Dee Snider Says “Irreconcilable Differences” Are Why Bassist Mark Mendoza Won’t Be on Twisted Sister Reunion Tour
Yesterday we learned that Dee Snider had zero conviction in his words when he said reunion tours were “bullshit” and that his constant insistances that Twisted Sister wouldn’t go down that rabbit hole was just smoke up our collective asses. It is what it is, business decisions get made and all that. Yet one aspect of the announcement that fell a bit through the cracks initially was the reveal that bassist Mark Mendoza wasn’t going to be a part of the band’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Rather than come back with the entire original lineup, the glam rock band will hit the road with founding members Dee Snider, Jay Jay French, and Eddie Ojeda. Taking over for Mendoza, however, will be drummer Joe “Seven” Franco and bassist Russell Pzütto.
The lineup change was discussed during Snider’s appearance on Eddie Trunk’s SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation.
“I can’t get into the weeds and I can’t go down that path. And I won’t. But irreconcilable differences. People change, and however it is, and I’m not saying he changed; maybe we changed whatever it is. So in deciding who to use on bass, my bass player on the last two Dee Snider albums, For The Love Of Metal and Leave A Scar, was Russ Pzütto. And he was Mark Mendoza’s bass tech, and a great bass player… So, he did an amazing job on those two albums.
“He was a great guy to tour with. The band all knew him from years of working with Twisted, and again, he seemed like a likely choice. As a matter of fact, one time he was Mark’s choice to fill in for him. And one gig, it was in Belgium at Graspop, and Mark couldn’t make it, and Russ stepped in and played with Twisted. So he actually has performed with Twisted once before.”
This tour also marks the return of Franco, who most recently recorded and toured with Twisted Sister for their 1987 Love Is For Suckers run.
Dates and locations have yet to be announced for this tour, though once we get that information, we’ll be sure to share it here.
