Rock10 - 2014-09-28 4:38 PM

I don't know why Dee put out a Broadway album.

Armadillo - 2014-09-29 11:05 PM



Because it was something he was passionate about…and he's not afraid to take risks.

Rock10 - 2014-09-30 10:44 PM

Most metal fans don't want to hear Broadway songs.

Toronto S.M.F. - 2014-10-02 12:28 AM

Dee does Broadway is definitely a hard rock album. Metal is my first and main love but I do have an appreciation for other types of music, including live musicals and loved the Broadway album. And I agree with the comment that Dee's "Sweeny Todd" is metal. I had not heard the tune before hearing his album and was blown away by it.

As for Dee's Christmas Tale, which I am hoping I get the opportunity to see, nobody has seen it yet, unless you are privy to the behind the scenes rehearsals, so how can anybody even comment on it yet?

Rock10 - 2014-10-02 7:03 AM

When TS did their Christmas shows, that wasn't metal either. In the past, Dee said that he didn't want the Halloween show he was doing to be metal.

Armadillo - 2014-10-02 5:03 PM



[clearing throat]

Excuse me…but did you actually GO to any of the Twisted Christmas shows? Because a lot of us did. I went to almost all of them--I think I did miss one in 2007, but I caught all of them in 2006 and the years to follow--including the totally fucking awesome 3-day run in Vegas, multiple Twisted Christmas' on Broadway in NYC and I even caught the Christmas Show in Sweden. And guess what…it was face melting metal. They were so fucking metal at the Twisted Christmas shows--it was definitely Twisted Sister…and definitely metal. It was absolutely fun too, which well, really…who doesn't like fun? (well. maybe you don't.) If you actually LISTENED to the Christmas album, you'd realize that they play each song with the flavor of a metal band, like TS…Judas Priest..etc. I was a skeptic, and they converted me. (to the Twisted Christmas part, not the religion)

Van Helsing was a completely different project--you're mixing apples and bicycles here. One of the many reasons why Dee's Broadway album tanked--many "fans" (I use the term loosely) like you wouldn't even give it a listen. You pronounced it crap without ever hearing a single song.

And the Rock Musical in Chicago is BROADWAY theatre, not a metal concert. I just bought my plane ticket to Chicago….why the fuck not? I bet it's a hoot. Dee is amazing in theatre--I loved him in Rock of Ages. (Guessing you didn't go see that either.)
Good god. Gotta wonder...Do you go to an Italian restaurant and bitch that you can't order decent Chinese food?

Seriously--you are like the Eeyore of the slam board. Twisted Sister could announce a brand new album with a world tour including U.S. dates in every major city, call you personally and offer to play your cousins bar mitzvah and you'd still probably find something to complain about.

Armadillo - 2014-10-02 6:03 PM



Van Helsing was a completely different project--you're mixing apples and bicycles here. One of the many reasons why Dee's Broadway album tanked--many "fans" (I use the term loosely) like you wouldn't even give it a listen. You pronounced it crap without ever hearing a single song.

And the Rock Musical in Chicago is BROADWAY theatre, not a metal concert. I just bought my plane ticket to Chicago….why the fuck not? I bet it's a hoot. Dee is amazing in theatre--I loved him in Rock of Ages. (Guessing you didn't go see that either.)

Armadillo - 2014-10-02 6:03 PM

Good god. Gotta wonder...Do you go to an Italian restaurant and bitch that you can't order decent Chinese food?

Seriously--you are like the Eeyore of the slam board. Twisted Sister could announce a brand new album with a world tour including U.S. dates in every major city, call you personally and offer to play your cousins bar mitzvah and you'd still probably find something to complain about.

Captain Howdy - 2014-10-02 10:43 PM




I typically don't get involved in debates with people that are not smart enough or informed enough to intelligently conduct the debate. Hence I have stayed out of this one to this point. But I'll keep it simple and just read what Armadillo wrote because that's pretty much what I am thinking after reading thru the posts. If you haven't taken the time to actually listen to a CD, then your opinion about it doesn't mean shit. If you haven't seen a concert, you have no valid opinion on it so again, your opinion doesn't mean shit. If you haven't seen a Broadway musical production (that hasn't even started so NOBODY has seen it yet), then guess what. You're opinion doesn't mean shit. How about you take the time you spend bitching about everything and put it to good use but educating yourself so you can actually express a valid opinion that is based on facts and personal knowledge. With that said, just because you have one opinion doesn't make it right. Others will have a different opinion and if you are simply going to block out their opinions that are based on actual experience with listening to the CD or going to a Twisted Christmas show when you have done none of those and are simply blasting out bull shit, then your opinion doesn't mean shit.

OK. That was way more than I intended to type. In short, in case you missed it, your opinion apparently doesn't mean shit. Come back when you can actually express yourself in a way that takes other's opinions into account on a subject that you have actually taken the time to educate yourself on.

And for the record, Twisted is by far my favorite band to see live. While I have not seen them nearly as many times as many of the people on this board, I have seen them a significant number of times. Around 26 if my count is accurate. And I'm as metal as just about anyone on this board. With that being said, my favorite Twisted Sister shows have been the Twisted Christmas shows. The energy and atmosphere of those shows is fantastic. Now I don't want to hear them play Let It Snow in July. But when they let it rip in December, there's just something that makes it all work in a way that only Twisted Sister can. I've never had more fun at a concert than I have had at the Twisted Christmas shows. (Except maybe my first ever Twisted Sister show back in '84. That was a complete religious experience!)

I'm done now. Back to regularly schedule slamboarding.

Rock10 - 2014-10-02 11:35 PM



You are a lackey for the band. Everything that they do is great in your warped mind.

Rock10 - 2014-10-02 11:39 PM


You sound dumb. I have the Christmas show dvd, and the cd. Their show wasn't metal compared to their regular shows, so the Chicago thing Dee is doing won't be either. You haven't seen Dee's musical either.

Armadillo - 2014-10-03 10:46 PM



This is great. I think I'll get that made into an embroidered patch. Twisted Lackey. Thanks Rock10, you're a peach.

Now here's a little something for you, sweet cheeks.
I fly to every Twisted Sister show on my own dime. Every train…every bus…every flight….every toll. I've been writing the road reports now for 11 years--7 of those were "unofficial"--the last 4 in an official blogger capacity. No one asked me to. No one told me to. For those first 7 years of reunion shows, I was outside in the snow, the rain, the heat and the hail hours before every show so that I could get up front, and spend time getting to know other SMFs…other fans. (many from this slam board) When I started traveling internationally, TS decided to make the blog official based on the positive feedback from the very people on this slam board. The band doesn't tell me what to write, and I tell it like it is. The good, the bad and the ugly. Fortunately, the really ugly shows are few and far between, and it's all relative. Even their worst show has managed to kick the ass of the best shows of virtually every other band on their bills.

I was given an opportunity that very few fans ever get--a chance to join the road crew. A chance to learn as much as I can about the in's and out's of working with a band and that means helping out whenever and wherever necessary with any logistics within my ability so that the technicians, engineers and managers can do their jobs and not sweat the small stuff. You can call it a lackey…but clearly, you've never worked on a road crew. And thank god for that, because there's no room or tolerance for complainers and whiners on a crew. It is something that I absolutely love every fucking minute of it and make no apologies for that. It is mentally tough, physically grueling and at times, remarkably stressful. No one twists my arm. (no pun intended). If the shows sucked, I would have gone once or twice, and said, well….that's that. [and there are PLENTY of bands that I've seen and decided they weren't worth spending money on again] None of them have ever inspired me to go all-in the way Twisted Sister has.

It's really a shame that you have no seemingly capacity for appreciation for the Twisted Sister live experience--many others on this board certainly do--and those are the S.M.F.s Maybe you just lack social skills…or maybe you're just a troll.

Now, I really don't understand the psychology of trolls, but it seems like every chat room has them. If I don't like a band, I don't waste bandwidth (whoops. another no pun intended) visiting their webpage and annoying their fans. Trolls like to come into the room and try to be contradictory and annoying because they enjoy firing everyone up. It's baffling to me, but I have a few in-laws like that. They insist on discussing politics every Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, I hate to deny someone their simple pleasures. If you enjoy being a wanker, then carry on. You're quite proficient at it.

Otherwise, please return to your home planet here: www.bieberhood.com

kiss, kiss, darling.

Rock10 - 2014-10-05 6:04 AM


Armadillo thinks this board is about him lol. Yeah, they don't pay you, but you want to get close to the band. You praise everything that they do. You said I lack social skills? You said you risked your mortgage to see a TS show. Your mind is warped.

Armadillo - 2014-10-03 9:50 PM



Why…what a charming idea! Hey Captain Howdy..I think I'll join you in Chicago at the Christmas musical! Dinner is on me! (you pick the place and the time)

Armadillo - 2014-10-05 9:06 AM



This board is about Twisted Sister and the S.M.F.s What you don't realize is that many people on this slam board have become friends with one another by meeting on this slam board and then attending shows together. An important part of my circle of friends consists of many of the posters here, and those here who have met other slam board folks would likely agree. The NYC shows, for example, are a fantastic example of this. Thru this slamboard and getting to know one another, the NYC show was like a family reunion, with almost half of the first three rows slam board people. We even have pre/post show dinners together--it's a wonderful experience and an important piece of being an S.M.F. Twisted fans are unlike any other. The board has been quiet lately…it usually picks around tour time.

Like everything? Not really. Well, if Twisted Sister puts out re-release of "Leader of the Pack" I can assure you I'll tell it like it is. The fact is--the band and production takes what they do seriously--and they don't put out crap and make all efforts to ensure that fans get a great experience every time. I respect Dee's solo and other artistic projects--you seem to lack that appreciation. I also happen to love Broadway and theatre shows--Christmas music was originally a tough sell but the shows won me over instantly. (and they rocked.)

As for me getting close to the band--since you mentioned it-- I make no apologies. I am close to the band. I consider them friends and a part of my family--when I had some personally rough things happening in my life--my phone lit up with calls, texts and Facebook messages from several members of the band and crew. There are other people on this board (I won't mention them by name or handle/nickname to give them privacy) who also have close friendships with the band and crew members. A few are even relations/family members of band and crew.

You may find risking a mortgage warped. I suppose it is if that's your priority. I've been on a spiritual path for the last few years to become a minimalist after the death of some close friends. Experiencing everything that life has to offer is far more important me to than money, stuff and a place to put my stuff. Touring with Twisted Sister has given me some of the most remarkable experiences of my life, a chance to visit beautiful countries, eat good food and meet some of the most wonderful people on the planet. And through this slam board and through Twisted Sister concerts, I've met fellow S.M.F.s all over the world, and that was worth every single penny. If I lose my house tomorrow, I will have zero regrets. It's brick and mortar. The experiences I have had can never be taken away.

This is my passion. I hope that every person--even you-- can find a passion in their life that gives them the personal fulfillment that Twisted Sister has given me.

Rock10 - 2014-10-05 5:58 PM




Good Armadillo, but people are allowed to criticize them on some things. You try to stop discussions on threads where there's some criticism of TS. This board is very quiet. I try to liven it up.

Armadillo - 2014-10-05 9:00 PM

[Man, I have GOT to find that last notebook and get the NY show report done. That'll keep me busy.] The early road reports were particularly…. colorful. I decided to tone them down a bit---not because the band asked me to, but because I didn't want to risk upsetting fans--although, I think you're inspiring me to bring back the ever popular "Douchebag of the Day" segment. I decided that it was much more fun to write about things that didn't bring people down.

I would certainly NOT go to another band's site just to bitch. Plenty of people do that. My god, some of the KISS sites I can barely stand 5 minutes. I find it pointless, and serves only one purpose--piss off fans. I get no personal fulfillment from that. (Not that this is particularly gratifying. This is the literary equivalent of picking a scab. I don't really want to but I can't seem to help myself) S.M.F.s are different. It hasn't mattered where I went--Twisted Sister fans just seemed different from all of the other fans I've met. It's almost a subculture--can't really explain it, but if you're a part of it, you understand. We revel in the good stuff-- Twisted has some pretty ugly years behind them. This reunion tour was an absolute gift, and the success they are enjoying now is sweet. When it ends, all we'll have are memories and this electronic archive of chats.

You haven't been on the site very long--since 2010--before the reunion shows really took off, album threads were almost 90% of what was discussed because we didn't have a lot of shows. But let's face it-- you didn't offer up intelligent debate--you made absolute statements--and then didn't like it when other folks (myself included) chimed in to say why we felt your statements were way off-base. I love a good debate--you haven't offered one. You still haven't actually stated that you like Twisted Sister. Kinda funny, really.

You have NO IDEA the amount of restraint I'm exercising.

Armadillo - 2014-10-05 10:02 PM

Apparently I'm not the only one who can't read.

If you're going to make a statement to the effect that the Christmas show ain't metal, for example…. then back it up with something intelligent to say. Otherwise, you're just making absolute statements that have no substance to them. You have YET to discuss anything. You think Broadway sucks and you don't like Christmas music. AND…. where's your discussion?

You can't bring yourself to say it, can you? Are you a Twisted Sister fan? I've sat through Vince Neil and Crue probably 5 times. I'm definitely no longer a Crue fan.

Look…here's two statements: ONE of these opens debate. Guess which one?
"The Broadway Album ain't metal"

"I didn't like the Broadway album. It didn't feel like metal to me-- the sound of Dee's earlier projects like Widowmaker had such a sound far more raw and edgy, that gave it an energy that speaks to metal better than how Broadway tunes translated."

Do you even know what lackey means? Really. And you'll know when I'm attacking you. I haven't gotten anywhere near that annoyed yet.