Dee Snider says a conversation with Bruce Dickinson briefly convinced him he might be able to return to the stage with Twisted Sister — but a series of health setbacks ultimately changed his mind.

Snider recently confirmed he will not reunite with the band for its upcoming anniversary performances, about a decade after Twisted Sister officially retired. While he won’t be returning, he has publicly supported the decision to bring in Sebastian Bach to handle vocals for the limited shows.

Speaking on the Beardo and Weirdo podcast, Snider explained that the idea of performing again first resurfaced when he learned he would need hip replacement surgery. Around that time, Dickinson reached out to share his own experience with the procedure.

“I blame Bruce Dickinson,” Snider joked. “When I found out my hip was shot, he called and said, ‘Dee, I’ve had it done twice — and I’m back in action.’ He’s telling me he’s out there thrusting and parrying again, and I thought, ‘Alright… maybe I can do this too.’”

Encouraged by that conversation, Snider began considering a return to performing. But during preparations for the surgery, doctors discovered an unrelated heart issue that complicated things.

“When I went in for the surgery, they found a heart problem I didn’t even know about,” he said. “That’s when the rug really got pulled out from under me. But I still — like an idiot — went ahead and got the hip done.”

After recovering, Snider briefly tested the waters by performing a few songs onstage with Lita Ford. At first, the new hip seemed to be working well.

“I walked out there thinking, ‘This feels great!’ I’m bouncing around like I used to,” he recalled. “Then after about three bounces… my knee went.”

That moment reminded him of a warning his surgeon had given before the operation: even with the repaired hip, he would never be able to move the same way he once did onstage.

“I could practically hear my surgeon in my head saying, ‘You’re done. You’re done. You’re done.’”

Following knee treatment, Snider began questioning whether chasing a comeback was worth the physical risk.

“Am I really going to keep playing this game?” he asked. “Go out there, break something else, tear something else — or just enjoy my life?”

The singer said his current lifestyle has given him a new perspective. He now lives on a family property in North Carolina surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren.

“Day to day, I’m living my best life,” Snider said. “So do I really need to get back onstage just to prove I can do it one more time?”

Ultimately, it was a heartfelt conversation with his family that helped him make the final decision.

“My family literally had to sit me down and almost beg me to stop,” he explained. “My kids were like, ‘Why are you doing this? What do you have to prove? You’re not doing it for money. You already have everything you wanted. It’s pure ego.’”

After hearing that, Snider realized stepping away was the right move — even if the temptation to return briefly lingered.

SOURCE: Ultimate Classic Rock

Dr. John Cooper