Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider has been stirring a debate on Twitter over the past few weeks on frontmen in rock, saying Robert Plant and Ronnie James Dio weren’t “great frontmen”.
Snider ignited the debate on New Year’s Eve on Twitter, after a fan’s reply to a tweet that praised Dio as the second greatest frontman in rock following Freddie Mercury.
“You are confusing singing with performing. There is a huge difference between a great frontman & a great singer,” Snider wrote in reply to the fan. “Ronnie was one of the greatest singers of all time, but as a frontman, he pretty much just stood on stage & sang. Freddie was an amazing singer AND frontman.”
Snider felt similarly about Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, claiming “he showed” “nothing as a performer”, despite Snider being a fan of his vocal talent. “Looked amazing, great hair…stood on stage with one hand raised and sang his ass off. Not a frontman in my opinion,” he said, later specifying his favourite frontmen were “showmen” that interacted with the crowd.
After a fan accused him of disrespeccting Plant, Snider then qualified his opinion by stating that Plant was one of his musical heroes and greatest influences, claiming he had the Led Zeppelin frontman’s poster on his wall.
Naming his favourite frontmen, Snider cited the likes of David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley, Mick Jagger, Freddie Mercury, and Axl Rose. In particular, Snider praised James Brown, who he considered to be the greatest frontman of all time.
Replying to a fan who then stated that Eminem could also be one of the greatest frontmen of all time, Snider went one step further and praised Kid Rock for being “killer in concert”, being “one of the best I’ve ever seen”. Most recently, Snider also gave props to John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival, as an “older rocker” who “still brings it every night.”
View some highlights of his Twitter replies below:
You are confusing singing with performing.
There is a huge difference between a great frontman & a great singer.
Ronnie was one of the greatest singers of all time, but as a frontman, he pretty much just stood on stage & sang.
Freddie was an amazing singer AND frontman. https://t.co/akrNVaoI49
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) December 30, 2022
I toured with him. (beat ya) He is one of my vocal heroes, but…
My frontmen are all over the stage and interact with the crowd. Showmen. Think David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley, Mick Jagger, Freddy Mercury, Axl Rose…the list goes on. https://t.co/baKr9nFraH
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) December 30, 2022
I knew this would upset people.
I am NOT saying that Dio, Plant etc, don't have stage presence. They have it in SPADES!
But they are not performers. https://t.co/kcrujhlZ0e
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) December 30, 2022
Well, if we are going down that road, love him or hate him, @KidRock is one of the best I've ever seen. https://t.co/gA2v097Tqt
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) January 3, 2023
Good question. Believe it or not, I didn't go to many concerts in my teens so I got my "frontman" inspiration from photos! I never saw anyone move! LOL! Frontmen I respect? Bruce Dickinson, @DavidLeeRoth, @genesimmons, @PaulStanleyLive @axlrose and JAMES BROWN THE G.O.A.T!! https://t.co/QevovVTta7
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) January 1, 2023
You want to know another "older" rocker who still brings it every night…@John_Fogerty! The man is energized!!!
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) January 4, 2023
Last March, Snider lashed out online at a crypto-inspired cover of Twisted Sister’s ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’, produced by Mark Zuckerberg’s sister Randi Zuckerberg. The frontman considered legal action, calling the rendition “dog shit”.