In a just lately republished interview with Traditional Rock from 2009, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider spoke about his early opinion of Metallica. Surprisingly, Snider didn’t suppose the James Hetfield led band would “go anyplace.”
Recalling the primary time he met with the band, Snider stated:
“One among Metallica’s first main gigs was supporting Twisted Sister in a three-thousand-seater corridor in New York. This was once they had Dave Mustaine and Cliff Burton within the line-up, and so they had been residing in [Megaforce Records boss] Johnny Z’s basement.”
“Later, Metallica supported us on our ‘Keep Hungry’ tour,” he continued. “We acquired to a small city in Holland and had been shocked to see a poster billing Metallica above us. I stated to my tour supervisor: ‘Metallica are clearly the headliner. Go and inform them we’ll open for them tonight.’ My tour supervisor got here again and informed me: ‘They stated no. They appear considerably suspicious.’ Finally I satisfied Metallica that it wasn’t a trick, and that evening I acquired to look at their present. I keep in mind saying to somebody: ‘These guys have gotten a whole lot of coronary heart, however they’re by no means gonna go anyplace.’ A lot for what I do know! I assumed Metallica had been too heavy and there was no approach society would ever meet up with that.”
Final 12 months, Snider took to Twitter/X to look again on his resolution to offer Metallica high billing and allow them to shut the present that evening after it grew to become clear the viewers was there to see Metallica and never Twisted Sister.
“‘You guys are closing tonight. These followers are right here to see you!’” he tweeted, recalling what he informed Metallica. “On the upside, I acquired to affix the band on stage for his or her ‘Steel up your a**’ chant.”