Only Heavy Metal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TWISTED SISTER HONORS A.J. PERO WITH TRIBUTE CONCERTS ON THE EAST AND WEST COASTS, WELCOMES NEW DRUMMER
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ANNOUNCES FAREWELL SHOWS IN 2016 TO MARK 40TH ANNIVERSARY

New York, NY—It was with heavy hearts that Twisted Sister said goodbye to their drummer A.J. Pero, who passed away on March 20.

Today, Twisted Sister members Dee Snider (vocals), Jay Jay French (guitar), Eddie Ojeda (guitar), and Mark “The Animal” Mendoza (bass), have announced that world renowned drummer Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Adrenaline Mob, Winery Dogs) is the replacement for their brother A.J. Pero for all shows this year.

To honor Pero’s memory, two shows will take place on the east coast and west coast. The first, on May 30th at the Hard Rock Hotel and C asino in Las Vegas, will be filmed for broadcast, DVD, and CD. The second, for the A.J. Pero family, is scheduled on Saturday, June 13 at The Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ.

Additionally, fulfilling all concert obligations that have been made for the remainder of 2015 (in several different countries), Twisted Sister want their fans to know all festival dates that they have been advertised as playing will happen.

Finally, Twisted Sister has made it official that 2016 will formally close the touring chapter of their illustrious and legendary career. The “Forty and F*ck It” farewell shows celebrates the band’s 40th anniversary with the core line-up of Snider, French, Ojeda and Mendoza.

The TWISTED SISTER movie "We Are Twisted F*cking Sister!" a documentary film by Andrew Horn, will be released in Europe on January 29, 2016 via Monoduo Films. The 137-minute film (along with over two hours of bonus material) will be available on VOD (iTunes and Vimeo On Demand) and as a DVD (Amazon Europe and Monoduo Films shop).

"We Are Twisted F*cking Sister!" recounts the untold story of TWISTED SISTER's beginnings. Once upon a time, they were the GRAND FUNK of glam and the NEW YORK DOLLS of metal. Some considered TWISTED SISTER a joke; others called them the greatest bar band in the world. While the microcosm of punk/new wave was taking over New York City in the mid-'70s and early '80s, TWISTED SISTER was battling its way to the top of a vast — and unique to its time — suburban, cover-band bar scene that surrounded New York City in a 100-mile radius, yet existed in a parallel universe. Guitarist Jay Jay French says: "The history of TWISTED is really our 10 years clawing our way through the bar scene. It's who we are, and it's why we are, and why we do what we do."

The first "Metal Meltdown" concert series event kicked off at The Joint at the world famous Hard Rock Ca*sino in Las Vegas on May 30, 2015. Legendary, selling rockers TWISTED SISTER performed an explosive 90-minute concert of their biggest hits spanning their 40-year career. The show was dedicated to the honor of TWISTED SISTER's iconic drummer A.J. Pero, whose tragic, sudden death just two months prior to the filming of this event shocked the music world. The band announced that not only were all the remaining concerts being performed in 2015 dedicated to the memory of A.J. Pero, but that 2016 would mark the 40th and final year of the band's legendary live performances. They recruited renowned drummer and friend of A.J. Pero, Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD) to take the reins, and his very first TWISTED SISTER appearance was captured by the "Metal Meltdown" camera crew.

TWISTED SISTER fans will now get to witness that special concert produced by the award-winning production company Rock Fuel Media in association with Loud & Proud Records. Directed by Brian Lockwood (BON JOVI, METALLICA, MÖTLEY CRÜE), "Metal Meltdown - Featuring Twisted Sister Live At The Hard Rock Ca*sino - Las Vegas" features that complete concert, as well as "Rockshow", a bonus documentary that takes fans through the band's 40-year ride from local club outcasts to world domination with exclusive interviews, archive footage from the '80s, photo gallery. It was mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound. Set for release July 22, the retail package includes both Blu-ray and DVD formats as well as an audio CD.