Twisted Sister came back in 1985 with “Come Out and Play” an album that had plenty of attitude, loud guitars and a few surprises. Some fans weren’t happy with the band choice of lead single but there was no shortage of songs ready to turn up the volume.
The album gave us the title track, the driving “I Believe in Rock ‘N’ Roll”, the powerful “The Fire Still Burns” and “Be Chrool to Your Scuel” featuring Alice Cooper. And yes, that last one came with a music video that MTV decided was too much.
Let’s take a look at some of the tracks that still deserve a spin.
“Come Out and Play”
The album kicks off with the title track and it doesn’t waste time getting things moving. A.J. Pero’s fast drumming gives it plenty of energy, while the opening tribute to the movie “The Warriors” delivers the famous line: “Warriors, come out to play”.
It’s a strong way to open the record, with Twisted Sister doing what they do best: bringing the attitude and making some noise.
“I Believe in Rock ‘N’ Roll”
It reads like a rallying cry for anyone who thinks rock and metal should never lose their fire. It’s driving, anthemic and full of the kind of energy that made Twisted Sister stand out in the 80’s.
If you are looking for a track to crank up and sing along to, this one makes the list.
“The Fire Still Burns”
A more dramatic moment on the album, “The Fire Still Burns” brings strong guitar work and heavy percussion together. It has a powerful feel without losing the band’s hard-rock punch.
It’s one of those tracks that deserves more attention when people talk about this record.
“Be Chrool to Your Scuel”
Alice Cooper joins Dee Snider on this track, making it one of the album’s biggest talking points. Alice was Dee’s childhood hero, so this collaboration was clearly something special for him.
The music video was another story. It showed a high school overrun by zombies, and MTV banned it, saying it was offensive. That decision also hurt the album’s promotional push.
Still, the song has its own place in Twisted Sister history. And having Alice Cooper on board certainly makes it stand out.
“You Want What We Got”
The second US single from the album brings a rowdier, high-energy hard-rock sound. It’s direct, loud and made for turning the volume up.
No complicated message here. Just Twisted Sister doing what they know how to do.
“Leader of the Pack”
Releasing a cover of The Shangri-Las’ 1964 hit as the album’s lead single was a risky move. Some fans and critics weren’t happy, feeling that the song was too far away from the band heavy metal sound.
But Twisted Sister went ahead with it, complete with a high-profile music video. Whether you love it or think the band should have picked another song, it’s hard to ignore how much attention this cover brought to the album.
“Kill or Be Killed”
If you want speed and aggression, this is one to check out. “Kill or Be Killed” pushes forward with relentless drumming and plenty of energy.
It’s a good reminder that, despite some of the album’s more unexpected choices, Twisted Sister could still deliver a fast and aggressive track.
Behind the Album
The album cover was quite a project. Art director and photographer Marc Weiss had a custom 1,000-pound iron manhole cover made with the band’s TS logo. When it opened, it revealed Dee Snider wrapped like a mummy, with sharpened teeth, crawling out of the pavement. Not exactly your average album cover!
The heavy-hitting collaboration didn’t stop with Alice. The actual studio track features piano from Billy Joel, a guitar solo by Brian Setzer, and saxophone from Clarence Clemons. While they didn’t appear in the banned video, viewers could spot horror makeup legend Tom Savini and a young Luke Perry among the chaos.
In 1986, Twisted Sister released “Come Out and Play: The Videos” on VHS. It featured four music videos connected by a story of Dee Snider in a scrapyard giving advice to troubled teens. It was never re-issued on DVD.
This period also saw the beginning of the end for the classic line-up. In 1986 A.J. Pero left the band due to the pressures of touring and internal friction.
Which Tracks Make Your Top Three?
“Come Out and Play” has its share of surprises, but there are still plenty of songs here that deserve a place on your playlist.
Which three tracks would you pick? Vote for your favorites and let’s see which one gets the most votes!
Twisted Sister
Dee Snider – lead vocals, backing vocals
Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Jay Jay French – rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals
Mark “The Animal” Mendoza – bass, backing vocals
A. J. Pero – drums, percussion, backing vocals
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