DEE SNIDER To Release 'Broadway' Album, Autobiography In May

Dee Snider, the unmistakable front-man of the rock band TWISTED SISTER, will release his new studio album, "Dee Does Broadway", on May 8 via Razor & Tie. The CD features Dee's powerful voice and theatrical persona as he exudes his rock ' n' roll take on several Broadway classics. The new album will coincide with the release of his first-ever autobiography, "Shut Up And Give Me The Mic" (Gallery Books) on May 8.

"Dee Does Broadway" features several special guest stars, including Broadway and television icon Bebe Neuwirth on the DAMN YANKEES song "Whatever Lola Wants", Broadway legend Patti LuPone on a "West Side Story" medley "Tonight/Somewhere", pop icon Cyndi Lauper on SWEET CHARITY's "Big Spender", Clay Aiken of "American Idol" on the GUYS AND DOLLS classic "Luck Be a Lady Tonight", the stars of the Broadway hit musical "Priscilla Queen Of The Desert" (Will Swenson, Tony Sheldon, and Nick Adams) on SOUTH PACIFIC's "There Is Nothin' Like A Dame", Mark Wood of the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA playing violin on the "Phantom Of The Opera" ballad "Music Of The Night", as well a special rendition of "The Joint Is Jumpin" from "Ain't Misbehavin'" with Dee's oldest son, Jesse "Blaze" Snider. Songs are also featured from classic Broadway shows including "Cabaret", "Chicago", "The Threepenny Opera", "Anything Goes" and "Sweeney Todd".

"Dee Does Broadway" was spawned from a number of voicemails exchanged featuring "Broadway tunes" sung as messages between Dee Snider and Alice Cooper in 2009 and Dee's 2010 Broadway run in the Broadway rock musical "Rock Of Ages". Inspired to take this musical journey, the classically trained countertenor (who sang with his high school choir and always loud as hell) Snider enlisted producers Bob Kulick and Brett Chassen (whom Dee worked with on the metalized Frank Sinatra tribute called "Sin-atra"). The album was mixed by the legendary Ric Wake and Gustavo Celis, and features the incredible orchestrations and playing by the renowned composer/arranger Doug Katsaros and the bass guitar playing of one of rock's prolific players, the legendary Rudy Sarzo.

Dee Snider explains the process: "Over the past year, I have worked closely with my team and collaborators picking from decades of musical hits with only two rules: The song had to speak to me as a singer on some level, and it could not be a rock song to begin with. No 'Jesus Christ Superstar', 'Grease', 'Hair', 'Rent', 'Rocky Horror', etc. What would be the challenge in that?" He continues, "There are many who think doing an album of rocked out show tunes is pure insanity on my part. Apparently, they haven't seen any photos of me from the '70s and '80s. Could I have been in a more theatrical band? Ever since I was a kid, I'd heard the real power inherent in a lot of songs from musicals and this record gives me the chance to show it".

"Dee Does Broadway" track listing:

01. Cabaret
02. The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd
03. Big Spender (with Cyndi Lauper)
04. Mack the Knife
05. Whatever Lola Wants (with Bebe Neuwirth)
06. Music Of The Night (with guest violinist Mark Wood)
07. The Joint Is Jumpin' (with Jesse Blaze Snider)
08. Luck Be A Lady (with Clay Aiken)
09. I Get A Kick Out Of You
10. There Is Nothin' Like A Dame (with the stars of "Priscilla Queen Of The Desert": Will Swenson, Tony Sheldon and Nick Adams)
11. Razzle Dazzle
12. Tonight/Somewhere (with Patti LuPone)

Listen to the track "Cabaret" (to be released as a single on March 27) from "Dee Does Broadway" below.

Filled with entertaining anecdotes and candid confessions, "Shut Up And Give Me The Mic" takes you through the good times and bad with a heavy metal star who worked as hard as he played, and who did it all for his wife, four kids, and millions of fans. As lead singer and songwriter of TWISTED SISTER, Dee Snider became the poster boy for heavy metal, hair bands, and the wild side of rock. Now, in his twisted new memoir, he reveals the real stories behind the crazy makeup, the big hair, and badass hits like "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock". In his journey from every parent's worst teenage nightmare to Renaissance man, Dee avoided the usual pitfalls associated with rock stars. But that didn't stop Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center from targeting him — a fight that led him to testify before Congress with Frank Zappa. He may have been slapped with a Parental Advisory warning label, but, through it all, Snider stayed positive and focused on being the best he could be.

"Shut Up And Give Me The Mic" book signings:

May 07 - Ridgewood, NJ - Bookends 7 p.m.
May 08 - Huntington, NY - Book Revue 7 p.m.
May 09 - Mendham, NJ - Mendham Books 7 p.m.
May 10 - Madison, CT - R.J. Julia 7 p.m.
May 11 - Philadelphia, PA - Barnes & Noble 6 p.m.
May 12 - Detroit, MI - Barnes & Noble 4 p.m.
May 14 - Skoki, IL - Barnes & Noble 7 p.m.
May 15 - Kansas City, MO - Unity Temple on the Plaza 7 p.m.
May 16 - Norma, OK - Hastings 7 p.m.
May 17 - Tucson, AZ - Barnes & Noble 7 p.m.
May 18 - Tempe, AZ - Changing Hands Bookstore 7 p.m.