“Stay Hungry” is the multi-platinum third album from American glam metal band Twisted Sister released on May 10, 1984. Kicking around the New York City scene throughout most of the late ‘70s, Twisted Sister gained somewhat of a cult following as an early pioneer for what would come to be known as the glam aesthetic, borrowing the theatrics and stage make-up that had become signature calling cards for performers like Alice Cooper, KISS, and David Bowie but incorporating the big hair of peer glam rockers The New York Dolls and taking their music in a heavier direction influenced by the likes of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. As the ‘80s rolled around, Twisted Sister were primed to take the U.S. mainstream rock charts by storm with the advent and perfect timing of music video networks like MTV gaining prominence in the cultural zeitgeist. Their combination of look, sound, and attitude set the band apart from anything else on the network and went on to influence nearly a decade of cookie industry plants hoping to capitalize on the success of glam rock. While their rise to the top only lasted for a short while, their influence upon popular culture cannot be understated as front man Dee Snider’s contribution to free speech and the fight against censorship became the main bullet point for the band’s legacy. One year after their breakthrough success with “Stay Hungry,” the Senate led by Tipper Gore’s Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) held a hearing advocating a ban on controversial and potentially offensive material. Joined by industry juggernauts Frank Zappa and John Denver, Dee Snider was called to testify as a focal point of the hearings. Showing up clad in make-up, frayed clothing, and larger-than-life hair, the committee hoped to make quick work of Snider as a sacrificial lamb for their cause, assuming he would be an easy lay-up driving their proposed legislation through Congress and morally corrupt albums like Twisted Sister’s off the stands. What they weren’t prepared for were Snider’s adept counterarguments which made quick work of the council and ended with the implementation of the infamous “Parental Advisory” stickers we see today. “Stay Hungry” is an especially astute time capsule for the zenith of mid ‘80s hair metal. Relive those revolutionary moments through tracks like “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” “I Wanna Rock,” and “The Price” by streaming the 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition now on Spotify!
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