Dee Snider dismisses Ronnie James Dio and Robert Plant as 'not great frontmen'
He's criticised for his 'absurd take'
Last updated 5th Jan 2023
Never afraid to voice his opinion on Twitter, former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider has hailed Ronnie James Dio and Robert Plant as ‘great singers’, but he has insisted they were never ‘great performers’ or ‘frontmen.’
Dee Snider made the comments over the New Year period when a Twitter follower hailed late Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell legend Dio as the ‘second best frontman” of all time behind Queen’s Freddie Mercury.
Dismissing the idea, Snider responded: “You are confusing singing with performing. There is a huge difference between a great frontman & a great singer.
‘Ronnie was one of the greatest singers of all time, but as a frontman, he pretty much just stood on stage & sang. Freddie was an amazing singer AND frontman.’
Chastised by one Twitter user for his “absurd take”, Snider doubled down on his stance, saying: “I toured with (Dio)… He is one of my vocal heroes, but... My frontmen are all over the stage and interact with the crowd. Showmen. Think David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley, Mick Jagger, Freddy Mercury, Axl Rose...the list goes on.”
Bringing Robert Plant into things, Snider commented: "I'm a HUGE Plant fan vocally...but he showed me nothing as a performer. Looked amazing, great hair...stood on stage with one hand raised and sang his ass off. Not a frontman in my opinion.
"And FYI many great frontmen are not great singers."
Facing a barrage of comments, Snider added later: “I knew this would upset people. I am NOT saying that Dio, (Robert) Plant etc, don't have stage presence. They have it in SPADES! But they are not performers.”
Asked who he thinks are great frontmen, Snider said he “respects” Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, KISS’s Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose and “The GOAT” James Brown.
In response to another tweet citing rapper Eminem as a good frontman, Snider responded: “Well, if we are going down that road, love him or hate him, @KidRock is one of the best I've ever seen.”
He added the following day: “You want to know another "older" rocker who still brings it every night... @John_Fogerty! The man is energized!!!”
Earlier this week, US publication Rolling Stone drew criticism for ranking Ronnie James Dio as the 165th best singer of all time behind the likes of John Lennon and Bob Dylan. Robert Plant was in 63rd place while Dee Snider didn’t make the list.
The real names of famous rock stars:
Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks
Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović
'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'
Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker
John 5’s real name: John William Lowery
Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback
Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont
Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello
Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano
Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock
King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen
Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson
Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm
Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou
Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga
Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano
Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti
Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose
Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott
Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick
Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III
Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola
Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara
Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary
Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein
Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib
Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal
Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III
Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison
Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg
Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz
Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray
Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.
Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier
Slash's real name: Saul Hudson
Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard
Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona
Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson
Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer
Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones
Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler
Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks
Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell
Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen
Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton
Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan
Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black
Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister
John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin
Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin
Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp
Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion
Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth
David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones
Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman
Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie
Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley
Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank
Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor
Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld
The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans
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Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne
Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi
Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini
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Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson
Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner
Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad
Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler
Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo
Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel
Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield
Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks
Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch
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Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira
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Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan
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Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine
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Steel Panther’s real names
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