Jay Jay French: Fans Will Decide on Sebastian Bach as Twisted Sister Vocalist

After Twisted Sister made the divisive announcement that Sebastian Bach was set to take over Dee Snider’s vocal duties, guitarist Jay Jay French has stated that it is ultimately up to the fans to decide whether they embrace the new lineup.

Back in February, the band was forced to cancel their planned tour with Snider at the helm after revealing the frontman had been suffering from degenerative arthritis for several years. They later salvaged their 2026 Tour and confirmed that former Skid Row frontman Bach would fill in for the upcoming dates, which mark the band’s 50th anniversary and their first reunion in a decade.

In a recent appearance on Rock ‘N’ Blues Experience, French defended the decision to recruit Bach, describing him as the only person capable of stepping into the role. “He’s the only larger-than-life guy with the chops and the stage presence to do it,” French said, noting that after eight hours of rehearsal, he had “no doubts how great it’s gonna be.”

When confronted with the sentiment from some fans that the band should not continue without their iconic original vocalist, French remained pragmatic. “It’s either gonna work, or it’s not gonna work,” he said. “The public buys it or they don’t buy it.”

French drew comparisons to other legacy acts that have continued to tour with altered lineups, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner, and Queen. Regarding the latter, he noted, “Freddie Mercury, greatest vocalist in the history of the world, can never be replaced. Guess what? They got a guy [Adam Lambert] from The Voice to replace him.”

He concluded by emphasizing the band’s confidence in their choice: “I’m just saying, we got a guy whose pedigree is metal, who’s a legitimate artist with platinum records. A phenomenally talented human being. And, of course, now the public is gonna ultimately decide. They decide. If the public likes it, they like it.”

Following an outpouring of concern for Snider’s health, the singer clarified that he is not on his “deathbed,” though he confirmed he will not be hitting the road for live performances in the near future due to his ongoing health struggles.