TWISTED SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French was interviewed by rock journalist Mitch Lafon for a recent edition of the "One On One With Mitch Lafon" podcast (Facebook page). You can now listen to the chat using the Spreaker widget below. Asked if thinks that there is a chance that TWISTED SISTER will play again after the completion of the band's farewell tour, dubbed "Forty And F*ck It – The Final Tour", French said: "I've lived long enough to say 'never say never,' because when we walked away the first time, we walked away for a long time, and we can't, obviously, walk away for fourteen years again. But I'm effectively looking at it as, it's time to turn the page and move on to something else." He continued: "I question my own legacy in the world. Is Jay Jay French gonna be known as the guy who stands on stage, runs around on stage, sings 'We're Not Gonna Take It' and plays guitar and may inspire this guy and that guy to play guitar. Is that my legacy? And I don't believe that is. I don't believe that that's the final legacy I wanna leave on this earth… I don't know if the totality of what I am is that. "I think the authenticity of your message and what you stand for is wrapped up in your credibility of how you judge yourself. And I think that if the band, inwardly, is looking at itself and thinking maybe it's not measuring up… for whatever reason. Maybe we're blind to it… I don't know what. But let's just say that's just the way it is. Then the band will have to, from an evolutionary standpoint, come to terms with its ability to believe that what it delivers is always as good as it needs to be. And that may happen again. But it's certainly heading towards its end today. So if we do play again, it will be to deliver the same level of truth and honesty as we are doing today, and only time is gonna tell what that means." Regarding what he might find himself doing to occupy his time after TWISTED SISTER is done performing live, the guitarist said: "Maybe more one-to-one, maybe more mentoring. You know, I write for Inc. magazine; I love writing for Inc. I love doing keynote speeches. I love mentoring business groups, especially because I'm a heavy metal guitar player and a high school dropout, so I find it ironic." Following the terrible events of September 11, 2001, TWISTED SISTER's classic lineup reunited to headline the New York Steel benefit show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on November 28 that year. The concert was a fundraiser for the families of New York police officers and firefighters who had lost their lives in the attack on the World Trade Center. The reaction to TWISTED SISTER's set was overwhelming and led directly to the sporadic live performances that have followed for much of the past decade and a half. TWISTED SISTER drummer AJ Pero passed away in March 2015 at the age of 55. The rest of the band has since recruited recruited Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER) to sit behind the kit for its farewell tour.
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
