“JW MEETS DEE SNIDER/ 'WE ARE TWISTED F**KING SISTER”
The longest running and biggest rock god hero to me has always been DEE SNIDER! People who know me are well aware of my obsession with Dee and Twisted Sister. If you see me at a show or on the weekend, chances are you’re going to see me wearing a TS shirt. This band and their iconic front man are actually a huge part of what define me personally.
For about 4 years now I’ve been following the status of a documentary film about the early days of TS and their long hard road out of the NY club scene and to global superstardom. Sin (Ministry) tipped me off several weeks ago that the movie was going to be screened in LA this Friday. I’m going to be in Vegas, but I actually was thinking about flying back to LA on Friday, seeing the film, and flying back to join my wife in Vegas again . . . . this was just for a movie ABOUT Twisted Sister.
Yesterday, I was blessed to catch Dee Snider on the KTLA morning news. He was promoting the movie and mentioned that there was a screening that night. I immediately looked it up and saw that there was to be a Q&A with Dee at the screening. The 7:30 show was sold out, but I bought a ticket for 10:45pm. Sadly, I realized later that the Q&A would only be after the 7:30 show and that the 10:45 show would just be “introduced” by Dee. I was a bit sad to find this out, but still excited about the event, as well as getting to have dinner beforehand with my longtime friend, Pam.
Before dinner I drove around the venue and saw that there was someone in back smoking a cigarette, and it looked like one of the roadies I’d met at prior shows, so I thought maybe if I bumped into him at the venue I could work him over to tell me where Dee was hiding out, haha! Anyway, we finished up dinner at Canter’s (where I should note we had a confirmed spotting of Bob Forrest from Celebrity Rehab), and I headed over to the venue, about an hour early.
There was literally nobody in front of the venue. There was not even any staff in the ticket window. After a few minutes and unsuccessful selfie attempts in front of the movie poster, I decided it was time for my Ninja moves. I found a front door unlocked, opened it, and went inside. I heard the final drum crash and chords of a song ending and thought they must have just been playing some music while they were pushing everyone from the first slot out of there. In fact, the movie had just ended and up on the stage now was a dude who I assumed was the director (he was actually just a friend of Dee’s) talking about how he was introduced to Twisted Sister and making an introduction for Dee.
What luck! I managed to get there for the Q&A that I did not even have a ticket for and now Dee was taking the stage. They sat next to each other on stools and the dude (I talked to him later but can’t recall his name) interviewed Dee about certain things regarding the film and so forth. I started to think that this must be the Q&A they advertised. More of an on-stage interview, but no audience interaction. But then he finished up and said, “Let’s take a few questions from the audience.” I waved my arms up, and it looked like he might have seen me, but took some questions from the closer sections. I moved over a bit so I would be right under a light (I’m just standing on the side aisle this whole time). I opened up my jacket more to make sure that my TS shirt was properly visible. And another call out for questions came, but this time I also shouted a bit, “RIGHT HERE!!!” while throwing double horns in the air. “Okay, tall guy way in the back.”
This was my moment, and thank God for the earlier confusion because I’d had a question ready and even practiced a couple times in my car. I barked loud and clearly. “Dee, I’m JW, longtime diehard fan of yours and SMF for life! Here’s my question. You and your contemporaries had Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Bowie, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix. And I grew up worshiping YOU as well as Lemmy, Alice Cooper, Blackie Lawless, and so forth. We all had that blessing of looking up to and being inspired by huge bands led by huge charismatic personalities. But now, I look at the music scene and I’m not seeing any more rock gods! That makes me a bit sad for the 12 year old in 2016 who won’t have his own set of rock idols. Am I just missing something or has the age of the rock gods ended?”
Dee looked at me and listened intently as I managed to get all that out (or something like it) without fainting or stuttering. He started with first thanking me for my support and kind words to him and then continued on with explaining how things are different now and some things that kind of make it impossible for any such new universal rock gods to arise. I tried to pay attention to his words as well, but honestly, I tried to focus more on LOOKING like I was paying attention, because my mind kept racing with, “HOLY SHIT, JW!!! You’re talking to Dee Fucking Snider!” I suppose I could have also been thinking about the fact that there was 100+ people also witnessing it, but I didn’t really think about that at all, as I couldn’t give a shit what any of them thought as long as I got Dee’s approval. Anyway, he ended with the conclusion that NO, there were no more rockstars coming up. So I shouted back, “We still got YOU, Dee!!! I love you, Man!!!” I think they only took one other question after mine before ending it.
People started heading back up the ramps, exiting in mass exodus. I needed to get down to the front. I had to at least shake his hand. Dee is kind of notorious about not mingling before and after shows and would usually just hide out in his dressing room and such. So I figured, though he was having a quick word with someone, that he was probably telling the guy to have his car ready to take him out promptly or something. I got down to him and said, “Don’t want to bother you or anything, Dee. I just wanted to sincerely thank you for everything over the last 40 years and for coming here tonight.” He not only shook my hand and thanked me in return, but gave me a great hug. Now (as sometimes happens) others started lining up hoping for a moment too. Dee said, “I’m going out back, but you all can come with me.”
In back, there was this really cool patio/courtyard area with an outside bar and some area to relax. A few people had started with asking for autographs on various LP’s and such. It was then I remembered that I had forgotten to bring my Sharpie (I even had a bright pink one at the office that I was planning to have, hahaha). Anyway, I saw a guy with a sharpie and his phone out, obviously hoping for a sig and a selfie, so I offered to take his photo for him and asked if I could use his Sharpie after him. So, another shot with Dee . . . I had my phone ready for someone to take my picture, and then I asked if he’d sign El Chaleco. “Of course, JW. Where do you want it?” I turned around and said, “Wherever you like, and as big as you wish, Brother!” He made a great large sig up on the side of the LARD lamprey. It was glorious.
I hung out for quite some time after that, mingling and drinking complimentary beers (I had thrown a $10 in the tip jar and the bartenders were loving me). Suzette (Dee’s wife) was there too and looked absolutely gorgeous. It seemed weird to take her picture, though, so I just thanked her for making Dee beautiful and left it at that. She got a good laugh. Dino Cazares from Fear Factory was there too and it was fun watching him nervously ask for a photo and autograph (he had some girl introduce him, haha). I always feel good when I see other established musicians get awestruck and turn into shy fanboys.
Anyway, after some time we realized that the show was about to start so my new friend Mike (he had a righteous vest and the same TS shirt as me) and I went back inside to catch Dee’s introduction. There were about 19 people total for the late screening, so I just took one of the VIP couches up front for myself, and Mike did the same on the next one over. The movie was AWESOME, but I won’t waste time with a film review now.
When I got up around halfway through to use the restroom the popcorn smell grabbed me. I saw that the machine had been emptied but there were a couple cups up on top. I asked the goth princess behind the counter if she had any more popcorn to sell me or if those were only display models. She said “You can just have them . . . but you can give me a dollar if you want.” I was ready to pay five bucks for a cup anyway, so I just peeled off a couple singles and said, “Here’s two for you!” She got excited and told me to take another cup of popcorn, so I gave one to Mike when I got back. When I was leaving after the show, I said, “Bye pretty lady!” and she gave me a hug and said, “By rad dude!” HAHAHAHAHA!!! So awesome.
Met up with a few fans outside for a smoke before my long drive home. Got back at 3:00am to eat a giant bowl of Lucky Charms to celebrate my victorious evening.
