Twisted Sister Announces Fill-In Drummer, Blasts Late Drummer

Back in August at the Heavy Montreal fest, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider took a moment to explain something that distinguishes his aged heavy metal band from other aged heavy metal bands: after 700 years, Twisted’s main line-up is intact. That changed on March 20 when drummer AJ Pero passed away suddenly. A touching memorial from the band followed, but on Tuesday, Snider authored a new statement in light of new info about Pero’s cause of death and the confusion he left behind:

This is the unfortunate reality of irresponsible adult behavior. Not only did AJ Pero have a family history of heart disease, which he allowed to go unchecked, but he did not have a will, left behind two ex-wives, a longtime girlfriend, four children between the three of them, and a mess of an estate to be sorted out. Now, there is infighting, mistrust and dissension amongst the family members about how to handle life after AJ. What a mess. While the legalities of the situation are being sorted out, Twisted Sister is doing a show to raise some money to help the family out in the short-term. This unfortunate situation should be a life lesson to all to take responsibility for the world we create and will leave behind when we are gone.

Fine, you might feel that Pero’s deadbeatishness is a bummer, but you’d probably let his corpse cool to fridge temp before you thrash him on the internet. Not Snider! But why? I mean, you’d almost suspect that he’s jumping out to whiteknight Pero’s exes and kids — that is, until Prince Charming dishes unprompted about the “infighting, mistrust, and dissension” among Pero’s survivors. Or maybe, you figure, it’s just that Snider is possessed by an uncontrollable anger that extends to dead people who’ve sorta left behind a spiritual bar tab — but nah, Snider’s rage issues are long resolved. Huh, so that means Snider’s statement must be an expression of his annoyance at being bequeathed the gigantic headache of (sigh) hiring a new drummer.

Speaking of that “new drummer,” Snider spilled that for the upcoming Concert To Honor A.J. Pero in June, the late skinsman’s replacement is the guy who was replaced by him 16 months ago in Adrenaline Mob: Mike Portnoy, seasoned replacer of dead guys. Ha then the story notes that a press release will follow. But wasn’t that everything?

Twisted Sister will embark on the “Forty and Fuck It” farewell tour next year, reportedly with Portnoy on drums. Stay tuned for dates.