If you fancy yourself a multi-genre/multi-era music connoisseur, still, when you think of “Twisted Sister” the first one that comes to mind is:
a) “We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore”
a) Yeah… a) …Dee Snider: The one with the funny faces, full makeup, and notorious long, crunchy blond hair as his trademark.
As well, if you’re a rock/heavy metal fan (or a funky drummer drummin’ fan-like me) then probably you heard about AJ Pero who, at 55, died of a heart attack today while on tour with another band called Adrenaline Mon.
Read on:
The band’s frontman says AJ Pero’s “sledgehammer assault on the drums helped drive Twisted Sister and I to greatness”.
AJ Pero was found unresponsive on a tour bus in Poughkeepsie, New York
AJ Pero was thought to have had a heart attack while on tour with another band, Adrenaline Mob.
He was found unresponsive on a tour bus in Poughkeepsie, New York, and members of that group were unable to revive him, according to reports.
Pero was taken to a hospital in Poughkeepsie, where he died.
Twisted Sister was one of the biggest glam rock bands of the 1980s.
Pero joined them in 1982 and left in 1986 but he later reunited with the band in 1997 and continued to perform with the group until his death.
AJ Pero (L) and his fellow band members, including Dee Snider (C)A statement on their website: “The members of Twisted Sister are profoundly saddened to announce the untimely passing of our brother, AJ Pero.
“The band, crew and most importantly the family of AJ Pero thank you for your thoughts and prayers at this time.”
Anthony Jude Pero powered the band’s fast-paced sound and the frontman Dee Snider said “his sledgehammer assault on the drums helped drive Twisted Sister to greatness”.
He was well-known for a scene in the video for 1984’s We’re Not Gonna Take It in which he struck a snare drum covered with glitter, sending it spraying into the air.
Among the band’s other hits was I Wanna Rock.
Snider said: “Today I lost a brother. Anthony Jude Pero passed away. AJ was the final piece in a band that would become an international sensation and one of the greatest live rock acts to ever hit the stage.
“His sledgehammer assault on the drums helped drive Twisted Sister and I to greatness and inspired me to rock every single show.
“My heart breaks knowing I will never feel the power of his beat behind me, or turn to see his face smiling broadly from the sheer joy he got from doing (cont’d)
