Despite his resignation from Twisted Sister due to “health challenges,” Dee Snider wants fans to know the situation is not that dire.
After the hair metal band canceled their 50th anniversary tour amid the lead vocalist’s exit, Snider clarified that he’s “not dying” but decided the rockstar life was too physical for him at age 70.
“I’m not dying!” he declared on his House of Hair radio show. “No, not never; I mean, we’re all dying, but not immediately.”
Snider added, “My announcement about canceling the tour for health reasons, problems with my heart, arthritis, things like that, the rumors have run wild that I am 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.”
Noting he’s still hosting the radio show, directing a movie and writing, Snider said, “You won’t see me on the stage kicking ass like I used to, because that will mess me up.”
Snider said he was asked to “just go out on stage and lay back,” which didn’t feel right. “So, had to pull out of Twisted Sister, had to cancel the tour, my apologies for that,” he said.
“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,” he continued. “I’m okay, I just can’t do that anymore.
“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. Not me standing up there like Willie Nelson—nothing wrong with Willie, 95 years old, in a wheelchair—but 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,” said Dee, adding, “Don’t worry about old Dee. Thank you.”
Last weekend, Twisted Sister announced they were canceling the Twisted Forever, Forever Twisted 50th anniversary tour amid Snider’s “sudden and unexpected” resignation following “a series of health challenges.”
“The future of Twisted Sister will be determined in the next several weeks,” the band added. “Stay tuned for updates.”
