# List of Twisted Sister members

Twisted Sister was an American heavy metal band from Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey. Formed in late December 1972 as cover band Silver Star, the group changed its name to Twisted Sister in February 1973 and originally included lead vocalist Michael "Valentine" O'Neill, guitarists Jay Jay French and Billy "Diamond" Steiger, bassist Kenny Neill and drummer Mel "Starr" Anderson. The band took a short hiatus in December 1974, after O'Neill instigated a fight with Anderson and threatened to shoot the drummer. They returned early the following year with new vocalist Frank "Rick Prince" Karuba and guitarist Keith "Angel" Angelino (in place of Steiger), although both had left before the end of the year, with French and Angelino's replacement Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda taking over lead vocal duties temporarily before another short hiatus.
By February 1976, Twisted Sister had returned with new frontman Dee Snider and drummer Kevin John Grace. Tony Petri took over on drums a few months later. Neill left two years later in December 1978, with his place taken by Mark "The Animal" Mendoza. The band changed drummers three more times in the early 1980s, first when Richie Teeter replaced Petri in December 1980, followed by Joey Brighton in April 1981, and finally by Anthony "A. J." Pero in April 1982. The lineup of Snider, French, Ojeda, Mendoza and Pero released four studio albums between 1982 and 1985, before Pero left in 1986 to rejoin his former band Cities. He was replaced by Joey "Seven" Franco, who performed on the group's last album Love Is for Suckers before breaking up in early 1988, following Snider's departure in October 1987.
Twisted Sister reunited in 1998 to record "Heroes Are Hard to Find" for the film Strangeland, written and co-produced by Snider. The band reformed again to perform live for the first time in 14 years at New York Steel in November 2001, a benefit concert for organisations affected by the September 11 attacks. A more permanent reunion followed in 2003, spawning new studio recordings and live releases. The band retained the same lineup until March 2015, when Pero died of a heart attack while touring with Adrenaline Mob. Following the drummer's death, the band announced that it was to embark on a final tour before breaking up in 2016, enlisting Mike Portnoy to take over for (late) A.J. Pero. The final Twisted Sister show took place on November 12, 2016, in Monterrey, Mexico at the Corona Northside Rock Park Meeting Fest.
The band reunited on January 26, 2023 playing a 3 song set for their induction into the Metal Hall of Fame. The line up consisted of inductees Dee Snider, Jay Jay French and Mark Mendoza with Mike Portnoy filling in for inductee A.J. Pero and Keith Robert War filling in for inductee Eddie Ojeda. The band is scheduled to reunite again in 2024 for appearances at various Democrat political rallies in the 2024 election season.

## Members
### Most prominent lineup

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Jay Jay French | 1972–1988199820012003–20162023 | lead and rhythm guitarsbacking vocals (also lead vocals from 1975 to 1976) | all Twisted Sister releases |
| Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda | 1975–1988199820012003–2016 | lead and rhythm guitarsbacking vocals (also lead vocals from 1975 to 1976) | all Twisted Sister releases |
| Dee Snider | 1976–1987199820012003–20162023 | lead vocalsoccasional guitar | all Twisted Sister releases |
| Mark "The Animal" Mendoza | 1978–1988199820012003–20162023 | bassbacking vocals | all Twisted Sister releases |
| Anthony "A. J." Pero | 1982–1986199820012003–2015 (until his death) | drumspercussionbacking vocals | all Twisted Sister releases from Under the Blade (1982) to Come Out and Play (1985), and from Live at Hammersmith (1994) to A Twisted X-Mas: Live in Las Vegas (2012) |

### Other members

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Kenny Neill | 1973–1978 | bass | Club Daze Volume 1: The Studio Sessions (1999) |
| Mel "Starr" Anderson | 1973–1975 | drums | none |
| Michael "Valentine" O'Neill | 1973–1974 | lead vocals | none |
| Billy "Diamond" Steiger | 1973–1974 (died 2015) | lead and rhythm guitars | none |
| Keith "Angel" Angelino | 1975 (died 1986) | lead and rhythm guitars | none |
| Frank "Rick Prince" Karuba | 1975 | lead vocals | none |
| Kevin John Grace | 1975–1976 | drums | none |
| Tony Petri | 1976–1980 (died 2024) | drums | "I'll Never Grow Up, Now!" (1979)"Bad Boys (Of Rock N' Roll)" (1980)Ruff Cutts (1982)Live at Hammersmith (1994) – two tracks onlyClub Daze Volume 1: The Studio Sessions (1999)Club Daze Volume II: Live in the Bars (2002)Live at Wacken: The Reunion (2003) – four bonus CD tracks only |
| Ritchie Teeter | 1980–1981 (died 2012) | drums | none |
| Joey Brighton | 1981–1982 (died 2010) | drums | Ruff Cutts (1982)Club Daze Volume 1: The Studio Sessions (1999) |
| Walt Woodward III | 1982 (died 2010) | drums | none |
| Joey "Seven" Franco | 1987–1988 | drums | Love Is for Suckers (1987)Feel Appeal: Love Is for Suckers Extras (2021) |
| Mike Portnoy | 2015–20162023 | drums | Metal Meltdown: Live from the Hard Rock Casino Las Vegas (2016) |
| Keith Robert War | 2023 | lead and rhythm guitarsbacking vocals | none |

## Lineups

| Period | Members | Studio releases |
| 1973–1974 | Michael O'Neill – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Kenny Neill – bass Billy Steiger – lead & rhythm guitars Mel Anderson– drums | |
| 1974–1975 | Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Kenny Neill – bass Mel Anderson – drums | |
| 1975 | Frank Karuba – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Keith Angelino – lead & rhythm guitars Kenny Neill – bass Mel Anderson – drums | |
| 1975 | Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, vocals Keith Angelino – lead & rhythm guitars Kenny Neill – bass Mel Anderson – drums | |
| 1975 | Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, vocals Kenny Neill – bass Mel Anderson – drums | |
| 1975–1976 | Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, vocals Kenny Neill – bass Kevin John Grace – drums | |
| 1976 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Kenny Neill – bass Kevin John Grace – drums | |
| 1976–1978 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Kenny Neill – bass Tony Petri – drums | |
| 1978–1980 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals Tony Petri – drums | Under the Blade (1982) – reissue and special edition only Live at Hammersmith (1994) – two tracks only Club Daze Volume II: Live in the Bars (2002) – two tracks only Rock 'n' Roll Saviors - The Early Years - (2016) |
| 1980–1981 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals Ritchie Teeter – drums | |
| 1981–1982 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals Joey Brighton – drums | Under the Blade (1982) – special edition only |
| 1982 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals Walt Woodward III – drums | |
| 1982–1986 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals A. J. Pero – drums, backing vocals | Under the Blade (1982) You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll (1983) Stay Hungry (1984) Come Out and Play (1985) Live at Hammersmith (1994) Rock 'n' Roll Saviors - The Early Years - (2016) |
| 1986–1988 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals Joey Franco – drums | Love Is for Suckers (1987) |
| 1988 | Disbanded | |
| 1988 (Reunion shows) | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals Joey Franco - drums | |
| 1988–1997 | Disbanded | |
| 1997 (Reunion shows) | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals A. J. Pero – drums, backing vocals | |
| 1997–2001 | Disbanded | |
| 2001 (Reunion shows) | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals A. J. Pero – drums, backing vocals | Club Daze Volume II: Live in the Bars (2002) |
| 2001–2002 | Disbanded | |
| 2002 (Reunion shows) | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals A. J. Pero – drums, backing vocals | |
| 2002–2003 | Disbanded | |
| 2003–2015 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals A. J. Pero – drums, backing vocals | Still Hungry (2004) Live at Wacken: The Reunion (2005) A Twisted Christmas (2006) A Twisted Christmas - Live (2007) Live at the Astoria (2008) Live at the Marquee (2011) |
| 2015–2016 | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Eddie Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals | Metal Meltdown (2016) |
| 2016–2023 | Disbanded | |
| 2023 (Reunion show) | Dee Snider – lead vocals Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals Keith Robert War – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals Mark Mendoza – bass, backing vocals Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals | |
| 2023–present | Disbanded | |