Twisted Sister is back. Nearly a decade after wrapping up their farewell tour, the band behind “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock” has confirmed a worldwide 50th-anniversary run in 2026. But one longtime member won’t be joining them on stage.
During a chat with radio host Eddie Trunk on Wednesday, September 10, frontman Dee Snider revealed that classic-era bassist Mark “The Animal” Mendoza will sit out the reunion.
“I can only simply say irreconcilable differences and leave it at that,” Snider, 70, said. “I can’t get into the weeds and I can’t go down that path and I won’t, but irreconcilable differences, and people change. I’m not saying he changed. Maybe we changed, whatever it is.”
Stepping into the role is Russell Pzütto, a bassist who’s long been in Snider’s orbit. He recorded on For the Love of Metal and Leave a Scar and once filled in for Mendoza during a show in Belgium. “He did an amazing job on those two albums,” Snider said. “He was a great guy to tour with the band. All knew him from years of working with Twisted.”
As for whether Mendoza, 70, might pop up for a one-off show, Snider didn’t sound optimistic: “I can’t imagine it right now. I plead the Fifth. I can’t go beyond that, but things have happened that I don’t see being reconciled.”
The 2026 lineup will feature Snider, guitarist Jay Jay French, guitarist Eddie Ojeda, drummer Joe “Seven” Franco, and Pzütto on bass. Specific dates haven’t been revealed yet. For fans, this marks Twisted Sister’s first major outing since 2016. At that time, they brought in Mike Portnoy following the death of longtime drummer A.J. Pero. They briefly reunited again in 2023 for their Metal Hall of Fame induction.
Formed out of the New Jersey club circuit in the early ’70s, Twisted Sister became MTV mainstays in 1984 with Stay Hungry, which has since gone triple platinum. Beyond the hits, they’ve sold over 35 million albums worldwide, notched dozens of gold and platinum certifications, and been inducted into both the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame and the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame.
“We are proud to celebrate a milestone that once felt unthinkable: a 50-year anniversary!!” French, 73, said in the reunion announcement. “We have created a music and performance legacy that has and will continue to inspire millions of fans around the world. Twisted Forever, Forever Twisted!”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
