What Halted Led Zeppelin And Black Sabbath’s Further Success, Dee Snider Explains

In the final part of an exclusive interview with Ultimate Guitar, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider opened up about his thoughts on the metal genre and its icons, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. As a musician who has seen the genre’s evolution throughout the years, Snider’s insights offered a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of the metal scene. In the interview, he delved into the reason behind the genre’s underappreciation and how labeling had impacted the growth and success of bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

We should first dive into Twisted Sister‘s historical value in metal music. The band, known for their eclectic mix of heavy metal, glam metal, hard rock, shock rock, and glam rock, has been a key player in the genre since their debut in the early 1980s. Despite being a glam metal band, they were able to bridge the gap between thrash metal and glam metal fans, even having bands like Metallica open for them. Snider, who has always rejected the glam metal label, cited bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath as influences.

During the interview, Snider pointed out that the labeling of music by bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin diminished their achievements and reduced the credibility of metal musicians in the public eye. He believes that this dismissive nature of the press leads people to make assumptions about the genre and dismiss it without giving it a fair chance.

He shared his thoughts on the matter in a candid quote:

“It’s hard to say. I can say that when it first came out, which I guess would be when the first Sabbath and Zeppelin records came out, they were groundbreaking. But suddenly, these terms were being applied to them, which diminished what they were, who they were, what they were doing, and what they were achieving. I believe it starts with the dismissive nature of the press, and then people follow the lead of the journalists and make all sorts of stupid assumptions.

Many people want to dismiss different kinds of music because I think it’s easier for them to do that rather than take it seriously and give it a chance. It’s easier for them to say, ‘Oh, it’s heavy metal. It must be this, or it must suck.’ Honestly, it’s silly, and I wish it would stop. But it never will.”

Snider’s perspective on the matter highlighted the importance of taking the time to appreciate and understand the complexity and depth of various genres of music. While labels can help categorize music, they can also hinder its growth and potential by simplifying it into something easily dismissed. As fans and listeners, it’s crucial to remain open-minded and give music a chance, regardless of the labels attached to it.