Twisted Sister has canceled all of its 50th anniversary performances following the departure of lead singer Dee Snider because of “a series of health challenges.”
In a statement posted Thursday on Instagram, the heavy metal band said all scheduled shows beginning April 25 in São Paulo and through the summer have been canceled “due to the sudden and unexpected resignation” of Snider. The “I Wanna Rock” singer is no longer able to perform in the way that he used to because of multiple heath issues.
“I don’t know of any other way to rock,” Snider said in a statement accompanying the band’s announcement. “The idea of slowing down is unacceptable to me. I’d rather walk away than be a shadow of my former self.”
“The future of Twisted Sister will be determined in the next several weeks,” the band’s statement read.
The separate statement regarding Snider’s health explained that a “lifetime of legendarily aggressive performing has taken its toll on Dee Snider’s body and soul.”
Also posted to the “We’re Not Gonna Take It” singer’s Instagram account, the statement said that Snider “has had several surgeries over the years” to help manage his degenerative arthritis. His condition meant he had only been able to “perform a few songs at a time in pain.”
“Adding insult to injury, Dee has recently found out the level of intensity he has dedicated to his life’s work has taken its toll on his heart as well,” the statement continued. “He can no longer push the boundaries of rock ‘n’ roll fury like he has done for decades.”
Thousands of cheering fans surround the ice at the Honda Center. The arena is loud, packed with fans in Anaheim Ducks jerseys. As the puck drops and the action starts, players zoom back and forth until — boom! A shot, and the Ducks score. But when the music hits for the first goal of the game, it’s not the typical “We Will Rock You” by Queen. It’s “Come Out and Play” by local heroes, and one of Orange County’s most influential punk bands, the Offspring.
To celebrate the third annual Come Out and Play Night, the Ducks have once again collaborated with the band for an evening of hockey, music and special exclusive merchandise for fans. The event will take place Tuesday at the Honda Center against the Vancouver Canucks. The collaborative effort began in 2024, but at the time, no one knew if it would last, including the Offspring’s guitarist, Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, who told The Times in a phone interview from Canada while on tour with Bad Religion that he and the band hoped it would be more than a one-time event. “This was the first time we’d ever teamed up with an organized sports team, and the fact that it’s an Orange County team, where we grew up, made it feel right,” Noodles said. “It’s been really fun, but we had no idea how long it would last. Now it’s three years later.”
Merrit Tully, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the Ducks said that the concept for the collaboration between the club and the Offspring came organically as part of an evolution the organization was going through.
“We started putting a lot more emphasis on the in-arena experience a little over three years ago. That gave us the opportunity to rethink music, not just as something played between periods, but as something that could really elevate the experience for fans and players alike,” Tully said. “As this was happening, we approached our 30th season, and we were really leaning into our Orange County roots. We looked at collaborating with the Offspring, since they grew up just a few miles from here, and their rise happened at the same time our franchise was starting. This just felt authentically Orange County in a way that was hard to ignore.”
Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal and Noodles hold albums by the Offspring.
(Jordan Bathe)
For Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal, who was recently named NHL Third Star of the Week, having a collaboration with a band like the Offspring has special sentimental meaning. “I remember growing up hearing rock music a lot back in my home country, the Czech Republic,” Dostal said. “My parents would play punk rock and metal when they were driving me to the rink for practice, so hearing the Offspring now kind of brings me back to that.”
Dostal said that he loves many rock and alternative bands he remembers hearing back in his home country, such as Linkin Park. He also said that, as an athlete, music is part of his daily regimen, and it is the same with the Ducks. “We listen to music every day, before practice, before games. It’s a big part of how we get ready,” he said. “I grew up listening to this kind of music, so whenever I hear these songs, it just pumps me up.”
For fans who attended the two previous Come Out and Play Nights, people should expect lots of enthusiasm and high energy, mixing the intensity of a concert and a hockey game. “Those nights definitely had a different vibe. You can feel it from the ice,” Dostal said. “The fans are excited, the music is louder, and it just feels like something special for everyone in the building.”
Noodles said he agreed with Dostal and added that he thinks the collaboration makes sense because there are a lot of parallels between punk rock and sports like surfing, skating and ice hockey. “With surfing and skating, there’s always been that mix of flow and violence. You’re carving, you’re gliding, and then sometimes you take a wave on the head,” he said. “Hockey has that same thing. It can be really violent, but then there are moments where it’s all speed and movement.”
With a band having a successful career for over three decades, Noodles said there have been instances of being approached by professional athletes who are fans of the Offspring. “Over the years, we’ve had professional athletes come up to us as fans for sure. One time, Dennis Rodman came out onstage with us and did ‘Come Out and Play,’” he said. “Our producer, Bob Rock, is a huge hockey fan and really got us into going to the Ducks and Kings games.”
Members of the band the Offspring pose for a photo during a pre-game puck ceremony of the game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 27, 2025, at Honda Center.
(Debora Robinson / NHLI via Getty Images)
Noodles said he appreciates that a band like the Offspring has generations of fans and values how much the OC music scene is still thriving. “We’ve always had late teens and early 20s kids in the front row, but now we’re seeing younger kids and their parents, too. There’s a really wide age range at our shows now, and that’s been pretty cool to see,” he said. “The Orange County scene is still really alive. You see a mix of people from the old bands, but there are also a lot of younger bands coming up. I actually love going to see younger bands because nobody cares who I am. I can just stand in the pit and watch the show.”
This idea of generations of fans is also seen in the NHL, and Dostal agrees it can be seen with fans of the Ducks. He said this is one of the reasons he loves working with an OC band. “The Offspring are local, the Ducks represent Orange County, and I’m really happy I can be part of something that connects the two,” he said. Dostal also said that a custom collaborative design on a mask will be revealed at the Come Out and Play Night against the Canucks. “I worked with the guys in the Offspring, we threw around ideas together, and I told them they could basically do whatever they wanted. I’m really excited for fans to see it,” Dostal said.
Fans of the Ducks and the Offspring can expect a night to remember. It’s all about connection, and giving fans of the music and the team a chance to bring the worlds of sports and punk together for one special night. “Beyond ticket sales, we look at how fans respond in the building,” Tully said. “When we score and the arena reacts together to an Offspring song, that tells us the connection is real.”
Dostal agreed with the sentiment and said he is humbled by the collaborative event, which he said is fan emphasized. “The Offspring is a huge band all over the world, so being able to work with them and represent that on the ice is something I really appreciate.”
VICTORIA Beckham was in the biggest girl group of all time but her son Cruz is taking inspiration from another brilliant British band for his debut album — The Beatles.
The budding musician’s close friend Luke Pritchard has unofficially helped guide the project thanks to years of experience in the industry, along with his ten UK Top Ten singles with his band The Kooks.
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Cruz Beckham is taking inspiration from The Beatles for his debut albumCredit: ErotemeLuke Pritchard has unofficially helped guide Cruz’s project thanks to years of experience in the industryCredit: Getty
In an exclusive chat, Luke revealed Cruz was heavily influenced by the Fab Four’s ninth record, The White Album, which gave us iconic songs including Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and Blackbird.
“He’s brilliant. He’s got all the right things,” Luke told me at the Iconic Images Gallery in London, where we were invited to celebrate a new exhibition of The Cure ahead of their headline slot at Isle of Wight Festival.
“I think he’s a rockstar, I really do.
“It’s got a kind of White Album psychedelia sound, with warm tones.
“I think he’s a great guitar player – it’s kind of what I want to hear in my head.”
In March, Cruz took to social media to tease a self-penned track inspired by his love for The Beatles.
In the short clip, he sang: “I wanna be John Lennon.”
Last week, as the showbiz world imploded thanks to his brother Brooklyn’s bombshell statement hammering his family, Cruz was locked away in a north London studio putting the finishing touches to the record.
As speculation about the family rift circulated the globe, Cruz took to Instagram to reshare a shot from the studio with the words “Loneliest Boy” along the top of a song sheet, leading some fans to wonder if it will be about his estranged brother.
Luke, who has released a new live version of The Kooks’s 2014 song See Me Now today, explained: “We were actually in the studio with him.
“His album sounds so good, so authentic. It’s really refreshing.
“You know, he’s recording everything completely authentically and trying to pick up that magic to some parts. I think that’s amazing.”
And he is determined to prove himself as an artist in his own right, breaking free from the nepo baby label.
Luke continued: “He’s the real deal. He wants to do things properly and he wants to gather his fan base the right way and he wants to go out and just play. It’s been a mad few days for him.”
Cruz has sold out his first headline show in London in March and has announced a UK tour with his band The Breakers which went on sale on Friday.
As well as their own tour this year, The Kooks are performing at Isle of Wight Festival alongside The Cure, Calvin Harris and Lewis Capaldi.
Wolf Alice is the first band to be confirmed to take the stage at The Brit Awards in ManchesterCredit: GettyHarry Styles is also set to join Wolf Alice in performing at the Co-op Live
They were the first band confirmed by the BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard and it could be a huge night for them.
Wolf Alice are up for three exciting awards including, Group of the Year, Alternative/Rock Act and Mastercard Album of the Year for their fourth studio album ‘The Clearing’.
Their newest album debuted last August and was a huge hit with fans, reaching number one upon release.
Theo Ellis, Wolf Alice’s bassist, said: “We’re truly honoured to get the opportunity to play this year’s BRIT Awards!
“Can’t wait to see what everyone’s wearing, can’t wait to see who else is playing, can’t wait to have ten mini wines (after we play).
“Most of all can’t wait for a big night out in Manny. Make sure to tune in and watch it all live on the telly.”
The band recently announced a huge summer show at Finsbury Park on 5th July, where they will be joined by The Last Dinner Party, Lykke Li, Rachel Chinouriri, Keo, and Florence Road.
Wolf Alice had a jam-packed year in 2025 from performing at Glastonbury in the summer to launching a huge global tour for their newest album.
The band travelled across North America, Europe and the UK from September to December and it seems they’re not slowing down anytime soon.
Comedian Jack Whitehall will be back on Saturday, 28 February to host The Brit Awards as it debuts at its new Manchester home.
Wolf Alice had a packed schedule in 2025 from launching their world tour to performing at GlastonburyCredit: GettyMan I Need singer Olivia Dean is another huge star announced to perform – she’s been nominated for five awardsCredit: PA
Last week, the nominations were announced for this year’s awards and leading the charge for 2026 are Olivia Dean and Lola Young with five nominations each.
Sam Fender follows closely behind with four nominations following his Mercury Prize win last year.
Other British artists up for awards this year include Lily Allen, Calvin Harris, JADE, Ed Sheeran, Little Simz, PinkPantheress, RAYE and Skye Newman.
The public vote for Song of the Year with Mastercard and International Song of the Year open tomorrow at midday only via Whatsapp.
