Jay Jay French on Selling The Band Twisted Sister
Jay Jay French, the guitarist and manager of the legendary heavy metal band, Twisted Sister, has a business success story that goes far beyond the band’s iconic 1980s image and ear-busting hits. From their early days as a cover band to their more recent record-breaking commercial and movie licensing deals, Twisted Sister’s story is a testament to the power of long-term vision and the willingness to pivot in the face of changing tastes. I sat down with French to delve into their five decade journey, ending with the news that the band that produced heavy metal’s most famous songs, “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock” recently decided We’re Gonna Take It and sold their remaining rights to a music investor.
When French talks about his journey as a member and manager of one of America’s most memorable heavy metal hair bands, you quickly realize that you’re speaking to a business strategist — once you get past the pictures of him in 6-inch heels and full makeup chained by the neck to the band’s lead singer and famous frontman, Dee Snider.
As French talks about the story of the band, from 1972 to 2024, he emphasizes the importance of key business challenges, such as de-risking the business and consolidating its financial records and contracts. Close your eyes, and you would think you’re sitting across from a private equity executive strategizing the sale of a high-growth technology business rather than a guitarist who’s used to playing in front of 100,000 fans.
“What Do You Wanna Do With Your Life?”
If you grew up in the 1980s, you couldn’t turn on MTV without hearing Twisted Sister’s two most famous songs and seeing their videos, “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (74 million YouTube views) and “I Wanna Rock” (98 million YouTube views). It was the earliest days of MTV, and their full length videos had a complete storyline about teenagers rebelling against their overbearing parents and teachers. Watching Dee and Jay Jay, these twin six-foot cross-dressers singing “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” was seared into our young imaginations forever.
Fast forward to today where I had the chance to work with French at our school for entrepreneurs, Birthing of Giants, helping him plot out the next chapter of his business using Birthing of Giants’ “One Year From Today” strategy stack.
I suppose, my role in French’s process was most akin to that of the teacher from “I Wanna Rock,” played by Mark Metcalf, who also appears in the video “We’re Not Gonna Take It” as the young kid’s irate father that screams, “WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?” (clip here) just before the kid transforms into Dee in full heavy metal regalia.
It was a thrill to use Birthing of Giants’ “One Year From Today” strategy stack with an MTV idol from my childhood to help him figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Even more so to be backstage, so to speak, when the band that wrote “We’re Not Gonna Take It” — took it! On September 30, 2024, Twisted Sister sold their remaining recording copyrights, trademarks and other name, image and likeness rights to Warner Music Group. Fans will still get to hear the music and experience the Twisted Sister brand through TV, movies, commercials and more thanks to the efforts of the new owners. In fact, a recently released movie, “The Gorge,” licensed the band’s heavy metal rendition of “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” from their holiday record, “A Twisted Christmas,” their final studio album which dropped in 2006. (Insider tip: “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It” have the same melody).
In the run up to the sale of the business, French undertook a comprehensive assessment of the band’s assets, which required digging through decades-old contracts from around the world, some French didn’t even realize were still in force. His thoroughness paid off, as it allowed them to understand the true value of their brand equity and simplify the complexities of a potential sale.
Rock and Roll Strategist
One of French’s key strategies for managing the band’s assets was a long-term roadmap. Years earlier, he structured deals to ensure that rights would revert to the band at roughly the same time. This foresight, well before considering a sale, gave Twisted Sister greater control over their intellectual property. “It’s about having a vision,” French explains. “Can you see down the road, can you see the big story, not just what’s in front of you?” This long-term thinking was crucial in an industry where bands rarely lasted more than a few years.
Twisted Sister’s journey was marked by several significant pivots. Over five decades, they transitioned from a cover band to writing original songs, embraced the music video era, and later focused on festival touring and licensing their hits. This adaptability was essential for their survival and success. French notes that the music industry is a “what have you done for me lately business,” requiring constant reinvention to stay relevant. In the 2000s their songs became the most licensed heavy metal tracks from the 1980s.
The band’s internal dynamics also played a crucial role in their longevity. All the way back to the 1970s, French structured financial arrangements to ensure fairness and stability, initially providing a guaranteed salary to band members, minimizing band conflicts and keeping the band together while their peers fell into the usual traps of drugs, alcohol and creative disagreements.
The Decision to Sell – The “We’re Gonna Take It” Moment
The decision to sell Twisted Sister in 2024 was driven by several factors, including the aging of the band members and the fact that none of their kids wanted to continue in the Twisted Sister business. After the sale closed on September 30th, French admits that the transition was a bit of a shock. After being involved in every aspect of the band’s business for decades, he suddenly found himself with a clean slate and an empty email inbox.
Looking back on his 50 plus year career, the most surprising thing about French and Twisted Sister’s journey is how similar it is to most long term business journeys. Is the business about the people? The product? The profits? It’s all of those things all the time. Over a lifetime, French and the rest of the band evolved with the times and stayed relevant. While French had no idea that he’d still be running the band he started as a scrawny 20-something in the 1970s, he led like all great entrepreneurs do: pivoting frequently as if the company’s life depended on it, while simultaneously making decisions as if the company was destined to run forever — or at least 52 years.
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