by Derek Draven

Created on: March 18, 2009   Last Updated: March 19, 2009

Guitarist Jay Jay French formed Twisted Sister in 1972, taking cues from the pounding heavy metal of Judas Priest and the outrageous showmanship of Alice Cooper to form an instantly recognizable band. However, it wasn't until the emergence of nutcase vocalist Dee Snider that the band hit it big in mainstream music.

Instantly demonized as being Satanic, homosexual, and a number of other false accusations, Twisted Sister took it all in stride. They used negative publicity to generate a huge buzz about their music, whilst at the same time taking a stand against the ever-looming shadow of censorship. The music was written primarily as an outlet for young teenagers to voice their angst and frustration with parents, school and world affairs, but it was always meant to be in good fun. Metal music in the 70s was already under severe scrutiny thanks to the antics of bands such as KISS and Judas Priest. Twisted Sister took everything up ten notches and amplified the in-your-face attitude of early 80s generation gaps and social frustration.

Twisted Sister did not hit the stratosphere until 1984's "Stay Hungry" album which quickly took off like a California wildfire. The album introduced the world to the band's most significant hits: "We're Not Gonna Take It," and "I Wanna Rock," both of which were played heavily on the fledgling MTV television network. The album quickly came under the scrutiny of Tipper Gore's P.M.R.C. (Parent's Music Resource Center) who were specifically targeting bands which they believed promoted vile, offensive or Satanic themes. A Senate hearing in September of 1985 went down bad when vocalist Dee Snider was called in to testify against accusations and censorship. Members of the P.M.R.C. had anticipated that Dee's MTV antics would play in their favor inside an actual courtroom. They were shocked and unprepared for Snider's testimony which was thought-provoking, highly intelligent and delivered with pinpoint clarity. Although the P.M.R.C. was left scrambling for a way to recover from the embarrassing turn of events, it did little to deter them. It was the first step in placing a warning label on albums with potentially offensive content.

Despite the massive success of "Stay Hungry," Twisted Sister could not hold it together long enough to make their next albums a hit, and Dee Snider left the band in 1987, effectively disbanding the band for almost 10 years. After recording a track for a Hollywood in movie in 1998, and a successful re-issue of their back catalog, Twisted Sister regrouped and embarked on what has been a steady set of concert performances. Although the band has not issued a new album since 1987, they did go back into the studio in 2004 to re-record "Stay Hungry" under the new title "Still Hungry." A final album in 2006 was a collection Christmas music called "A Twisted Christmas," which has been rumored to the band's final release.

Twisted Sister was part of an influential group of heavy metal bands who were able to successfully use the MTV network to reach a whole new generation of music fans. They indirectly inspired the rise of heavy metal to the top of the music charts, and have remained an integral part of music history since their early days.

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