Twisted Sister Drummer Teases 2026 Reunion

Twisted Sister have confirmed the drummer who will join them for their forthcoming live dates featuring new vocalist Sebastian Bach.

Earlier this week (March 3), the band revealed that Bach will step in as frontman for a limited run of performances this fall, replacing longtime singer Dee Snider. Now, the group has also unveiled the rest of the performing lineup.

Alongside guitarist Jay Jay French, guitarist Eddie Ojeda, bassist Russell Pzütto and Bach on vocals, the band will feature drummer Joey Cassata behind the kit.

When Twisted Sister first announced their 50th-anniversary reunion last year, drummer Joey “Seven” Franco was expected to return to the band. Franco originally played with Twisted Sister between 1986 and 1989 and performed on the group’s 1987 album Love Is for Suckers. Meanwhile, Pzütto joined the lineup last year as a brand-new member.

Cassata shared his excitement about the opportunity in a social media post.

“Super excited (and beyond honored) to be drumming for this legendary band!” he wrote. “I’ve been an SMF since I was 8 years old… and now this?! Absolutely surreal. You can’t stop rock ‘n’ roll!”

Joey Cassata’s Musical Background

Cassata first gained widespread attention as the drummer for the band ZO2 in the early 2000s. During that period, the group toured alongside major rock acts including KISS, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Van Halen, Scorpions and Dream Theater, according to his Paiste artist biography.

Later in the decade, ZO2 expanded their reach into television with Z Rock, a partially scripted series inspired by the band’s real-life experiences as working musicians.

After ZO2 disbanded in 2015, Cassata explored a variety of new creative paths. He authored an autobiography, Start With a Dream: A Drummer’s Journey from Rock & Roll to T.V. to Broadway, chronicling his life in music.

“It starts with my early childhood when I was first introduced to my musical idols KISS to ultimately touring with them along with my band ZO2,” Cassata explained in Modern Drummer. “After ZO2’s TV show Z Rock ended I went on to perform with the Tony award-winning Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (with Josh Groban).”

A Career Spanning Rock, Broadway and Beyond

In addition to his work with ZO2, Cassata has spent more than a decade performing with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. His studio credits also include playing drums on Ace Frehley’s most recent solo album, 10,000 Volts, released in 2024.

The drummer has often credited his lifelong passion for music to a formative childhood experience.

“My dream started when I saw KISS for the very first time at Madison Square Garden in 1979,” Cassata recalled during an interview with Misplaced Straws. “I saw Peter Criss and his drum set levitated in the air and I had one of my ‘frozen moments’ and I just knew that this was what I needed to do with the rest of my life. From that moment when I was five years old everything in my life revolved around KISS and my drums.”

With decades of performing experience across rock tours, television and Broadway, Cassata now steps into Twisted Sister’s reunion lineup for what promises to be a highly anticipated series of anniversary performances.