Twisted Sister Biography: Members, Age, Net Worth, Songs, Career, Albums, Height, Parents

Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band formed in late 1972 in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, initially as the glam rock outfit Silver Star before renaming itself in early 1973, with its classic lineup solidifying by 1982 amid relentless club gigs on Long Island.

Fronted by the flamboyant Dee Snider, alongside guitarists Jay Jay French and Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda, bassist Mark “The Animal” Mendoza, and drummer A.J. Pero, the group exploded to mainstream fame in the mid-1980s with anthemic hits like “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock” from their platinum-selling album Stay Hungry, fueled by MTV’s rotation of their satirical, over-the-top videos that mocked authority and embodied hair metal excess.

Profile

• Members’ Names: Dee Snider, Jay Jay French, Eddie Ojeda, Mark Mendoza, A.J. Pero, Mike Portnoy, Joey Franco, Russell Pzütto
• Stage Name: Twisted Sister
• Founded: 1972
• Place of Birth: Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey
• Origin: United States
• Occupation: Musicians • Heavy Metal Band
• Net Worth: $30 million

Early Life & Members

Dee Snider

Early Life: Born and raised in Massapequa, Long Island, Dee showed early promise in music through church and school choirs, influenced by his sister’s introduction to Alice Cooper and heavy rock, which fueled his rebellious streak against a strict household; he played in local bands like Peacock and Heathen before joining Twisted Sister in 1976, where he became the primary songwriter and adopted his iconic drag-metal persona.

• Date of Birth: 15, March 1955
• Age: 70 years old
• Place of Birth: Astoria, Queens, New York, USA
• Parents: Bob Snider, and Marguerite Snider
• Siblings: 2
• Educational background: Graduated from Baldwin High School in 1973; no higher education pursued, focusing instead on music
• Ethnicity: Mixed (Jewish-Ukrainian)
• Religion: Raised Episcopalian; identifies as Christian

Jay Jay French

Early Life: Born John French Segall in New York City, Jay Jay grew up immersed in music, attending his first concert—a folk show—before diving into rock; as a Manhattan resident, he auditioned for Silver Star in 1972, pushing for the Twisted Sister name change and taking on dual roles as guitarist and early manager, drawing from his business acumen to steer the band’s early club circuit survival.

• Date of Birth: 20, July 1952
• Age: 73 years old
• Place of Birth: New York City, New York, USA
• Parents: Lou Segall, Evaline French Segall
• Siblings: None
• Educational background: No formal details available; self-taught guitarist with early focus on performance and management
• Ethnicity: Caucasian-American
• Religion: Unknown

Eddie Ojeda

Early Life: A high school friend of Jay Jay French from Queens, Eddie developed his guitar skills in local scenes before joining as co-lead singer and second guitarist in 1975, contributing to the band’s shift from glam to heavier metal while balancing early vocals with riff-heavy playing during their grueling Tri-State club residencies.

• Date of Birth: 1953
• Age: 72 years old
• Place of Birth: New York City, New York, USA
• Parents: Mr. Ojeda and Mrs. Ojeda
• Siblings: None
• Educational background: Attended high school with French; no higher education details available
• Ethnicity: Hispanic-American
• Religion: Unknown

Mark Mendoza

Early Life: Born Mark Glickman in West Hempstead, Long Island, Mark was a self-described “little asshole” in high school, obsessed with cars, electronics, and rock radio; he honed his bass skills in punk-infused bands like the Dictators before jumping ship to Twisted Sister in 1978, bringing a raw energy that anchored their live shows amid the NYC metal underground.

• Date of Birth: July 13, 1956
• Age: 69 years old
• Place of Birth: West Hempstead, New York, USA
• Parents’ names: Mr. Glickman and Mrs. Glickman
• Siblings: None
• Educational background: Graduated from West Hempstead High School in 1974
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Religion: Unknown

A.J. Pero

Early Life: A Staten Island native with a passion for drumming from youth, A.J. gigged locally in bands like Cities before landing the Twisted Sister gig in 1982, where his precise, powerful style locked in the classic lineup’s groove during their breakthrough years, though details of his pre-fame life remain sparse beyond his high school roots.

• Date of Birth: 14, October 1959
• Date of Death: 20, March 2015 (Age: 55 years old)
• Place of Birth: Staten Island, New York, USA
• Parents’ names: Mr. Pero and Mrs. Pero
• Siblings: None publicly documented
• Educational background: Graduated from New Dorp High School in 1977
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Religion: Unknown

Mike Portnoy

Early Life: Raised in Long Beach, Long Island, Mike received his first drum kit at age 11 from his grandfather and absorbed influences from his DJ father’s record collection, leading to early gigs and a move to California; as a Twisted Sister fan from their club days, he filled in post-Pero, blending prog-metal precision with the band’s raw energy during farewell shows.

• Date of Birth: 20, April 1967
• Age: 58
• Place of Birth: Long Beach, New York, USA
• Parents’ names: Howard Portnoy (DJ, died 2009), Mrs. Portnoy
• Siblings: Samantha Portnoy
• Educational background: No formal higher education; self-taught prodigy focused on music from childhood
• Ethnicity: Jewish-American
• Religion: Jewish

Career

Twisted Sister started as a gritty club band in New Jersey’s underground scene, with Jay Jay French auditioning for the glam-leaning Silver Star in late 1972 and quickly renaming it Twisted Sister in 1973 to capture their irreverent edge, inspired by New York Dolls-style theatrics.

Early lineups cycled through vocalists and players amid endless gigs—over 100 shows in one summer at the Mad Hatter club—while French doubled as manager, scraping by on T-shirt sales and a fan club called the Sick Mother Fuckers.

Initial recognition built locally through sold-out Long Island dives and a heavier sound shift after Dee Snider joined in 1976, penning raw anthems that turned heads, though major labels dismissed them as “too glam” or “too metal,” forcing a DIY ethos that honed their bombastic live show.

The classic lineup locked in by 1982 with Mendoza’s punk grit on bass and Pero’s thunderous drums, signing first to the UK indie Secret Records for the Ruff Cutts EP and Under the Blade album, produced by UFO’s Pete Way, which earned underground buzz in Europe via tours opening for Iron Maiden.

Back home, Atlantic Records came calling after a Palladium sellout, unleashing You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll in 1983—a critical darling with the UK hit “I Am (I’m Me)”—but true formation as stars hinged on their satirical videos, which parodied domestic abuse and school rebellion to hook MTV viewers, transforming club heroes into arena acts amid the hair metal wave.

Key accomplishments peaked with 1984’s Stay Hungry, a 3-million-seller driven by “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (Billboard No. 21, certified gold) and “I Wanna Rock” (No. 68), plus a Metallica support slot that cross-pollinated fanbases; the album’s success sparked PMRC Senate hearings in 1985, where Snider’s fiery testimony alongside Zappa and Denver against censorship burnished their rebel image.

Growth included gold certifications for Come Out and Play (1985) and relentless touring, but transitions loomed as glam backlash hit, leading to the half-baked Love Is for Suckers (1987)—originally a Snider solo—flopping and prompting his exit, with the band folding in 1988 amid label woes.

Further career chapters unfolded through sporadic reunions, like 1998’s one-off for Snider’s Strangeland soundtrack and 2001’s post-9/11 New York Steel benefit raising $100,000, evolving into full comebacks with Still Hungry (2004 re-recording) and the surprise holiday hit A Twisted Christmas (2006), which charted high and spawned TV specials.

They notched Long Island Music Hall of Fame induction in 2006, full-album performances, and festival slots at Wacken and Sweden Rock, while members pursued side hustles—Snider in radio and film, French in production—sustaining the brand via reissues and DVDs like From the Bars to the Stars (2011).

As of late 2025, Twisted Sister rides high on their September-announced reunion for the 2026 Twisted Forever, Forever Twisted world tour, celebrating 50 years without Mendoza due to band rifts but featuring Franco on drums and Pzütto on bass, building on a 2023 Metal Hall of Fame induction set with Portnoy.

Recent work includes catalog sales to Warner Music Group in 2024 for ongoing licensing in ads and films, underscoring their influence on metal’s theatrical side; their legacy endures as empowerment anthems for misfits, with Snider’s media presence and the group’s unyielding humor keeping “S.M.F.s” loyal amid evolving rock landscapes.

Social Media

• Instagram: @twistedsisterofficial

Personal Life

Twisted Sister members have navigated fame’s highs and lows with varying degrees of privacy, often channeling personal stories into their music and advocacy, from Snider’s family-centric stability to French’s motivational speaking on perseverance.

Dee Snider

• Marital Status: Married to Suzette Snider (m. 1981)
• Children: Jesse Blaze Snider, Shane Royal Snider, Cody Blue Snider, and Cheyenne Jean Snider
• Notable Details: Snider met Suzette at age 15 in a club, where she later became instrumental in managing his career and designing his onstage costumes. The couple raised their family on Long Island and appeared in VH1’s Growing Up Twisted (2012).

Jay Jay French

• Marital Status: Married
• Children: Samantha French Segall
• Notable Details: In addition to his role in Twisted Sister, French has built a reputation as an author and motivational speaker, addressing topics such as anti-bullying and substance abuse. His memoir Twisted Sister: The Very Mean Story of the World’s Most Infamous Rock Band details the band’s turbulent journey.

Eddie Ojeda

• Marital Status: Married
• Children: None
• Notable Details: Known for his understated lifestyle following Twisted Sister’s disbandment, Ojeda focuses on guitar endorsements and selective live appearances. A throat cancer survivor, he credits early detection and a commitment to healthier living for his recovery.

Mark Mendoza

• Marital Status: Married
• Children: None
• Notable Details: An avid motorcyclist, Mendoza channels his passion into hosting safety podcasts such as Arrive Alive. Since 2016, he has performed as a guest musician with various acts, including Bret Michaels, and advocates for road safety awareness drawn from his touring experiences.

Mike Portnoy

• Marital Status: Married to Marlene Portnoy (m.1999)
• Children: One son, Max Portnoy, who is also a drummer and performs in his own band
• Notable Details: Co-founder and longtime member of Dream Theater, Portnoy rejoined the band in 2023. He resides in Rockland County, New York, where he maintains a home studio and actively promotes music education through clinics and workshops.

A.J. Pero

• Marital Status: Married to Debbie Pero (m?-2015)
• Children: Two — son Tony Pero Jr. and daughter Jamie Pero
• Notable Details: Remembered as a devoted family man, Pero balanced his career between Twisted Sister and Adrenaline Mob. His untimely death from a heart attack while on tour in 2015 was honored in Twisted Sister’s farewell performances.

Discography

• Under the Blade (1982)
• You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll (1983)
• Stay Hungry (1984)
• Come Out and Play (1985)
• Love Is for Suckers (1987)
• Still Hungry (2004)
• A Twisted Christmas (2006)
• Ruff Cutts (EP, 1982)
• Twisted Forever: A Tribute to Twisted Sister (2001, tribute)
• The Best of Twisted Sister (various, 2006)
• Live at Wacken Open Air 2003 (2004)
• Metal Meltdown: Live in Las Vegas (2016)

Net Worth

Twisted Sister boasts a collective net worth of around $30 million as of 2025, amassed primarily through explosive 1980s album sales exceeding 15 million units worldwide—led by Stay Hungry’s multi-platinum success—plus lucrative MTV video royalties, merchandise, and ongoing catalog licensing deals, including a 2024 Warner Music Group acquisition of trademarks and masters that ensures steady income from syncs in films, ads, and sports.