LI Sound: Dee Snider returning home to promote his new album
Baldwin native Dee Snider will return to Long Island to promote his new album, "For the Love of Metal." Credit: Stephanie Cabral
Dee Snider laughs as he issues a warning for music fans who like to go to the bathroom during veteran rockers’ new material.
“Half of my set is new material," jokes Snider, who went solo in 2016 after Twisted Sister retired from touring. "I’m going to wear you down.”
After all, Snider’s new album, “For the Love of Metal” (Napalm), has returned the Baldwin native to the Billboard charts for the first time in 30 years, back in the heyday of Twisted Sister. And even though the album was only released last month. Snider says fans already sing the songs back to him at shows.
“I have not had fans react to something this quickly since 1984,” says Snider, adding that the entire project came after Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta challenged him to do a contemporary metal record and promised him that he would produce it and that metal musicians would be happy to help him out. “Now I’m not the kind of narcissist who thinks that everybody’s going to line up to write for Dee Snider. But it became a ‘Field of Dreams’ kind of record. All these people came forward. It’s a true labor of love.”
Soon, Snider was recording songs from members of Lamb of God, Arch Enemy and former Killswitch Engage frontman Howard Jones. And they were offering him songs that reflected the themes he had always sung about in Twisted Sister. “It’s always been songs of empowerment,” he says, rattling off a list of hits including “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll.” “Standing up for yourself and fighting back — that’s always been my thing.”
The reaction to “For the Love of Metal” has been so strong that Snider is already planning to release a second edition in the spring. It’s just a matter of finding the time to work on it. Snider’s in the middle of a tour, which stops at The Space at Westbury on Sept. 12. His 16th annual charity ride, which benefits the Kings Park-based charity Melissa’s Wish that offers financial support for caregivers, is set for Sept. 30. And following his run on Broadway with “Rocktopia,” he will do a short tour with the production, stopping at the Tilles Center on Oct. 20.
“I love taking on all these challenges,” he says. “I’m not stopping.”
Dee Snider will sign autographs at Looney Tunes in West Babylon at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28.
