He Wants to Rock (Country Style)

Twisted Sister Singer Dee Snider Talks About Alpha Male Showdowns, His New Country-fied Rocker Anthem and 'Supernanny'

January 17 -- Look out Nashville: There's a slew of musicians headed to town in CMT's new celebreality series 'Gone Country' (Jan. 25, 8PM), but they're not of the cowboy hat-wearin', boot-scootin' type.

Seven non-country stars -- Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider, 'Brady Bunch' alum Maureen McCormick, Carnie Wilson, Bobby Brown, 'American Idol' runner-up Diana DeGarmo, R&B star Sisqo and Julio Iglesias Jr. -- will live together in a tricked-out house and work with country superstar John Rich (of Big & Rich fame) and Nashville songwriters to pen their own C&W tunes; the winner gets a shot at a career in a new genre. Snider, who's been a DJ, TV host, writer and filmmaker since his Twisted Sister heyday, talks to AOL TV's Kimberly Potts about his honky-tonk songwriting style, tension with one of the roomies and ... being too normal.

What made you sign on to try to become a country music star?
I don't know if it's something they focused on in the first episode, but it becomes a major point for me throughout the show, and that is the fact that I didn't really plan my life much past 30. And it's one of the first things that I say, which makes John Rich say, "Hell, that's a good opening line for a country song." And it actually becomes the opening line of my country song. That's really true of most musicians when we're young. We all view making it as being the finish line, when in fact, it's just a point on the journey of our lives. So you wake up one day, and you're 30 years old and, you know, you've had the fame and fortune, but you haven't planned anything after that. You kinda look and go, "What now?" I've done a lot of things since [my earlier success], but it's all a big surprise. Tony Robbins, who's a friend of mine, says everybody has opportunities, but not everyone is willing to take advantage of them. One thing I've tried to do is say, "[When] an opportunity arises, just say yes." So when I got the call about the show, I said, "All right, yes, let's do it."

Did the competition prove to be tougher than you thought it would be?
Yes. In rock-n-roll, you don't try to tell people stories, specific stories, about your life. You try to create a song, reflecting something in your life, but keep it general enough for the audience to weave their own situation into it. Case in point: "We're Not Gonna Take It." To me, it's about my relationship with my father, my teachers, my friends, but I don't wanna sing about my dad. In country, they want your story, they want that honesty, they want you to tell them about you. And they'll identify with your story, but they have to hear your personal story. And I have never written like that. I'm an honest guy, but it still a real major change for me to just say, "OK, I'm gonna be open and honest and share my life with you."

How was it, living with the fellow musicians? Any ego clashes?
Well, I've haven't seen all the episodes yet, so I'm not sure what they show, but I've heard little things. And apparently you could tell the, uh, the two alpha males sizing each other up in the first episode.

You and Bobby Brown?
Yeah, yeah, we did, and just by nature, we sort of were withholding our thoughts and opinions. But each of us is also pretty quick to show that we're pretty cool guys. I had a great time.

Did you make friendships that will last beyond the show, beyond the competition?
Definitely. I ran into Diana the other day while we were shooting some promos for CMT. And you know, I was so glad to see her. I brought my wife with me, and I was excited that my wife would meet Diana. I speak to Sisqo a lot. We're always texting each other, and we talk on the phone quite a bit. I've reached out to Bobby, but he's a little more, you know, he's out there on his own. And Maureen and I, we've spoken quite a few times as well so, yeah, I felt that I connected with every one of those people.

You were on a frantic search for coffee in the first episode, only to find some that was expired. Did they finally get you some decent coffee?
[Laughs] Yes, when I grab the mic at my shirt and I start yelling into the microphone, within seconds, cups of coffee came out of walls and crevices. It was unbelievable. And from that point on, there were two pots of coffee flowing 24/7, there in the house, and regularly, there would be Starbucks runs.

Where do things stand now with Twisted Sister?
Well, there is talk of doing another Christmas album, which nobody really cares about. That's what I love about the country [music] community. There isn't the ageism. All they care about is the quality of what you're producing, and you can continue on making records, like Johnny Cash, into your 60s or 70s, and beyond, if you're capable. Country audiences judge the music, they're not judging the wrinkles on your face. In the rock industry, nobody even cares about a new record from an old band, unless it's Eric Clapton or something.

But there's still such a love of your music. My nephews are always playing "I Wanna Rock" on Guitar Hero, so that's another generation that's into your music.
Stuff like that is really incredible, that a couple of songs, "I Wanna Rock" and "We're Not Gonna Take It," have really transcended the generations. As a matter of fact, I recently got a call from some members of the Dave Matthews Band, Barenaked Ladies and Guster. They were doing a charity show, and playing covers and wondered if I would come up and sing a couple of songs. So, again, everything past 30 is a surprise, and here's the Dave Matthews Band calling Dee Snider. So I went, and I was thinking these guys wouldn't even know who I was, and they were like little kids when I walked in the room.



And what about 'Strangeland,' the horror movie you wrote, directed and starred in ... Is the sequel coming anytime soon?
Oh, you sweet talker, you. The company I made it with, we agreed back in 1999 that we would do a sequel, but then they were involved in an Enron-type scandal. Yeah, I hang with the best people. So I spent about seven years fighting to get my creative rights back, which I got last year. During that time, there were always studio people saying, "Dee, when you get that property back, love to make 'Strangeland 2' man. Give me a call." And now ... It's like all the girls who watch you when you're married or have a girlfriend. You break up and then you call them up go, "Hey, I'm available now." And they're like, "Yeah, it's not a good time." So I've been dealing with a lot of people talking and nobody delivering, but hopefully one of these days soon ... We're ready to go. We've got the script, we've got commitments from cast members like Robert Englund, who's coming back. So we're hopeful that we will start production before long.

Obviously you can't tell us who wins on 'Gone Country,' but do you think the audience will be surprised by who wins?
I was.

After having done all this, would you ever do another reality show?
I did a special, with my family, for VH1. They were looking for the next 'Osbournes,' so we did a special, and they called after our first show. One of the executives at VH1 said, "Dee, I have good news and bad news." I said, "What's the good news?" He said, "The good news is, ratings were great, people love your family. The bad news? There's no show here! You're too functional. You really love each other, your kids said you're cool on camera. Everybody in the house has straight As, nobody drinks, nobody does drugs ... there's no conflict."

So you're too normal?
I said, "No problem. I'd rather not have a reality show than be a bunch of buffoons," you know? But we're constantly getting people who are going, "There's got to be something there, there's got to be something there." So the people who made 'Gone Country' understand what my family values are, and we're in development with them on a show with the working title 'Doctor Dee.' Basically it's 'Supernanny' for teens, but sending me into the house to fix the family. So it's me, plus my family. Like, if the mom needs a makeover, my wife, who's a makeup artist, comes in, or if one of the family's kids has a problem, one of my kids might be able to identify with it, and I'll bring them along to help me out.

Is the show in production now?
We're supposed to shoot a pilot first quarter this year. So I'm optimistic that this is the kind of show that I can really shine on. And that our family can really show what we bring to the table, our sense of humor and our unique "dirtbag" wisdom, as I like to call it. You remember the Judd Nelson character in 'Breakfast Club'?

Yes!
I'm the Judd Nelson character. I'm the dirtbag in the back of a room with odd wisdom. People are like, "how'd he get so smart, psychoanalyzing everybody in the back of the room?" And he was kind of the catalyst to make things happen and I oddly, on radio or TV or whatever I'm doing, I'm oddly that guy. I don't know where I picked up what I know, but I bring something to the table.

Cool, I'll definitely watch that show. Thanks so much for chatting today, Dee. My husband's very jealous I'm talking to you.
Haha, well, make sure you tell him I've modified my heavy metal slogan for the country show. When he's plugged in on Guitar Hero and he's playing "I Wanna Rock," tell him now the slogan is "Rock out with your rooster out." That's my country-fied version.

Get Dee Snider music and career info

Go to our TV Tattler with Lena Headey>>