Twisted Sister To Honor A.J. Pero; Announce Retirement

Twisted Sister will present "A Concert To Honor A.J. Pero" on June 13 at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. Tickets go on sale April 8.

 

Around 8 last night, TMZ posted on Facebook that  Twisted Sister will retire in 2016. According to TMZ, Mike Portnoy is the band's new drummer (shocking no one). 

Twisted Sister not gonna take it anymore -- after one last tour the hair metal heroes will unplug their amps in 2016 ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the band tells us Dee Snider and the boys made the decision last month to call it quits -- just one week before drummer A.J. Pero died from a heart attack.

The band's 2016 tour will be called "Forty and F**k It."  The farewell tour will feature the core lineup of Dee, Jay Jay French, Mark Mendoza, and Eddie Ojeda ... plus Mike Portnoy (from Adrenaline Mob) will handle the drumming.

Twisted Sister -- We Wanna Rock One Last Time ... Done After 40 Years http://t.co/ujfnTXErLp

— TMZ (@TMZ) April 7, 2015

Comments

[Kixchix]

Wow. A week before his death. Sad. One of my biggest anxieties is working hard to get to a point in my life to "retire" then have it all taken away by illness or something beyond my control.

Gotta live it up while we can folks

[Him]

Here, here, Kixchix.

And kudos to the boys in TS for doing something memorable, not calculated. I have always had a begrudging respect for French and his handling of the band. Don't always agree. But, without him, not sure that they would have been able to ride the nostalgia wave as deftly as they have since their post-9/11 reunion, even with Snider (his Aldrich rant being one of the few misplaced moves in his career that I can think of off the top of my head) at the helm.

I also have to say, TS live was always a good show. Sure, no new songs. But who cared when they went out and still played their "greatest hits" like it mattered? It was nostalgia and they at least owned up to it, explained it, and then got the hell up there and rocked. Pero deserves his share of credit for that as well. He will be missed.

[Metalboy!]

Allow me to echo the thoughts of my BBG! comrades above. God Bless his Rock & Roll
Soul! Every time you hear the thunder crack, think of him pounding that big drum kit made of clouds in the sky.

[fletch]

I'm posting this simply as a follow up to Him's comment about Doug Adrich for those who haven't seen this article a few weeks ago. I'm not taking sides, but the conflicting headline is kinda funny, "apologizes to Aldrich then slams Kiss". It gives some insight into his perspective and I do agree with Dee (unlike French) that he could have "successfully" toured as 'Dee Snider from Twisted Sister', but specifically chose not to, out of respect for the band, Twisted Sister.

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dee-snider-apologizes-to-doug-aldrich-slams-kiss/

[fletch]

And, I just came across this article. As Dee Sinder pleads to us, "So please, please get yourself checked out [by your physician]. There's no reason for people to die of heart disease in this day and age." ...and other illnesses as well. On a personal note, I had a major stroke in November 2014 and then a mini-stroke in December 2015. I was diagnosed with a blood-clotting disorder in 2007, but due to my own foolishness, in 2010, I stopped taking my medication and getting regular check-ups (i.e. "What the hell do these doctors know?" was my hard-headed opinion based on a litany of conflicting medical opinions, repeated medication changes, etc...), but the bottom line is that the medication was helping me and preventing me from stroking out. I came close and learned my lesson. I have people who depend on me and am now "religiously" taking my medication and getting regular medical care. We're not getting younger, including our beloved rock stars.

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dee-snider-says-a-j-peros-irresponsible-behavior-led-to-his-death/

[Him]

Good follow-ups, Fletch.

The second post is the most important: Snider's heart is in the right place when he suggests that people, especially people who have family to think about, need to take care of themselves and set things in motion for the time--and it will come--when they are sadly no longer there. Glad to hear you are on the mend, by the way.

The first post is just as out of place for Snider as the tweets that led to it. Not sure why he needed to say anything in the first or second place. At least Aldrich responded appropriately and then moved on. A rare misstep for Snider, for sure.

[eric]

Never a HUGH TS fan for some reason, but do like a good handful of their songs and like Dee Snider. May check out this show if timing works out for me.

BTW, as I said, not a really big fan, but think Love Is For Suckers is one of the top 10 underrated pop metal albums of the 80's. After "Stay Hungry" it is their best album IMO.

[Him]

I tend to agree with you about LISFS being overlooked and unfairly dismissed., Eric.

Problem was, it ventured closer to their musical interests as youths (the 50s tinge on some of the songs) that had always been there in the background . . . a trend that really started with COAP and songs like "Be Cruel to Your School." But that is why I found both albums so interesting. If I wanted SH again, I would have bought another copy. I think "Wake Up (the Sleeping Giant" and "Hot Love" are great songs that show the range of which TS was capable.

In fact, while SH broke them for a major audience (and I do like that album), I tend to prefer their older stuff that gained traction in the UK first, and then the previously mentioned albums.

[fletch]

Thanks, Him. I have found healing. My self-imposed exile was painful enough.

[Dj]

This is tragic. AJ Pero will be missed. Twisted Sister was one of the first bands that got me into rock n roll which paved the way for my love of all things rock, hard rock, metal, and other types of music. Twisted Sister will always be that band for me, it is really sad that they are going out, but really cool that they are honoring AJ the way they are. It will be really cool to have a chance to see them. Rock in peace AJ.

[Him]

Nice sentiments, Dj. I also owe TS, for different reasons, a debt. I hope I can make it to one of these final shows.