Tag: Jay Jay French
0 Twisted Sister – Double Live: Northstage ’82 & NY Steel ’01 – DVD Review
From their humble glam metal beginnings to their 2001 reunion, Twisted Sister’s Double Live DVD gives Twisted Sister two unique concert experiences that they won’t want to miss.
The first DVD shows Twister Sister at a time when the band was hungry. That hunger helped propel a kickass live show that had to be amazing to see in person. They hadn’t written many of their biggest hits yet, but it didn’t matter, as their show was powerful enough without them. With a set filled with songs like “You Can’t Stop Rock and Roll”, “Under the Blade”, and their cover (they way it was meant to be heard) of the song “Leader of the Pack” from the Shangrilas complete with Dee Snider on a Motorcycle…. Judas Priest style. I thought it was funny that Dee mentioned the only cover song they were doing was a cover of the Rolling Stones, “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It)”. Ummm Dee….didn’t you do “Leader of the Pack” a few songs earlier? I can’t figure out why they never recorded this cover. I have never seen Twisted Sister perform this song before. Their heavier and faster version completely rocks! The North Stage show is closed out with a blistering version of the Twisted Sister song, “Rock N’ Roll Saviours”. This song never got a proper studio release until Twisted Sister’s 2004 CD, Still Hungry. It is very cool to see it performed by the band 22 years before its release.
The film quality from the ’82 show isn’t the greatest, but the technology was somewhat limited when this was being filmed. The audio quality is pretty good, and makes up for it. For being a live recording in a dark and smoky club, it is more than adequate. It is a unique and very cool look back at one of the humble beginnings of became the juggernaut hard rock act, Twisted Sister.
Fast Forward nearly two decades to the second DVD, New York Steel 2001. You will catch the special reunion show that was orchestrated by every metalhead’s favorite DJ, Eddie Trunk. Twisted Sister reunited for the first time in fourteen years at the at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City for the New York Steel Charity Concert. This Charity show raised over $90,000 for the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund. While this show raised money for a great cause, it helped Twisted Sister reunite, and they have been performing live every year since then.
Twisted Sister didn’t have on their costumes or make up for the New York Steel show, but their energy more than made up for it. Dee Snider was in rare form for New York Steel. He was quite angry over 9/11 and was parading a black T-shirt with F**k Osama on the back. His anger helped fuel, a memorable Twisted Sister show, and one that should not be missed by an hard rock fan.
The interviews on both DVD’s are a nice bonus. The interviews on the New York Steel, with Twisted Sister remembering their 9/11 experiences was interesting, if not a little haunting. I enjoyed Twisted Sister’s Double Live, and believe most hard rock fans will too!
You can pick up Twisted Sister Double Live at this link. This is a must own DVD set for any Twisted Sister fan! Buy it!!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Disc One Track List:
North Stage Theater 1982
01. What You Don’t Know (Sure Can Hurt You)
02. Destroyer
03. Tear It Loose
04. Bad Boys (Of Rock ‘N’ Roll)
05. Lady’s Boy
06. Leader Of The Pack
07. Under The Blade
08. Shoot ‘Em Down
09. Sin After Sin
10. I’ll Never Grow Up, Now
11. You Can’t Stop Rock ‘N’ Roll
12. You Know I Cry
13. It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It)
14. Rock N Roll Saviours
Disc Two Track List:
New York Steel 2001
01. What You Don’t Know (Sure Can Hurt You)
02. The Kids Are Back
03. Stay Hungry
04. Burn In Hell
05. You Can’t Stop Rock ‘N’ Roll
06. Under The Blade
07. Shoot ‘Em Down
08. Come Back
09. You Know I Cry
10. I Wanna Rock
11. We’re Not Gonna Take It
12. The Price
13. S.M.F.
Twisted Sister is:
Dee Snider – vocals
Jay Jay French – guitar
Eddie Ojeda – guitar
Mark Mendoza – bass
A.J. Pero – drums
5 Jay Jay French supports Obama (Update – Video Added!)
Jay Jay French wants to rock. He also wants Barack.
So the guitarist from the heavy metal band Twisted Sister had re-recorded the band’s anthem “I Wanna Rock,” which has now become “I Want Barack.”
French, a lifelong liberal Democrat whose mother campaigned for John F. Kennedy, says Obama has energized an entire new generation of voters who previously felt left out of politics.
“He has excited so many people,” said French, who founded Twisted Sister in 1973. “He has given sincere hope to people who have been out of the arena for years.”
French plays guitar on the track, which features Paulie Z., the singer for the band Z02, on vocals and lead guitar. They call the band “Jay Jay French and Friends” and stress that it is not a Twisted Sister project; that band’s members are split on who to support in the election.
The Obama camp had no immediate comment on the song.
It’s not the first ode to Obama from the rock world. Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am has recorded and released two music videos extolling the virtues of Obama, “Yes We Can,” a viral sensation that has garnered more than 5 million hits on YouTube.com, and the more recent “We Are The Ones.”
French said an accompanying video will soon be released on YouTube, and hopes the song will someday be played at Obama rallies, where Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed And Delivered” currently reigns.
Courtesy of Newsday.com
