Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band formed in 1972 in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, and later based on Long Island, New York. The band’s best-known songs include “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock”, which became widely associated with humorous music videos. The group has also been associated with glam-influenced visual presentation, including elaborate hairstyles, make-up, and androgynous clothing, and has often been discussed in relation to the 1980s hard rock and hair metal scenes.
Twisted Sister evolved from a band called Silver Star and went through numerous lineup changes before establishing a stable formation in 1982 consisting of Jay Jay French (guitars), Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda (guitars), Dee Snider (lead vocals), Mark “The Animal” Mendoza (bass), and A. J. Pero (drums). This lineup recorded the band’s first four studio albums. Their debut EP “Ruff Cutts” (1982) was followed by the album “Under the Blade” (1982), which gained underground attention, particularly in the United Kingdom. Their second album, “You Can’t Stop Rock ’n’ Roll” (1983), continued to build their audience and included the single “I Am (I’m Me)”. Their third album, “Stay Hungry” (1984), brought mainstream success and became their most commercially successful release, largely driven by the singles “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock”. The band’s subsequent albums, “Come Out and Play” (1985) and “Love Is for Suckers” (1987), did not achieve comparable commercial success. The group disbanded in 1988.
Before achieving stability, the band underwent multiple early iterations between 1972 and 1982, with frequent personnel changes and shifts in musical direction.
