Nearly a decade after TWISTED SISTER wrapped up its explosive “40 And F-ck It!” farewell tour, the band is gearing up for a massive 50th-anniversary celebration in 2026. But the comeback has sparked plenty of discussion, especially because frontman Dee Snider was one of the most vocal critics of bands like KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE for doing farewell tours only to later reunite.
In a new interview with The Metal Voice, guitarist Jay Jay French shared his perspective on why Snider changed his mind, how the band views its history, and what fans can expect from the anniversary shows.
On Dee Snider’s Change of Heart
French addressed the obvious question: how could Snider, after years of calling reunion tours “cash grabs,” decide to launch one himself?
“I think we should run [all of Dee’s comments about that] before we go on stage every night [in 2026]. I think we should play all of [Dee’s statements]: ‘We’re never getting back together again.’ ‘We refuse to do this.’ ‘Anyone who does this is an idiot. You’re a joke if you do that. Why would you do that?’ We’ll just keep running them all,” French said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth.net).
He clarified that it wasn’t his idea but actually Snider’s suggestion to confront his past statements head-on.
When asked about the perception that Snider “went back on his word,” French offered a blunt analogy:
“Well, why does a dog lick his balls? ’Cause he can. It’s, like, you do it. So, okay. So he changed his mind… Look, I didn’t have to say yes. He just called me and said, ‘You wanna do it again? Would you be up for it?’ And I thought about it and I said, ‘Look, I’m 73.’ And when we retired 10 years ago, it was amazing. We did like a 14-year reunion tour.”
Remembering the Last Reunion
French reflected on TWISTED SISTER’s final run in the mid-2010s and the unique impact they had on festival lineups:
“When you’re playing with all these other bands, whose names will go nameless — I don’t want a Blabbermouth hit on me — but I cannot tell you how many bands we played with that, let’s say, we’re either the headliner or the co-headliner, or we don’t close, someone else closes, and then our fans are singing our songs in between their songs when they go on stage. They’ve gotta feel like crap. It makes me feel great. I mean, we’re a predatory band. We love blowing bands away. That’s part of why we did what we did to begin with. I mean, we learned it in the bars. That’s how we learned our performance technique, in the bars.”
This attitude — competitive, hungry, and raw — has always fueled the band’s legendary live presence.
Who’s In, Who’s Out for 2026
The 2026 lineup will feature three core members: Jay Jay French, Dee Snider, and lead guitarist Eddie Ojeda.
Bassist Mark “The Animal” Mendoza will not be participating. In his place, Russell Pzütto, who has toured with Snider’s solo projects, will handle bass duties. Drums will be covered by Joe Franco, who briefly played with the band in the mid-1980s and will step in for A.J. Pero, who tragically passed away in 2015 at just 55.
When asked why Mendoza won’t be involved, French gave a diplomatic response:
“It happens with bands. Bands are like marriages, and things happen. Listen, I was clear when I said this: me, Dee and Eddie have played through 10 different drummers and bass players. Most people don’t know this. We have never spoken about why someone is in and why someone is out. We never have. … My attitude is a realignment takes place, however way you have to do it to keep your business moving, and you make your business move.”
Pride in Longevity and Originality
French pointed out that TWISTED SISTER is still operating with a strong core of original members — something many legacy bands can’t claim.
“Incidentally, if you look at [JUDAS] PRIEST and you look at MÖTLEY [CRÜE] and you look at AEROSMITH and you look at every one of these bands, how many people are left [that were there] originally? And the answer is one, two, three guys. We have four original members. We have 80 percent original. Joe Franco’s back with us. He was one of our drummers. He played on our albums and toured with us. So we have a very high percentage of original bandmembers, and I’m very proud of that.”
He went on to note that while some bands tour with no original members, TWISTED SISTER still has a core lineup that has shared “thousands of shows” together.
What the 50th Anniversary Will Look Like
Fans wondering whether this will be a massive world tour or a series of festival appearances got a careful clarification from French.
“We were very careful in the wording of the press release [announcing the reunion]. We’re getting together to celebrate performances to mark the 50th anniversary. In the 14 years the band reunited, we never said we toured. We played 15 to 20 shows a year for 14 years. Just how it goes. Now it turns out every promoter in the world is calling us. … Do I anticipate more to be added in? I do… We go where the offers take us. And we want to go out there and meet the fans one more time, ’cause it really is a hell of a feeling to go out and do that.”
While the exact schedule remains uncertain, one thing is clear: the band will be back in front of crowds, celebrating five decades of loud, unapologetic rock and roll.
Looking Ahead
For fans, the 2026 TWISTED SISTER reunion is both surprising and thrilling. Despite Snider’s past criticisms of reunions, the pull of the stage — and the band’s undeniable chemistry — has proven too strong to resist.
As Jay Jay French made clear, this isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about honoring a legacy that continues to resonate with rock audiences worldwide. With four core members, a fierce live reputation, and a milestone worth celebrating, TWISTED SISTER is set to make their 50th anniversary unforgettable.
