New Twisted Sister drummer Joey Cassata has opened up about his new role with the band. He shared his thoughts in an interview published by Robby Vegas on YouTube. Cassata will be playing drums for Twisted Sister’s upcoming fall 2026 shows featuring Sebastian Bach on lead vocals.
Cassata reflected on how the opportunity came about, describing his long-standing friendship with the Twisted Sister camp and the unexpected nature of the call.
“Yeah, it’s just so wild. It’s never you’re expecting these things. You work hard, you try to be a good guy in the industry, play good all the time, be one of those guys that people know they can depend on. And I’ve been friends with the Twisted camp for years. All those guys were on ‘Z Rock’ [the television series created by the Independent Film Channel focusing on Joey’s former band ZO2], believe it or not,” he said.
He went on to detail the connections he had built with nearly every member of the Twisted Sister circle over the years.
“The only one that wasn’t on ‘Z Rock’ was, or involved with ZO2, was [late Twisted drummer] A.J. [Pero]. Dee [Snider, now-ex-Twisted Sister singer] was on many, many guest appearances. Jay Jay [French, Twisted Sister guitarist] was on the original pilot. Sebastian, who’s now in Twisted, was on ‘Z Rock’. Eddie [Ojeda, Twisted Sister guitarist] was on ‘Z Rock’ in a guest appearance,” he continued. “And Mark Mendoza, who’s a good friend of mine, filled in for the late, great David Z when David Z passed away. He did a couple of ZO2 shows with us. So it’s just an honor to be in that Twisted camp.”
Cassata also spoke about what Twisted Sister meant to him growing up, describing himself as a lifelong fan of the band.
“[Twisted Sister] were heroes of mine growing up. If you grew up in the ’80s with wrestling and rock and roll, seeing those Twisted Sister videos on MTV or anywhere you got to see them, Twisted was bigger than life back then. And I was an SMFer [hardcore Twisted Sister fan], and I loved them beyond belief. So to get that call to say, ‘Hey, would you wanna do this with us?’ I was blown away,” he said.
He also revealed that there was no formal audition process involved in landing the role.
“There was no audition. It was, ‘Hey, Joe, we would love you to do this with us. Are you available?’ And I was, like, whoop, like Kramer [a fictional character in the American television sitcom ‘Seinfeld’], like, ‘What the hell just happened?’ So it’s one of those other life-changing moments, and I’m so honored and humbled to be even thought of in the same breath as some of these legends,” he added.
Cassata’s addition to the Twisted Sister lineup comes amid a series of significant personnel changes that have reshaped the band’s 2026 touring plans entirely.
The fall 2026 run was originally set to feature founding frontman Dee Snider alongside guitarists Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda. On February 5, Twisted Sister announced the cancellation of its initial reunion dates after Snider resigned from the tour, citing health concerns. On March 3, French and Ojeda announced that Sebastian Bach, the former frontman of Skid Row, would step in to front the band for a select number of fall appearances, with Snider’s blessing. Those dates do not conflict with Bach’s ongoing solo touring schedule.
The drummer’s seat also went through its own transition before landing with Cassata. Joe Franco, who briefly played with Twisted Sister in the mid-1980s, was originally tapped to sit behind the kit for the 2026 dates. Franco had to withdraw for minor health reasons and personally recommended Cassata as his replacement. Cassata received the call in January from the band’s manager, Danny Stanton, and was immediately on board.
Cassata brings a strong set of credentials to the role. Beyond his work with ZO2, he is known for playing drums on Ace Frehley’s final original solo album, “10,000 Volts.” His appointment fills the drum chair that carries the legacy of A.J. Pero, the longtime Twisted Sister drummer who passed away in 2015 at the age of 55. Following Pero’s death, Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy stepped in to complete the band’s “Forty And Fuck It” 40th-anniversary tour in 2016. Twisted Sister officially retired after that run.
The current touring lineup features French and Ojeda on guitars, Bach on lead vocals, Russell Pzütto on bass — replacing Mark Mendoza, who is not part of the 2026 dates — and Cassata on drums. The fall run kicks off September 4 in Palmer, Alaska, and has since expanded to nine shows. Newly added dates include stops in Gary, Indiana; Charles Town, West Virginia; and St. Petersburg, Florida.
