Dee Snider has spoken out once more to clarify his comments last month regarding Robert Plant and Ronnie James Dio.
During a contentious discussion with fans on Twitter, the Twisted Sister frontman said he thought the aforementioned singers lacked stage presence and didn’t consider them to be true “performers” unlike Freddie Mercury and Mick Jagger (but more like “very good singers”).
Since his controversial statements, Snider has been asked to reiterate his point in multiple interviews, stating in particular: “You can’t put me in the same category as Robert Plant“.
Now, in a new interview with Andrew Daly for Ultimate Guitarthe musician sheds another light on his reasoning, explaining: “When I said they weren’t great frontmen, everyone was like, ‘Here’s Dee blowing off steam once more.’ But I don’t just open my mouth, I took a long time to think regarding it. I did not just make an arbitrary statement. I thought regarding it. I went to my computer, did some research and studied the matter.
He continued: “Anyway, I said that, and then someone said, ‘Ok, so what’s the difference between you and them?’ I’ll tell you: Ronnie James Dio, for example, was a great singer, but he wasn’t a performer, at least not in the sense of being a frontman. Whereas I am a frontman, which is almost like an actor. A frontman doesn’t have to sing well, but he has to be able to engage the audience and entertain the people who are there. A frontman who can wow the crowd with his amazing voice, yes, it’s entertaining in a way, but it’s not the same as a full-scale performance.”
He then returned to Plant, stating: “I am not saying that I am Robert Plant, nor that I am in his category. That said, I’m able to come up with something he doesn’t, which is to engage the crowd. I’m able to engage the audience to such an extent that the whole room feels like they’re front row. Robert Plant doesn’t do that, but I do. He’s an incredible singer, but performing is my forte. When I said that, people said to me: ‘How dare you?’. Well, guess what? I simply dare.”
Later in the interview, he added: “I have found that people who attend a concert are more interested in being entertained than hearing a perfect vocal performance. As a result, I know I will never be able to sing like Robert Plant or Ronnie James Dio – few can – but what I can do is go wild on stage and captivate the audience. I can push the reasoning even further: Take Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson, who are excellent entertainers and performers, and yet they are not really frontmen. If you watch them, they make gestures that are completely choreographed.”
Twisted Sister reformed for a one-off performance last month at the sixth annual Metal Hall of Fame ceremony in Agoura Hills, California.
Asked if fans can expect to see more Twisted Sister concerts, Snider said he has no plans to return to the stage, unlike some of his colleagues.
Updated on February 17, 2023 15 h 35 min
