In a recent interview with Songfacts, producer Tom Werman recalled his production for Twisted Sister and referred to the band as the least proficient musicians he has ever worked with.
The Producer’s Challenge With The Album And The Band
Although, according to Werman, the band had a good vibe overall, the album was a pain to work on because of the band not being the most proficient one he ever worked with. He even tried to switch guitars and amps for days just to get the right sound for the guitarist, Jay Jay French.
Appearing in the latest interview to discuss the bands he has worked with, the producer named ‘Stay Hungry’ as his most challenging work and even referred to the album as the one he wanted to forget about. Asked whether or not he remembers a song that has been the most challenging for him, he declined and revealed why Twisted Sister was one of the least proficient bands:
“No, I don’t remember a particular song. The whole album was a challenge. The band had a lot of spirit – a great vibe – but they were among the least proficient musicians. They were a good band, but most of the other bands I worked with were better at their instruments. Twisted Sister figured out a way to come across powerfully even with that.”
After trying several different placements for the right sound, the band was okay with their sound for the album. He continued:
“But it took three days to get a rhythm guitar sound for Jay Jay [French]. We tried everything. We tried different guitars, we tried different amps, we tried different microphones, we tried different placements. It was very tough. We finally settled on something, and that’s a lot of dollars and a lot of time spent on something that should have come together in a few hours.”
The Album Did Not Get Royalty Checks
Even though the band sold over three million with their third studio album, they never got royalty checks for the sales. Well, at least not a decade after the album dropped. After the band broke up in 1987, they were eventually brought back together by the record company with their debts wiped out.
Apparently, the band has been getting royalty checks but was unaware of the situation. After the president of the record company wiped out their debt, it became clear to the band that they never received the checks they were supposed to get. Additionally, Dee Snider got paid for his songwriting credits, but the band never did for the sold records.
So, despite selling millions of copies, both parties have struggled with the album for different reasons. Below, you can check out the 1984 album.
