Twisted Sister, fronted by charismatic Long Islander Dee Snider, occupied a unique place in rock-&-roll history. A band of populists with a regular-guy attitude toward fun, the band also set out to shock with blatantly sexual lyrics and outrageous gender-bending costumes. They formed in 1976--partly in response to the disco phenomenon--and opted for more straightforward hard-rock riffs rather than the new punk sounds being created by their local peers. After relentless gigging and recording, they finally hit the charts in 1984 with the all-purpose us-against-the-world anthem We're Not Gonna Take It. After a few more albums with no further hits, the band disassembled and Snider went on to a varied solo career.