Dee Snider reminisced about various stories with legendary rock n' roll bands and artists in a recent interview with Louder Sound . After recounting the details of his feud with Manowar , the singer spoke about the time Twisted Sister toured with Metallica as the opening act.
The opportunity to open for Snider's band was one of Metallica's first big chances, at a time when the band still consisted of Dave Mustaine and Cliff Burton and was performing for the first time in venues with audiences of over three thousand people.
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In 1984, the partnership was repeated on the Stay Hungry Tour . “We arrived in a small town in Holland and were surprised to see a poster announcing Metallica’s name above ours. I told my tour manager, ‘Metallica is clearly the headliner. Go and tell them we’re opening for them tonight,’” Snider recounted.
Initially, the band refused the offer, as they considered Twisted Sister's attitude suspicious. "Eventually, I convinced them it wasn't a trick, and that night I got to see their show. I remember saying to someone, 'These guys have a lot of heart, but they're not going to give anything,'" he recalled.
In recounting the story, Dee Snider explained why he thought that way at the time – and it was by no means any doubt about Metallica's potential. "I thought Metallica was too heavy and there was no way society could accept that," he explained.
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