Formed back in 1976 in New Jersey, Twisted Sister announced their reunion in 2026 to celebrate their 50th anniversary but without the classic bassist Mark “The Animal” Mendoza. The band’s frontman Dee Snider revealed he won’t be with them due to “irreconcilable differences”.
The concert dates were still not revealed but there will be special shows in the United States and more countries. Besides Dee Snider, will also be part of the tour the original member Jay Jay French (Guitar) and the classic member Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda. They will be accompanied by Joey Franco (Drums) and Russell Pzütto).
French also talked about the celebration, saying: “Beginning on February 2nd, 1976 in a little bar called The Turtleneck Inn in Hunter Mountain, NY, Dee Snider, Eddie Ojeda and I have called ourselves Twisted Sister and stood shoulder to shoulder for nearly five decades, through multiple personnel changes and thousands of performances; We are proud to celebrate a milestone that once felt unthinkable: a 50-year anniversary!! We have created a music and performance legacy that has and will continue to inspire millions of fans around the world. Twisted Forever, Forever Twisted!”
What Dee Snider said about the reunion and Mark Mendoza’s absence
The band‘s singer talked about the shows, saying: “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? In 2026, Twisted Fucking Sister will hit stages around the world because WE STILL WANNA ROCK!!”
Talking with Eddie Trunk recently, he explained Mark Mendoza’s absence from the shows. “I can only simply say irreconcilable differences and leave it at that. I can’t get into the weeds and I can’t go down that path. And I won’t. But irreconcilable differences. People change, and however it is, and I’m not saying he changed; maybe we changed whatever it is.”
“So in deciding who to use on bass, my bass player on the last two Dee Snider albums, ‘For The Love Of Metal’ and ‘Leave A Scar’, was Russ Pzütto. And he was Mark Mendoza’s bass tech, and a great bass player… So, he did an amazing job on those two albums.”
He continued:
“He was a great guy to tour with. The band all knew him from years of working with Twisted, and again, he seemed like a likely choice. As a matter of fact, one time he was Mark’s choice to fill in for him. And one gig, it was in Belgium at Graspop, and Mark couldn’t make it, and Russ stepped in and played with Twisted. So he actually has performed with Twisted once before.”
Asked if he thinks the door is open for Mark to play with Twisted Sister again at some point during the reunion tour, Dee said: ‘I can’t imagine it right now. I can’t imagine it right now. I mean — I plead the fifth. I can’t go beyond that. But things have happened that I don’t see being reconciled, hence the term ‘irreconcilable differences,'” Dee Snider said (Transcribed by Blabbermouth).
One of the most memorable bands from the 1980s, Twisted Sister released so far seven studio albums, the most recent one being “A Twisted Christmas” in 2006. Their biggest hits are “I Wanna Rock” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It”.