"Ain't we a pretty picture? Ain't we a lot of fun?". Too twisted for America, Dee Snider and co. had to look elsewhere and abroad for their first recording contract and fish and chips (Secret/England - 1982). U.S. of A and Atlantic Records (finally) decided to bring the rude boys home to the states after a shock concert and appearance on U.K. TV's 'The Tube'. "Oh, Are we irritating? Oh, Are we grating on your nerves". They came to major (massive) fame thanks to their image, the dito friendly MTV (remember that 'M' stood for Music and not Mental back in those days) and the world wide success of the sort of fun videos of 'I Wanna Rock' and 'We're Not Gonna Take It'.

They had a couple of outstanding years in the mid 80s. Took a major beating and nose dive with 'Come Out and Play' and things didn't improve with 'Love Is For Suckers', especially not with Atlantic dropping them like hot cakes.. ehh, no, hot potatos. Cake(s) is the standard definition of selling a lot. Maybe there's a lot more to Twisted Sister than first meets the eye? However. You're really not supposed to stop and think about it though, since it's (dumb/fun) metal entertainment for the moment as well as the outrageous live act featuring the male version of Bette Midler at the centre of attention. Fight the society and simply... Play it loud, Mutha!

10. I Wanna Rock
9. Destroyer
8. We're Not Gonna Take It
7. Shoot 'Em Down
6. The Kids Are Back

5. Love Is For Suckers
"Love is for dreamers. Love is for believers. Love is for losers. Love is for suckers". The title track from their 1987 album is a proper hit to the head with its upbeat, uplifting, upper cut. Their biggest inspiration and mentor must be proud of their work (that's Alice Cooper, in case you got lost along the way?). It's however not a TS original (it's written by Mark Carter) and was at first recorded by Gary Private (not quite metal) in the mid-80's and also by the all-female metal act, The Poison Dollys. Catchy cover tho!

4. We're Gonna Make It
One of their raw and basic guitar tracks with a lot more in common with The Dictators and biker rock than your ordinary Sister. Big, loud, noisy. It ain't pretty and it ain't supposed to be. It's the whole 'we against the world' agenda and fighting the society's rules of 'It's never what you know - it's who you're knowin'. Angry lyric and the sharp pen of Snider speak of "Our time will come and when it's over and it's done. Those fools are gonna know that we ain't bluffin". Anyone who's ever been a hard rocker with a matching hairdo know exactly what they're talking about.

3. The Price
The one and only Twisted Sister ballad worthy of your attention. It's a great and meaningful little tune about the price we gotta pay and the games we gotta play. And the price is our own life until it's done. The verse(s) borrow quite a lot from The German masters of power ballads (Scorpions) and I'm sure that Snider and co is well aware of this? If not... oops! I'll keep it under my hat for now. Killer tune, no matter what...

2. Burn In Hell
"Welcome to the abandoned land. Come on in child take my hand. Here there's no work or play. Only one bill to pay. There's just five words to say as you go down, down, down. You're gonna burn in hell". Let's face it, metal fans all over the world are gonna burn. Twisted Sister are gonna burn. You're all going to burn! Ehh... steady now, steady. You're losing the crowd. The very definition of Twisted according to our Metal Encyclopedia and quite the shock-er. Creepy, doomy, fun.

1. You Can't Stop Rock N Roll
"Like a charging bull, it's a juggernaut. With steam at full, never to be caught". Again, one of their utter-utter raw guitar tracks and quite the indie punky/heavy attitude. The Dictators influence again, you say? Or simply just New York heavy? It's true, you know? You Can't Stop Rock 'N Roll. Play it loud, Mutha!:)

This list by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom,

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