Dating & Relationship status

In 2019, French stated that he is “blissfully retired”, with no desire to ever perform again. After Twisted Sister’s final performance in Mexico, French gifted all of his guitars to members of the band’s road crew: “I said, ‘Guys, thank you. It’s been great. See you later.’ I never looked back.” During his career with Twisted Sister, French estimates that he performed live with the band in over 9,000 concert performances worldwide.

In 2018 French courted controversy when he stated that the current incarnations of Judas Priest and Foreigner were essentially “cover bands” due to most of their classic lineups being no longer involved, comparing them unfavorably to Twisted Sister of whom he stated: “Every [Twisted Sister] show is perfect. Every show is the last show of our life. Every show is done with the sincerity and the heartfelt desire to make sure you walk out thinking that’s the best thing you’re ever gonna see.”

In 2007, French and Twisted Sister were first year inductees of the Long island Music Hall of Fame.

This performance led to promoters from all over the world sending in offers to see the band on stage again, and the band started to perform regularly again beginning in 2003. In the years following, the band has performed to record-breaking audiences all over the world, including United Kingdom, North America, most European countries and South America. The band has also performed in South Korea at three different US army bases, through a USO sponsored tour.

Following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Twisted Sister reunited as a performing unit to play a November 2001 fundraiser, organized by Eddie Trunk, for the Widows and Orphans Fund for the New York City Police and Fire Department.

Sevendust and French parted ways in 2000, due to creative differences.

In 1996, French’s daughter Samantha was diagnosed with uveitis, a condition of the eye. In 2010, to raise money and awareness, French created “The Pinkburst Project”. The project auctioned off several pink guitars and amplifiers.

In partnership with Dennis Berardi, president of Kramer Guitars, French signed the Atlanta, Georgia-based hard rock band “Redd Threat”. Over the next seven years, Redd Threat changed its name and personnel multiple times, and by 1995, the band was called “Snake Nation”. French told the drummer Morgan Rose, that if he ever hooked up with a great R&B singer, Lajon Witherspoon from the band “Body & Soul”, he would be interested in managing the band. Later, French received a phone call from Rose, confirming that Witherspoon was on board, and they renamed the band “Crawlspace”. French travelled to Atlanta and produced a demo for the band, including the songs “Black” and “Bitch”.

French started his own management company, French Management Enterprises, and his own production company, Rebellion Music Inc. From 1988, he took over the management of Twisted Sister again, dealing with the music catalog. He also signed R&B singer George Taylor, in addition to artists like blues legend Johnny Gale, David Forman, Thom Jack and Ean Evans’ Cupid’s Arrow.

Following the departure of singer Dee Snider and guitarist Eddie Ojeda, French decided, together with bass player Mark Mendoza, that Twisted Sister should stop performing live in 1987.

Twisted Sister´s first album release was the EP Ruff Cutts (Secret, 1982).

The band´s debut studio album, Under The Blade, was released in September 1982.

Twisted Sister released five studio albums in the period of 1982 to 1987: Under The Blade (1982), You Can’t Stop Rock’n’Roll (1983), Stay Hungry (1984), Come Out And Play (1985) and Love Is For Suckers (1987).

An avid runner, French has taken part in and completed two New York Marathons, in 1981 and 1986.

In 1975, French hired Rick Prince (vocals) and Keith Angel (guitars), but after a few months, French took over the vocals himself.

In October 1975, Eddie Ojeda replaced Keith Angel on guitars, and Daniel Dee Snider joined the band in February 1976, to relieve French from his vocalist duties. Other significant member changes in the history of Twisted Sister include the addition of Tony Petri (drums, April 1976), Mark Mendoza (bass, December 1978), Richie Teeter (drums, December 1980), Joey Brighton (drums, April 1981), Anthony AJ Pero (drums, April 1982) and Joey “Seven” Franco (drums, 1987).

French, in addition to being one of the band’s guitar players, took over the manager position from 1975 to 1979, and from 1988 to present day.

In December of the same year, he joined the New Jersey-based glitter band “Silverstar”. The band changed its name to Twisted Sister in February 1973. At that time, in addition to French, the band consisted of Michael Valentine (vocals), Billy Diamond (guitar), Kenneth Harrison Neill (bass) and Mell Star (drums). This version of Twisted Sister existed until December 1974.

In 1972, French auditioned for an early edition of what would become Wicked Lester, featuring Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. However, after two rehearsals, they moved on to more auditions, and French chose to create his own musical path.

Only two months before his graduation, French dropped out of George Washington High School, as a protest to the student murders at Kent State University on May 4, 1970.

French was an anti-Vietnam war and civil rights activist. In the summer of 1967, he attended the Shaker Village summer program, and was a bunkmate of Ben Chaney, brother of James Chaney, one of the three murdered civil rights workers who died on a voting registration drive in Mississippi in 1964. These events were later portrayed in Alan Parker’s movie Mississippi Burning in 1988.

The seeds for French’s musical life were planted in 1963, when he attended his first concert, seeing the folk group The Weavers in Carnegie Hall.

Jay Jay French (born John French Segall, July 20, 1952) is an American guitarist, manager and record producer. He is a founding member of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister, who enjoyed immense commercial success in the mid-1980s. As of 2019, French is retired from recording and performing.