Stay Hungry
Influenced by New York punk bands like the Ramones and Dictators, as well as by traditional heavy metal ensembles, Twisted Sister created brash, simple songs that buzzed with subversive energy, giving the band the appeal of bad-boy cartoon characters. Their third album,Stay Hungry, featured the classic rebel anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It" as well as more uptempo tracks like "Burn in Hell" and "S.M.F." (which, in true metal fashion, stands for "Sick Motherfucker"). No one disputes Twisted Sister's competence level. Simply put, they couldn't play well enough to save their five-year recording career, but frontman Dee Snider's outrageous stage presence and accidentally hilarious lyrics ensured that their time in the limelight was thoroughly entertaining.--Jon Wiederhorn