In the aftermath of Twisted Sister’s canceled 50th anniversary tour, Dee Snider has put rumors of his imminent death to rest, telling fans he’s “alive and well” but just unable to perform live.
“I’m not dying! No, not never; I mean, we’re all dying, but not immediately,” Snider said on his House of Hair radio show, a week after he abruptly resigned from Twisted Sister and canceled the metal act’s 2026 reunion shows.
“My announcement about canceling the tour for health reasons, problems with my heart, arthritis, things like that… the rumors have run wild that I’m on my death bed, I am not. I just can’t do those things that I did in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and even 60s. Alright? Otherwise I’m alive and well. I’m enjoying life.”
Snider added that he’ll continue to host his radio show, write, and direct but, at age 70, fronting Twisted Sister pushes his body beyond its limits.
“You won’t see me on the stage kicking ass like I used to, because that will mess me up,” Snider explained.
“So had to pull out of Twisted Sister, had to cancel the tour, my apologies for that. And thank you for all the love and care and worry and all that stuff. It was crazy the amount of people, the outpouring was beautiful, thank you very much for cheering me on. I’m okay, I just can’t do that anymore.”
Earlier this month, Twisted Sister announced the canceled tour due to Snider’s “health challenges,” which reportedly include degenerative arthritis that only allows him to perform a couple songs. Snider added on House of Hair it was suggested that he sit down for performances, but he nixed that idea.
“The truth of the matter is, I don’t want you to see me up there being less than you expect me to be. You got memories of the great shows that I did, that’s what I want to leave you with,” Snider said. “Not me standing up there like Willie Nelson — nothing wrong with Willie, 95 years old, in a wheelchair — you know what I’m saying. I went out rockin’, I’m still rockin’ here, I ain’t stopping. I got a lot of life to live. My dad is 95 and still kicking, so I’m expecting to be around for a long time.”
The run was set to mark Twisted Sister’s first tour since 2016 — when they embarked on what was billed to be their 40 and Fuck It farewell tour — and feature the band’s three core members: Snider, founding guitarist (and longest-serving member) Jay Jay French, and longtime lead guitarist Eddie Ojeda.
