Dee Snider Almost Quit Twisted Sister Amid Challenging Times of Career: 'I Was Like a Hitman'

Dee Snider almost quit his position as Twisted Sister's frontman.

From Twisted Sister's debut until its disbandment in 2016, Snider served as the band's frontman and led his co-members toward success through their hit albums and songs.

Years after its split, the frontman opened up about the trying times he had with the band and why it felt like he was a hitman.

The rocker recently sat down for an interview with Classic Rock and reminisced the time he spent with Twisted Sister, explaining why he felt like a hired assassin.

"I'd come into town under cover of darkness, I'd hang out alone in my room and get prepared, and then I'd go out and kill the audience and disappear. I'd be utterly drained each night, exhausted, mentally and physically, and then I'd go out and do it all again," he said, as quoted by Classic Rock and Culture.

Snider also admitted that performing was no longer enjoyable for him at that time because he always took it seriously. He even found touring as a "miserable and painful existence."

When asked why he still did it, he reportedly explained that he was only driven to do it since his actions were all about them rather than himself.

Dee Snider On Hitting Rock Bottom

During the same interview, Snider disclosed the low point he faced despite being a popular and rich rockstar.

He explained that, although he was already rich, he eventually lost everything and had no one to blame but himself.

"The ego that drives you to believe that you can be a star, against all the odds, is the same ego that, when you make it, refuses to acknowledge the warning signs when things are turning to sh*t," he continued.

Indeed, Snider made his own empire that his name always appears in the Hit Parader's Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time.

After Twisted Sister disbanded, he sparked retirement buzz multiple times.

CBS News reported in 2015 that Twisted Sister announced their disbandment after hiring Mike Portnoy following A.J Pero's death due to an apparent heart attack.

At that time, it did not reveal the reason behind the decision. But they continued to tour and hold tribute concerts in the months leading to their split.

In 2017, Snider sat down in an interview with SiriusXM Volume show, "Trunk Nation," saying that he stopped since he could no longer deliver the things he used to show in the past.

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Twisted Sister, Dee Snider