TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider has admitted that a personal health scare changed his outlook on life and ultimately pushed him to reunite with the band for their upcoming 50th anniversary tour. The announcement comes nearly a decade after the group’s farewell trek, the boldly titled “40 And F-ck It!” tour in 2016.
For years, Snider was one of the most outspoken critics of farewell tours and subsequent reunions, frequently calling out acts like KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE for what he perceived as “cash grabs.” Now, in a new interview, Snider is opening up about why he has decided to take the stage again despite his past stance.
A Change of Heart at 70
During an appearance on Long Island’s 102.3 WBAB and Tampa’s 102.5 The Bone, Snider candidly explained that the decision to reform TWISTED SISTER didn’t come lightly — but it came after a wake-up call.
“First of all, I own [my previous] statements [about not wanting to stage a TWISTED SISTER reunion]. I said that and more. I singled out bands. I named names. I ranted and raved about this, and I expected to get excrements for this, but I’m getting hit hard.”
The turning point, he revealed, was his own health.
“I’m not gonna lie, and I can only tell you so much, but this is the total truth. I turned 70 this year and I had a health scare. And I’m okay… And it shook me up… I won’t say [exactly what it was], and I’m okay. But it really made me re-evaluate a lot of things.”
Facing Mortality and Re-Evaluating
Snider admitted that hitting his 70th birthday was already a reflective milestone, but his health scare drove the point home even harder.
“[When I was] 40, 50, 60, I thought I was superhuman. TWISTED SISTER retired 10 years ago when I was ripped to shreds. And then [at] 70, something happened and it was a re-evaluation, quite honestly. And part of that re-evaluation was looking and saying… Am I ready to go? Well, you never know when you’re gonna go quietly to the night. You never know when your time is up. And do I really wanna do that without rocking one more time.”
The singer admitted that for years he had avoided performing outside of guest appearances with other artists.
“I stopped doing solo stuff a few years back as well. I mean, I go out and I join [POISON frontman] Bret Michaels or Lita Ford on stage [during their shows] for a couple songs, but I don’t go out and perform.”
Dee Snider Called the Shots on Reunion
Perhaps the most surprising part of this reunion story is that the other members of TWISTED SISTER had long accepted that Snider would never agree to get back together.
“And upon talking to my wife and re-evaluating, it was I, me, who called the [other] guys [in TWISTED SISTER]. I called them. They never called. I mean, we talk, but they never brought it up because I was, like, ‘This is not happening, guys. It is done. It is over, just like I told everybody.’”
But after years of insisting the band was finished, Snider was the one to flip the script.
“Like I said, I had a life-changing experience and re-evaluation of a lot of things, and I reached out. I said, ‘Guys, what do you think about doing it one more time?’”
A Reunion for the Right Reasons
Snider has stressed in multiple interviews that the reunion is not about money but about celebrating the legacy of TWISTED SISTER and proving that age doesn’t have to define the band’s energy. With fellow rock veterans like Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and Alice Cooper still touring well into their later years, Snider says the challenge now excites him.
The 2026 shows will mark the band’s first proper reunion in a decade, with Snider joined by longtime bandmates Eddie Ojeda and Jay Jay French. Bassist Mark Mendoza, however, will not be part of the lineup, with Russell Pzütto stepping in.
Health Scare Becomes a Driving Force
For Snider, the irony is clear. After years of mocking reunion tours, it took a personal health scare for him to understand why some artists decide to return. Rather than a financial grab, his decision is rooted in a desire to go out on his own terms, reminding fans of TWISTED SISTER’s power and energy one final time.
The reunion will also mark the celebration of 50 years since Snider officially joined TWISTED SISTER, cementing their place as one of hard rock’s most iconic acts.
