Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snyder reflected on his comments about Robert Plant and Ronnie James Dio that the respective leaders of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath were not “great frontmen”, explaining that he did not seek to destroy their talents.
Snyder made a splash late last year when, responding to a fan on Twitter who called Dio one of the greatest rock frontmen of all time (he was usurped only by Freddie Mercury), stated that “there is a huge difference between a great frontman and [and] a great singer.” He stated, “Ronnie was one of the greatest singers of all time, but as a frontman he just stood on stage and sang. Freddie was an amazing singer and frontman.”
Regarding his alleged hit on Plant, Snyder opined that although he was a fan of the Zeppelin singer, Plant “offered nothing as a performer.” He voiced the opinion that Plant “looked amazing, [had] great hair [and] stood on stage with one arm raised and sang until he fell, [but was not] the frontman.” Snyder later clarified that his favorite frontmen were “showmen” who communicated with their crowds.
In a new interview for the Sally Steele Rocks podcast! (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), Snyder supported his comments, refusing to express regret for any “unexpected” jokes he might have addressed to other artists. Such comments “are usually well thought out in my head,” he explained: “I’m not really just blurting things out; I’m processing them, and I’m kind of intentional. I say this, and it turns out that it is blurted out. But I have a firm opinion.”
As for how viewers perceive his comments, Snyder continued: “People sometimes get very upset when I or many celebrities express their feelings, as if we are not allowed to have an opinion. I always say, ‘In my humble opinion,’ but trust me, that’s the first thing they cut out when they post it.”
Next, Snyder spoke directly about his approach to Plant and Dio as frontmen. He said, “How do you tell the difference between Dee Snyder, Alice Cooper, Robert Plant or Bon Scott? Or Chris Cornell, who just stood there but sang beautifully every night?
“I was just trying to explain the differences on the social network Twitter. And people were outraged: “How can you say that Robert Plant is not a great frontman?” And I love Robert. And I was just trying… You can’t put me and Robert Plant in the same category. So, how would you explain what Dee Snyder is doing on stage and what Robert Plant is doing on stage? And I tried to do it. But people were upset.”
Watch Snyder’s full interview on Sally Steele Rocks! below:
Causing a stir on Twitter last month, Snyder listed some of his favorite frontmen, including the likes of David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley, Mick Jagger, Freddie Mercury and Axl Rose. He particularly praised James Brown, whom he considered the greatest frontman of all time.
He also boasted that he considered Kid Rock “a killer at concerts” and “one of the best [frontmen] I’ve ever seen.” every night.”
As for his own talents as a band leader, in July last year, Snyder stated that, most likely, he will not record new music in the foreseeable future. He said then, “I can only do what is right for me. And by the time I retire, I’m writing scripts, directing a movie, releasing my first fantasy novel, producing two animated series, etc.”
