TWISTED SISTER - We Are Twisted Fucking Sister

February 16, 2016, 8 years ago

(Music Box Films)

Mark Gromen

Rating: 9.0

review hard rock twisted sister

TWISTED SISTER - We Are Twisted Fucking Sister

Now that's more like it. Long talked about, the documentary is finally here! While VH1 did/re-did one of their hour long (in the US, with commercials) Behind The Music Specials, this lasts more than two hours, literally tracking Jay Jay French's history with Twisted Sister from 1972 forward. The initial 90 minutes are devoted solely to the club days, prior to recording the debut in '81. All the known members of the band are featured, in order of recruitment into the band, as well as a couple of names most don't know, plus managers, club owners and longtime fans. A wealth of vintage footage has been unearthed, some grainy, others, remarkably good. Interesting visual transformation, from Dee looking like Marsha Wallace, aka Carol, the receptionist from the ‘70s Bob Newhart show, to the make-up and outfits synonymous with their ‘80s heyday. They speak freely about Seventies practices, during the anti-disco era, that would be illegal today: plying patron with alcohol until they puke, nightly hanging Barry White in effigy and a series of shows where fans literally destroyed the club, with the owner's consent! Although heard in a brief live sample, shame more isn't made of “Rock N Roll Saviors” the anthem that galvanized Tri-state rockers against the dance music fad. 

Dee admits to becoming an "angry guy," focusing attention on non-participating paying customers, but there's virtually no mention of his targeting musical celebrities from the stage, a practice that continued well into their first American headlining tour. Given their passing, sort of sad seeing AJ Pero's clip, as well as the story about Lemmy's endorsement at their first UK festival gig. Then he appears with Sister on the Tube TV program, the same performance that got them signed to Atlantic. You won't hear any of the songs from the albums and there's never any mention of “We're Not Gonna Take It”. In fact, apart from Dee's vignette about meeting with the band's nemesis/Atlantic USA president, their entire time on the label is dealt with by the final minute of the film, as a written scroll. Tells the story that most under the age of 50 or outside the Tri-state area, have no idea about, which is a good thing. Recommended viewing.



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