In a new interview with PopMatters, Dee Snider discusses a range of topics, including filmmaking, the future of live music, and his appreciation for artists such as UFO and Thin Lizzy. An excerpt follows:

PopMatters:You've made the bulk of your living as a live performer and there was the recent article suggesting that live performance won't return on any large scale until 2022. What do you make of all of this?

Dee Snider: "It's scary on many, many levels. As far as the live concert experience, who knows when that will get back to normal. But I'm a spoiled old dude. [There are] those shared moments that were why I went to concerts, why I wanted to be onstage, those moments where we are one, the song, the band, the audience, is joined together. It can be 90,000 people, when it's on, it's a shared experience that's like no other. It cannot happen with social distancing, it cannot happen with people literally being afraid of screaming, "Rock!" for fear of spraying COVID on the person next to them.

"My biggest fear is the long-term ramifications of what impact this is having on creativity and the industry. Not just music but art, filmmaking, painting, any kind of art. It's killing the alternative, independent scene, which is where everything begins. Where new ideas come from. Independent labels, independent studios, independent venues, independent producers, all the people with no money. That's being destroyed. The ones who will survive this are the corporate entities. The idea of having our art decided upon and provided by the corporate world, to me, is terrifying.

"I don't think it will kill it. I think it will be in basements, bedrooms, and garages. But right now the places that bring it out of the basements and into the local venue or the local gallery [is being hurt]."

PopMatters: Right.

Snider: "I was supposed to start directing my first feature film in May. It's an indie film. Who's going to insure the movie? Netflix can afford to self-insure, Disney can afford to self-insure, they can survive a 100 million dollar loss. Independent filmmakers can't afford a one million dollar loss. Those are my real concerns for art in general post-COVID."

PopMatters: There are those places, those tiny rooms where people pack in and soak up the new acts. I fear them going away.

Snider: "If there was COVID pre-1970 something there would be no CBGB. If CBGB didn't happen where would these bands like the Talking Heads, the Police, Blondie, the Ramones, the Dictators, gone? That was the only place they could play. That place couldn't survive. That's what I'm talking about, the loss of these places. How could they survive this?

"But I also believe that you can't stop rock 'n' roll. So, one venue might shut down but somehow, they'll scrape together money for another hole in the wall and then they'll piece it together and make it happen again once the dust settles. In the meantime, it's going to be a really, really difficult transition period."

PopMatters: How are you occupying your time, knowing that your film probably won't go into production for a while?

Snider: "I was in Belize for four months and I'd wake up every day and say, "I don't have enough time!" I wrote my first novel, which is out being shopped right now, 56,000 words. I started on a second one. I had my movie that was supposed to go into production and there are certain business aspects of that that even now are still slowly moving forward because there are certain things that you can still put in place. You can still slowly work through production elements and everything.

"I've also been asked to write a reimagining of another classic '80s horror film that I can't mention by name. I was working on the treatment for that. That's been greenlit, so they're putting together deals with that and I'll start writing the screenplay, even though we don't think we're going to get to start until 2021. That's going to eat up 2021 for me. Hopefully my book will be released then. I don't see recording any new music until 2022."

Read the complete interview at PopMatters.

Snider recently released For The Love Of Metal Live, a larger than life live album and DVD/Blu-Ray set, via Napalm Records.

Music lovers around the world are craving the return of live concert experiences, and For The Love Of Metal Live is just the thing to keep live music where it belongs - with the fans! Combined behind-the-scenes footage, various detailed interview clips, insightful personal commentary and electrifying live performances make this release an entertaining experience that every heavy metal fan needs in their collection.

The For The Love Of Metal Live DVD/Blu-Ray and accompanying live album (available in various formats) features audio captured from several Dee Snider festival performances worldwide - from the United States to Europe, Australia and beyond. In addition to tracks from Snider’s solo catalog like “I Am The Hurricane” and “For The Love Of Metal”, Twisted Sister favorites such as “I Wanna Rock” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, and even a cover of AC/DC’s “Highway To Hell”, the audio portion of For The Love Of Metal Live also features a brand new original studio track, “Prove Me Wrong” - a thrashing, confident metal hit.

Select audio editions and the DVD/Blu-Ray also feature additional bonus live material and personal footage, with the DVD/Blu-Ray including even more special bonus interview content. The interviews feature Snider himself discussing his famed PMRC hearing, opening for Motörhead and more. Dee Snider fanatics won’t want to miss For The Love Of Metal Live!

Order For The Love Of Metal Live here.

For The Love Of Metal Live tracklistings:

Digital Album
"Lies Are A Business"                     
"Tomorrow’s No Concern"                              
"You Can’t Stop Rock ’N’ Roll"              
"The Beast"                                                     
"American Made"                                           
"Under The Blade"                                          
"The Kids Are Back"                                         
"Become The Storm"                             
"We’re Not Gonna Take It"                             
"I Am The Hurricane"                                     
"Burn In Hell"                                                 
"I Wanna Rock"                                                      
"For The Love Of Metal"                                 
"Highway To Hell"                                         
"Ready To Fall"                                             
"The Fire Still Burns"                            
"Roll Over You"                                              
"Prove Me Wrong"  

CD
"Lies Are A Business"
"Tomorrow's No Concern"
"You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll"
"The Beast" Live
"American Made"
"Under The Blade"
"The Kids Are Back"
"Become The Storm"
"We're Not Gonna Take It"
"I Am The Hurricane"
"Burn In Hell"
"I Wanna Rock" Live
"For The Love Of Metal"
"Highway To Hell"
"Prove Me Wrong"

DVD/Blu-Ray
"Lies Are A Business"
Pain of Traveling (Interview)
"Tomorrow's No Concern"
"You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll"
New Record (Interview)
"The Beast"
"American Made"
"Under The Blade"
Song Writing (Interview)
"The Kids Are Back" Live
"Become The Storm"
"We're Not Gonna Take It"
WNGTI (Interview)
"I Am The Hurricane"
"Burn In Hell Live"
Rock of Ages (Interview)
"I Wanna Rock"
"For The Love Of Metal"
AC/DC (Interview)
"Highway To Hell"
Credits
"Ready To Fall" (Bonus Track)
"The Fire Still Burns" (Bonus Track)
"Roll Over You" (Bonus Track)
Suzette (Interview)
Hearing (Interview)
Strangeland (Interview)
Lemmy (Interview)

"For The Love Of Metal" (live) video:

“I Am The Hurricane” (live) video:

"Prove Me Wrong" lyric video:

(Photo - John Raptis)