makes his selection particularly meaningful for both the band and the new frontman.
The upcoming performances represent a carefully planned limited engagement rather than a full-scale tour. TicketNews confirmed that the reunion shows are a limited run of select 2026 dates, including a handful in fall. The shows feature Bach alongside guitarists Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda, bassist Russell Pzütto, and drummer Joey Cassata. These shows follow the cancellation of the band’s 50th anniversary world tour, with further details expected soon.
The collaboration marks a significant moment in rock history. Bach steps into the role of one of metal’s most iconic frontmen while Twisted Sister continues their legacy despite the health challenges that forced their original vocalist to retire from touring.
