Twisted Sister, group portrait, backstage at Reading Festival, 29th August 1982, L-R AJ Pero, Eddie Ojeda, Dee Snider, Mark Mendoza, JJ French. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)Photo: (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
Get ready to throw up those horns—Twisted Sister are officially reuniting for a global tour to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
The heavy metal icons, best known for anthems like We’re Not Gonna Take It and I Wanna Rock, retired from touring back in 2016. But now, frontman Dee Snider says the band is answering the call from fans who still want to see them live. “If you’re lucky enough to be in a band that people still want to see after fifty years, how can you not answer the call?” Snider said. “In 2026, Twisted F**ing Sister will hit stages around the world because WE STILL WANNA ROCK!!”*
The reunion lineup will feature Snider on vocals, Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda on guitars, Joe “Seven” Franco on drums, and Russell Pzütto on bass. Pzütto steps in for longtime bassist Mark Mendoza, with the band wishing Mendoza well in his future endeavors.
Drummer A.J. Pero, who passed away in 2015, will be remembered on the road, while Franco—who has a long history with the group—returns to handle drums for the anniversary shows.
Guitarist Jay Jay French told Rolling Stone that lineup changes are just part of the band’s history: “Me, Dee and Eddie have performed as Twisted Sister for nearly 50 years with 10 different bass players and drummers. Almost all bands with a 50-year history have gone through realignment as a byproduct of time.”
Tour dates and cities are expected to be announced soon, but one thing’s certain—after nearly a decade off the road, Twisted Sister are ready to crank it back up!