Drummer of Heavy Metal Band Twisted Sister Dead at 55

A.J Pedro, drummer of Twisted Sister died of an apparent heart failure on Friday.

According to the band, the 55 year old drummer died while on travelling on a tour bus with the Adrenaline Mob, a band with which he used to play in between his engagements with Twisted Sister.

An ambulance was called after repeated attempts to wake him by band members failed. He was declared dead on Friday shorty after being admitted to New York's Poughkeepsie Hospital.

Guitarist of Twisted Sister, Jay Jay French said,"His drive was the heart and soul of the band's sound, the engine that drove us. We lost a friend and a legend."

Pedro joined Twisted Sister in 1982 and was well known for music video "We're Not Gonna Take It" in which he strikes at a snare drum covered in glitter. With each beat the glitter would get sprayed in the air.

The band initially struggled to make it to the heavy metal market before 1982 and were mostly playing in small clubs. The band was known for its eclectic choice of costumes with one of their biggest hits being "I wanna Rock'.

Snider said, "His sledgehammer assault on the drums helped drive Twisted Sister and I to greatness, and inspired me to rock every single show. My heart breaks knowing I will never feel the power of his beat behind me, or turn to see his face smiling broadly from the sheer joy he got from doing what he loved."A.J Pedro, drummer of Twisted Sister died of an apparent heart failure on Friday.

According to the band, the 55 year old drummer died while on travelling on a tour bus with the Adrenaline Mob, a band with which he used to play in between his engagements with Twisted Sister.

An ambulance was called after repeated attempts to wake him by band members failed. He was declared dead on Friday shorty after being admitted to New York's Poughkeepsie Hospital.

Guitarist of Twisted Sister, Jay Jay French said,"His drive was the heart and soul of the band's sound, the engine that drove us. We lost a friend and a legend."

Pedro joined Twisted Sister in 1982 and was well known for music video "We're Not Gonna Take It" in which he strikes at a snare drum covered in glitter. With each beat the glitter would get sprayed in the air.

The band initially struggled to make it to the heavy metal market before 1982 and were mostly playing in small clubs. The band was known for its eclectic choice of costumes with one of their biggest hits being "I wanna Rock'.

Snider said, "His sledgehammer assault on the drums helped drive Twisted Sister and I to greatness, and inspired me to rock every single show. My heart breaks knowing I will never feel the power of his beat behind me, or turn to see his face smiling broadly from the sheer joy he got from doing what he loved."