Dee Snider

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Dee Snider is an American singer and radio and television personality, best known as the singer and songwriter of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister. He was born in 1955 in Astoria, a neighbourhood of Queens, New York. In 1976 he joined Twisted Sister and wrote almost all of their material. The group first built up a following mainly in Great Britain.

Music and breakthrough

Their debut album Under the Blade appeared in 1982, and You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll a year later. Their greatest success was the third album, Stay Hungry, from 1984, with the hits We're Not Gonna Take It and I Wanna Rock. We're Not Gonna Take It reached number two in the British charts and number 21 on the US Hot 100. Come Out and Play followed in 1985. That same year Snider became known to a wider audience when he testified before the US Senate against the Parents Music Resource Center, which wanted to put warning labels on records with offensive lyrics. Later he made solo records, such as Never Let the Bastards Wear You Down in 2000 and For the Love of Metal in 2018, and worked in radio and television.

Influence

Snider stands for the theatrical side of 1980s metal, with shouted choruses, make-up and a rebellious image. His appearance before the Senate was regarded as a famous moment in the fight for freedom in popular music.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 2000Never Let the Bastards Wear You Down
• 2012Dee Does Broadway
• 2016We Are the Ones
• 2018For the Love of Metal
• 2021Leave a Scar