Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider will release his new solo album Dee Does Broadway on May 8th on Razor & Tie. The album features Dee's take on several Broadway classics. The new album will coincide with the release of his first ever autobiography, Shut Up and Give Me The Mic (Gallery Books) on May 8th.
The label sent over these details: Dee Does Broadway features several special guest stars, including Broadway and television icon Bebe Neuwirth on the Damn Yankees song "Whatever Lola Wants," Broadway legend Patti LuPone on a West Side Story Medley "Tonight/Somewhere," pop icon Cyndi Lauper on Sweet Charity's "Big Spender," Clay Aiken of American Idol on the Guys and Dolls classic "Luck Be a Lady Tonight," the stars of the Broadway hit musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Will Swenson, Tony Sheldon, and Nick Adams) on South Pacific's "There Is Nothin' Like A Dame," Mark Wood of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra playing violin on the Phantom of the Opera ballad "Music Of The Night," as well a special rendition of "The Joint Is Jumpin" from Ain't Misbehavin' with Dee's oldest son, Jesse "Blaze" Snider. Songs are also featured from classic Broadway shows including Cabaret, Chicago, The Threepenny Opera, Anything Goes, and Sweeney Todd.
Dee Does Broadway was spawned from a number of voicemails exchanged featuring "Broadway Tunes" sung as messages between Dee Snider and Alice Cooper in 2009 and Dee's 2010 Broadway run in the Broadway rock musical Rock of Ages. Inspired to take this musical journey, the classically trained countertenor (who sang with his high school choir and always loud as hell) Snider enlisted producers Bob Kulick and Brett Chassen (whom Dee worked with on the metalized Frank Sinatra tribute called Sin-atra). The album was mixed by the legendary Ric Wake and Gustavo Celis, and features the incredible orchestrations and playing by the renowned composer/arranger Doug Katsaros and the bass guitar playing of one of rock's prolific players, the legendary Rudy Sarzo.
Dee Snider explains the process, "Over the past year I have worked closely with my team and collaborators picking from decades of musical hits with only two rules: The song had to speak to me as a singer on some level, and it could not be a rock song to begin with. No Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, Hair, Rent, Rocky Horror, etc. What would be the challenge in that?" He continues, "There are many who think doing an album of rocked out show tunes is pure insanity on my part. Apparently, they haven't seen any photos of me from the 70's and 80's. Could I have been in a more theatrical band? Ever since I was a kid, I'd heard the real power inherent in a lot of songs from musicals and this record gives me the chance to show it."
Never straying from his rock roots, Dee Snider puts his own unique spin on musical favorites
It may not be metal
but it definitely rocks!
Dee Does Broadway Track List:
1. Cabaret
2. The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd
3. Big Spender (with Cyndi Lauper)
4. Mack the Knife
5. Whatever Lola Wants (with Bebe Neuwirth)
6. Music Of The Night (with guest violinist Mark Wood)
7. The Joint Is Jumpin' (with Jesse Blaze Snider)
8. Luck Be A Lady (with Clay Aiken)
9. I Get A Kick Out Of You
10. There Is Nothin' Like A Dame (with the stars of "Priscilla Queen of the Desert: Will Swenson, Tony Sheldon and Nick Adams)
11. Razzle Dazzle
12. Tonight/Somewhere (with Patti LuPone)