So sad!

Dee Snider returned from vacation early after the untimely death of his Twisted Sister bandmate A.J. Pero, who passed away March 20 while on tour with his other band Adrenaline Mob, and the legendary front man spoke to X17online exclusively about his grief and plans to attend his friend's funeral in NYC later this week.

"Coming home to sad news. My drummer died of a heart attack yesterday. A.J. Pero, great drummer, legendary drummer. He had a great outpouring; I'm heading to the funeral in New York later this week. Very sad," the rocker told our videographer.

"He had a massive heart attack in his sleep and we lost him. He's the first member of the band to die, and it's very sad. We will continue to play for his family, because his family will benefit financially. Very heartbroken," he added.

"Today, I lost a brother. Anthony Jude Pero passed away. A.J. was the final piece in a band that would become an international sensation and one of the greatest live rock acts to ever hit the stage. His sledgehammer assault on the drums helped drive Twisted Sister and me 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. I will always remember that smile. R.I.P., my friend," Snider said in a statement to Rolling Stone after the news broke.

Just tragic!