Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French has said it will be up to fans to decide whether Sebastian Bach succeeds as the band's replacement vocalist, following the divisive decision to bring in the former Skid Row frontman after Dee Snider stepped back from touring. Snider was forced to withdraw from the group's planned 2026 reunion tour, its first in a decade and marking the band's 50th anniversary, after revealing he has been suffering from degenerative arthritis for several years.

Speaking on the Rock 'N' Blues Experience, French defended the choice of Bach, calling him "the only person that could do it" and praising his stage presence and rehearsal performance. Acknowledging fan unease at touring without Snider, French compared the situation to other legacy acts who have replaced iconic singers, such as Queen with Adam Lambert and Journey with Arnel Pineda, insisting "the public buys it or they don't buy it." Snider, meanwhile, has publicly reassured fans he is not seriously ill, saying he remains active with his radio show and other projects but can no longer manage the physical demands of touring.