TWISTED SISTER: DVD Progress Update

The following "DVD progress update" has been posted at TWISTED SISTER's official web site:

"First and most importantly, it's DONE!!! According to MAM on 'The Animal Tactics' show (98.5 The Bone, Fridays from 10-midnight) it should be out very soon.

"Here's the scoop. I'm sitting home one day and the phone rings. Pick it up and it's none other than the illustrious Jay Jay French. After I composed myself enough to breathe (it was like right before my lips started to turn blue!),we had a little chat and he asked me if I would be available to come take a peek at the DVD. It was almost done, and he wanted me to take a look and write a little something. 'Oh wait a second, Jay Jay, hold the line…let me check my calendar!!!' Are you kidding!?!?!?! I would have cancelled a meeting with God himself for that opportunity!!

"Get to the studio where the video was being edited and met the director (I guess that's what you call him) Dave Striecher. Very nice person and very talented. I was only able to see a few short clips and some live cuts, but it was absolutely AMAZING!! More about that later…

"There had been so much talk about the soundtrack being ruined that I was sort of prepared for the worst, but quite frankly it sounded completely awesome!!! And I was just hearing it through computer speakers. Chalk one up to the extraordinary talent of Denny (sound engineer extraordinaire, who I introduced you to in the CD column) and Mark, who worked tirelessly to put together something from single camera shoots and other recordings to produce, once again, a masterful sound track to this awesome DVD. I still don't know how Mark manages all this. Now he's added a radio show to the mix. It's exhausting just to think about it, never mind actually do it!

"Anyway, I was thinking that this was going to be mostly the Wacken show with a few little clips of backstage 'wackiness' thrown in here and there, yet it's turned out to be so much more. It is laid out such that it weaves a very delicate and intricate tale that follows the TS story starting at the beginning of the end, to the reunion, and back to where they are now, still giving us everything they have four years after the NY Steel show. In between shots of the all the band answering questions, we are treated to several songs from the Wacken show, as well as footage from some of the other live performances of the band from the past three years with some other cool bonus footage. Wait until you see this, it is beyond our wildest imaginations. The Boyz really let us in on some very personal and intimate details of what their experience has been in the band. In my book, that in itself is priceless.

"It is so cool that the Boyz brought the Wacken show home to those of us that could not be there. You won't believe how spectacular the stage is…the lights, the energy, the enormity of it! I was awed. TS deserve to play on a stage that's over the top and bigger than life, and that's just what it was at Wacken. The interview questions are poignant and pointed, and all the band members get to say their piece on each question. Yes ladies and gentlemen, A.J. speaks!!! While watching the clip of the answers to one particular question, I got kind of emotionally overwhelmed and a little choked up and I actually started to cry. Got caught, too. Thought I was being slick but I couldn't cover it up. Seriously, it does touch you that way, emotionally. TWISTED is so much more than just a rock band. They have heart and they give back to us 10 fold, and that is so apparent in the DVD. You can tell it's a labor of love mixed in with blood, sweat, and tears along the way. Jay Jay has done a phenomenal job as the producer, making sure that it's not just good enough, but perfect from start to finish. It truly is a reflection of how he feels about us, and how much we mean to him and the band.

"Oh, and don't forget that this is a DVD PLUS, meaning DVD on one side and CD on the other. Wait until you see the track list for the CD side. It's sure to make the old school SMFs very, very happy. I just about keeled over.

"That's it for now, folks. You aren't going to believe your eyes and ears. It can't get here soon enough. There's only one way to end this column and that's:

"PLAY IT LOUD, MUTHA!!!"