TWISTED SISTER Drummer Says AXL ROSE 'Really Needs To Get His Head Checked'

As an epilogue to his 2006 Bananiversary Celebration, rock 'n' roll comic C.C. Banana has interviewed all five members of TWISTED SISTER. In the second of these five holiday-themed interviews, C.C. Banana speaks with TWISTED SISTER drummer A.J. Pero about their current album "A Twisted Christmas" and the possible future of the band. A few excerpts from the interview follow:

C.C. Banana: Now that the holiday season is drawing to a close, are you pleased with the response received by "A Twisted Christmas"?

A.J. Pero: Yes, I am very pleased. What started out being a joke ended up being a very successful project for us. The album came out great and the live shows were even better. Hopefully we can continue our successes over the next few years.

C.C. Banana: Was any consideration given to covering the SPINAL TAP song "Christmas with the Devil"?

A.J. Pero: No. In fact, when it came to doing this Christmas album, we really wanted to take it seriously. There are some things in this world that you just don't screw around with, and Christmas music is one of them. I was brought up in a strict Catholic family and that was taboo. When I used to make up new words to Christmas carols, my mother would tell me, "You're gonna go to Hell!"

C.C. Banana: Besides "We're Not Gonna Take It", are any of your other hits ripped off from traditional holiday favorites?

A.J. Pero: Ha! That's really the only one that comes to mind. Although for this Christmas album, we did try to connect some of our other songs to holiday classics. We tried to use stuff like "I Wanna Rock" and "Burn In Hell" but it just didn't work. So it looks like "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "We're Not Gonna Take It" will remain the only parallel songs.

C.C. Banana: What would you give Axl Rose for Christmas?

A.J. Pero: I don't want to start any feuds here, so I'll just let my head take over instead of my heart. I think I would maybe get him three sessions with a psychiatrist. They say that the people who make the most money are often the least talented. All of us in TWISTED SISTER are out there busting our asses day after day, night after night. But even though we have a certain amount of recognition, the millions of dollars just aren't there. Some people don't realize how good they have it. As Jay Jay says on stage, when you're making millions of dollars but you spend your time whining that you hate this and you hate that... just take some of that fucking money and buy yourself a psychiatrist! Based on the stories I've heard of the antics Axl has pulled toward his fans... toward the very people who have made him who he is... I find that disgusting. On this tour I played with broken fingers and bronchitis but I went out there and gave a better show than he does on a good night. So I would just like to wish Axl the very best of luck, but that dude really needs to get his head checked.

C.C. Banana: Name one alternate use for a candy cane.

A.J. Pero: I'd like to shove it up the mayor's ass! And I'd have the president stand right behind him.

C.C. Banana: What would it take for TWISTED SISTER to record an album of new material?

A.J. Pero: I think if somebody dropped a bag of $5,000,000 on the floor for the five us to split, that would probably do it. After all these years of working hard and struggling, that would finally make it worthwhile for us. To finally be paid what we're worth.

C.C. Banana: What can fans expect from TWISTED SISTER in 2007?

A.J. Pero: I don't really know. That's sort of up in the air at the moment. Every day things change. One day I'm told that we probably won't be doing anything next year, then the next day I'm told that we've been offered a bunch of great gigs. I don't think TWISTED SISTER is officially done, but I think it's going to be more limited. Which I believe will ultimately be a good thing for us, because it will make the shows we play that much more special.

The entire interview is available at this location.