Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French recently defended Sebastian Bach replacing Dee Snider as the singer for Twisted Sister’s ongoing reunion tour, addressing the topic during an appearance on Podcast Rock City Live.
French discussed the fan criticism surrounding Bach taking over the frontman duties and explained why he believes no musician is irreplaceable.
“[Sebastian has] been the greatest… He’s been the most fun guy. He is the most fun guy,” French said. “If you ask a hundred Twisted fans who could do it, you’ll get ones who go, ‘Dee can never be replaced.’ You hear that shit all the time.”
He then compared the situation to other legendary bands that successfully replaced iconic lead singers.
“[But] the thing is this: nobody is irreplaceable anywhere. They’re really not,” French continued. “So if [Queen’s] Freddie Mercury — the quintessential greatest vocalist, pretty much acknowledged, in the history of the rock world, and he’s replaced by [Adam Lambert], somebody from ‘American Idol’. I mean, think about the absurdity of that. Or Steve Perry [Journey], possibly the second-greatest vocalist, if not the first, depending on who you ask, [people said he] could never be replaced. [And Journey got Arnel Pineda], somebody from YouTube, [to replace him].”
French emphasized that Bach is a well-established artist who brings his own star power to the band.
“I mean, let’s get real,” French added. “The difference between that is we got a real guy, like someone who actually does this for a living, is a bona fide superstar, a great performer in his own right.”
French’s comments come after Snider stepped away from the reunion plans and Twisted Sister found a way to continue with another established hard rock vocalist.
Twisted Sister announced that Bach would front the band for a handful of select dates in 2026. The band said Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda were “thrilled to announce that iconic vocalist and frontman Sebastian Bach” would take part in the shows.
Snider’s departure was connected to health concerns. The singer initially described his exit as the result of “a series of health challenges.” Further reports cited arthritis, a hip replacement, a knee injury, and a heart condition among the issues affecting his ability to continue performing.
Bach is best known for his years as the frontman of Skid Row, where he became one of the most recognizable singers of the late-1980s and early-1990s metal scene. His addition gives Twisted Sister a vocalist with his own established history and a strong connection to the era in which the band achieved its greatest success.
The lineup change also represents a limited continuation rather than a permanent replacement announcement. Bach was selected to perform with Twisted Sister on specific reunion dates, allowing him to maintain his solo touring schedule while helping the band move forward.
French also acknowledged that while he understands why some fans might be skeptical, attending shows or listening to the music remains entirely optional.
“So when you hear the naysayers — you’ll always have them,” French explained. “And by the way, I understand naysayers because I have that same opinion about certain bands that I like. And I’ve made jokes about the bands that I like that no longer live up to my belief and my memory of how great they could be. There are gonna be some people who go, ‘I’m sorry, he’s not that. You’re not that. You’re like this. You’re all whatever.’ Whatever. No one’s forcing you to go anywhere. It’s a f*cking free country. You don’t wanna listen to a record? You don’t listen to a record. You don’t wanna go to a show? Don’t go to a show. Especially with the ticket prices being what they are these days. Which means, on top of which, the responsibility of the artist should be to respect the ticket prices.”
This tour marks a new chapter for Twisted Sister as the band continues to perform select shows with Bach on vocals.
