Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French has addressed fan backlash over Sebastian Bach replacing Dee Snider on the band’s ongoing reunion tour. He discussed how Bach has fit into the role and pushed back against critics who insist no one can replace the original frontman, drawing comparisons to other high-profile lineup changes in rock history.
“[Sebastian has] been the greatest… He’s been the most fun guy. He is the most fun guy,” French said. “If you ask a hundred Twisted fans who could do it, you’ll get ones who go, ‘Dee can never be replaced.’ You hear that shit all the time.”
French went on to argue that no performer is truly irreplaceable, pointing to examples from other major bands.
“[But] the thing is this: nobody is irreplaceable anywhere. They’re really not,” he continued. “So if [Queen’s] Freddie Mercury — the quintessential greatest vocalist, pretty much acknowledged, in the history of the rock world, and he’s replaced by [Adam Lambert], somebody from ‘American Idol’. I mean, think about the absurdity of that. Or Steve Perry [Journey], possibly the second-greatest vocalist, if not the first, depending on who you ask, [people said he] could never be replaced. [And Journey got Arnel Pineda], somebody from YouTube, [to replace him].”
He then distinguished Bach’s situation from those examples, emphasizing his professional credentials.
“I mean, let’s get real. The difference between that is we got a real guy, like someone who actually does this for a living, is a bona fide superstar, a great performer in his own right,” French said.
French also addressed the naysayers directly. He said he understands the sentiment but believes fans ultimately have a choice.
“So when you hear the naysayers — you’ll always have them. And by the way, I understand naysayers because I have that same opinion about certain bands that I like. And I’ve made jokes about the bands that I like that no longer live up to my belief and my memory of how great they could be,” he said. “There are gonna be some people who go, ‘I’m sorry, he’s not that. You’re not that. You’re like this. You’re all whatever.’ Whatever. No one’s forcing you to go anywhere. It’s a f*cking free country. You don’t wanna listen to a record? You don’t listen to a record. You don’t wanna go to a show? Don’t go to a show. Especially with the ticket prices being what they are these days. Which means, on top of which, the responsibility of the artist should be to respect the ticket prices.”
French’s comments come amid a broader shakeup within Twisted Sister’s touring lineup, one that extends well beyond the switch at the microphone.
Bach’s arrival as frontman stems directly from Snider’s exit from live performance. Snider stepped away from the band’s 50th-anniversary shows after revealing that health challenges, including degenerative arthritis, made it impossible for him to continue touring. Bach was tapped as his replacement, officially taking over lead vocal duties for Twisted Sister’s fall 2026 dates.
The rhythm section has also seen turnover. Drummer Joey Cassata stepped in after Joe Franco became unavailable for the band’s fall shows. Bassist Russell Pzütto had already taken over for longtime member Mark “The Animal” Mendoza. The current touring lineup now features Bach on vocals alongside French and Eddie Ojeda on guitars, with Pzütto and Cassata rounding out the rhythm section.
Bach made his live debut with the band on August 28 at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, performing under the group’s longtime alter ego, Bent Brother. He then took the stage under the Twisted Sister name in the weeks that followed, including a September 6 performance at the Oregon State Fair.
Snider has maintained that his departure from the road does not mark the end of his association with the band, despite the lineup overhaul. Bach, meanwhile, appears to be settling into the role for what is shaping up to be an extended run through 2027.
Source: Podcast Rock City Live
