Jay Jay French recently opened up about his continued passion for music and addressed Twisted Sister’s canceled reunion tour. He shared his thoughts in an interview with Off The Couch Boxing & Pod Scum.
The Twisted Sister guitarist was asked about whether he still has the urge to create music, given his long career and the band’s retirement in 2016. French said that the tour was ‘suspended’ and not canceled.
“You know, there was obviously everybody knows the band retired in 2016 and then we had a tour scheduled and the tour had to be suspended because of Dee’s health issues,” French said. “So people are always asking me, you know, how bad did you want to do it? Did you really want to do it? Did you really want to do it? How bad did you miss it? And you do you play much? And the thing is I played two years ago. I played at Jazzfest in New Orleans.”
French went on to describe his recent performance experience and his daily routine with music.
“I was a guest in a in a blue in a in the Davell Crawford’s band and the drummer was the Rolling Stones drummer, Steve Jordan,” he continued. “But you know, I hadn’t been on stage in eight years. So here I am, here I am in New Orleans. I had to be my own roadie, because, you know, it was like, it was a throw and go, right? And so I didn’t have a road crew or anything like that. And I had a great, great, great time. I had an amazing time doing it. So it’s not like it’s not without my desires.”
The 73-year-old musician also reflected on his physical condition and the broader state of rock music.
“And here in Mexico, I have a guitar and an amp down here,” French said. “And every day I pick it up, make sure the fingers still move. I don’t have arthritis in any of my joints. I still have my knees. I still have my hips. I consider myself lucky, you know, from that respect. You know, I’m 73. And I keep every day, keep getting a text from somebody that somebody else dies, which is sad. Because the genre of music that we all love is, is sunsetting in terms of the creators. The music will live forever, but the actual creators are dying or they’re sick and can’t play anymore.”
French concluded with reflections on the longevity of the bands from his era.
“And every day another one drops,” he said. “And when we were all 17, we didn’t think that was going to happen. You know, you were invincible at 17. Nobody thought about this. But also, I think if you were to ask all the bands in ’73 that were created in ’73, Judas Priest, Kiss, Twisted, Aerosmith, all from the class of ’73. If you would have asked any one of us in ’73 how long we were going to last, you know the answer would have been five years. That was the automatic answer, wasn’t it? Five years. We’ll do it five years or maybe 10, because I think the Beatles lasted 10. So maybe because we’re all Beatle fans, we would have said, hopefully 10 years. Do you think that any of us thought we’d be 50 years later that anyone would care? I mean, that’s mind-blowing to me.”
French’s comments come in the wake of significant developments regarding the band’s future. The situation surrounding Twisted Sister’s reunion plans has evolved dramatically since French’s interview. The band now faces difficult decisions about their legacy.
Blabbermouth reported that Twisted Sister officially canceled all of its previously announced 2026 reunion concerts on February 5, 2026. The cancellation was due to a series of health challenges faced by frontman Dee Snider. The 50th-anniversary shows were originally set to kick off April 25 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. They were planned to feature approximately 20-25 festival dates worldwide.
The health issues affecting Snider are more serious than initially disclosed. Metal Insider revealed that the 70-year-old vocalist faces degenerative arthritis from decades of high-intensity performances. He also has newly diagnosed heart issues that prevent him from delivering full performances. These conditions have made it impossible for Snider to maintain the physical demands required for Twisted Sister’s energetic live shows.
The canceled reunion tour was planned to include core members Snider, French, and Eddie Ojeda. Russell Pzütto was set to play bass and Joe Franco on drums, replacing the late drummer A.J. Pero. Ghost Cult Magazine noted that French and Ojeda have indicated that the band’s future will be decided soon. This suggests that this cancellation may mark the definitive end of Twisted Sister’s performing career.
“I don’t know of any other way to rock. The idea of slowing down is unacceptable to me. I’d rather walk away than be a shadow of my former self,” Snider stated regarding the difficult decision to cancel the tour.
The cancellation represents the end of what many fans hoped would be a triumphant return for one of heavy metal’s most theatrical and influential bands. This development leaves French’s reflections on the band’s unexpected longevity particularly poignant.
