Features
Twisted Sister Is Not Takin’ It
Twisted Sister – or, more accurately, a company doing business for the band – claims it was stiffed for its guarantee on its very last show in the New York area by a New Jersey concert promoter.
James P. Hendershot – Dee Snider of Twisted Sister
M3 Rock Festival, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Md.
Jema Productions, which handles the band’s contracts with promoters, is operated by guitarist Jay Jay French. The company filed suit in Monmouth, N.J., Superior Court Dec. 2 against promoter John D’Esposito and his company, Rock N Festivals.
The suit claims Twisted Sister received only $50,000 of the agreed-upon $200,000 guarantee for Twisted Sister to headline one night of Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 festival called The Rock Carnival.
The show was to be the band’s swan song in the area that gave the band its start.
“After a stellar 14-year reunion in which we played in 32 countries all around the world, to have this happen at the final show in the New York area is very disheartening to the band,” French told the AssociatedPress.
When torrential rains impacted turnout to the rain-or-shine event, D’Esposito said he and Twisted Sister agent Daniel Stanton of
D’Esposito claimed Stanton agreed to accept a $200,000 check post-dated to Oct. 17 to allow him time to settle other claims from
But on Oct. 13, an attorney representing Rock N Festivals wrote to French’s company and said there was no money in the account to cover the check, and urged him not to cash it.
In court papers, D’Esposito said the promoter “suffered catastrophic economic losses” because of the weather that weekend.
“Thousands of people were prevented from attending because of torrential rains and excessive winds,” he said. “Refunds had to be issued.” According to the festival website, however, The Rock Carnival was a rain or shine event and tickets were non-refundable.
The band was paid $50,000 on Dec. 7, but it has not yet been paid the remaining $150,000, according to court documents.