Jay Jay French recently addressed the challenging decision to continue Twisted Sister without frontman Dee Snider. He explained the band’s reasoning in a statement shared on Louder Sound.
French discussed both his personal health challenges and the band’s philosophical approach to moving forward with ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach as Snider’s replacement.
“The question was not whether Sebastian could do this, I knew that he could. He was phenomenal,” French said. “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.”
The guitarist acknowledged the existential questions surrounding the decision while defending the band’s choice to continue.
“Eddie [Ojeda, Twisted Sister guitarist] and I felt it ourselves. We know that it brings up a lot of existential questions, such as should we even be doing this at all without Dee,” he continued. “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.”
French drew parallels to other successful band transitions to support his position.
“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,” he added.
The decision to continue without Snider comes amid significant changes for the band’s planned reunion activities.
Copenhell confirmed that Twisted Sister was forced to cancel their scheduled 2026 Copenhell festival appearance due to Snider’s health issues. The festival organizers stated that the band’s lead singer had to leave the group due to ongoing health problems that would make it impossible for him to perform at the high level required for such events.
Spectrum FM reported that Snider reassured fans through social media that his condition was not life-threatening. However, it was serious enough for him to withdraw from the reunion tour plans. The health concerns have effectively ended Snider’s ability to participate in the demanding physical requirements of live performances with the band.
The transition to Sebastian Bach as the new frontman represents a significant shift for Twisted Sister. Bach brings his own extensive experience from his time with Skid Row and his solo career. Louder Sound noted that the collaboration between Bach and the remaining Twisted Sister members has been in development as the band explores ways to honor their legacy while adapting to the new circumstances.
The band’s decision reflects a broader trend in rock music where veteran acts face the challenge of continuing their careers despite health issues affecting key members. French’s comparison to other successful band transitions suggests that Twisted Sister views this change as an opportunity to demonstrate the enduring power of their music beyond any single performer.
