Twisted Sister
Stay Hungry (25th anniversary reissue)
Rhino
Jul 13, 2009 Twisted Sister
The following is an incomplete list of albums released in 1984, any of which are technically eligible for a 25th anniversary reissue: Bruce Springsteen’s Born In the USA, The Smiths’ self-titled debut, Metallica’s Ride the Lightning, U2’s The Unforgettable Fire, Siouxie & the Banshees’ Hyaena, Alphaville’s Forever Young, “Weird Al” Yankovic’s In 3-D. Granted, there are other records more or less deserving of the reissue treatment than those, but astute readers will note that Twisted Sister’s Stay Hungry isn’t on that list.
Was anyone really crying out for a Stay Hungry reissue? Is it such a high point in the ‘80s hard rock pantheon as to merit a repackaging and reconsideration. No. Of course not. Regardless, here it is, and even if it’s not particularly inventive or groundbreaking, it still holds up well. And it’s worth a listen, if for no other reason than as a reminder that the band weren’t entirely the cartoonish buffoons they’re often viewed as having been.
Aside from the make-up and the over-the-top cover art, Stay Hungry reveals that the New York quintet had more in common with the Quiet Riots of the world than the Poisons and Motley Crues. Both “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock”—unquestionably the band’s biggest hits and best known songs—appear here, but tracks such as “Burn In Hell” and “Horror-Teria: The Beginning” (in particular the “Street Justice” segment) reveal a heavier, more aggressive side of the band that generally permeates the album (with the exception of the aforementioned hits and requisite power balled “The Price”).
Aside from the remastered original album, the anniversary reissue comes with extensive liner notes and a second disc of entirely unreleased material. While a few of those extras are early demos for Stay Hungry, much of the supplemental disc’s 17 tracks are songs from the same sessions that produced the final record, some better than their album counterparts, others not. There’s also a new song from the band’s original line-up.
If there’s a major hang-up to be had here it’s that Dee Snider & Co. already revisited the album five years ago, having completely re-recorded it for the 20th anniversary as Still Hungry—essentially the same album as in 1984, sonically recast in 2004 and billed as hewing closer to the quintet’s original vision of the record.
But if the anniversary treatment doesn’t satisfy your Twisted Sister fix, it’s worth pointing out that 2011 is just around the corner—prime time for a reissue of 2006’s holiday classic A Twisted Christmas. (www.twistedsister.com)
Author rating: 6/10
Average reader rating: 8/10
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