Drummer Ritchie Teeter, who played in the Dictators and Twisted Sister, has died, according to a post on the Dictators Forever, Forever Dictators blog.

Teeter joined the legendary punk band the Dictators in 1976 and appeared on their albums 'Manifest Destiny' (1977) and 'Bloodbrothers' (1978) before leaving the group in 1979.

He also performed at some reunion shows over the years.  His last show with the Dictators appears to have been back in 1991.

One of his bandmates in the Dictators was bassist Mark Mendoza, who later joined Twisted Sister. Teeter was also briefly a member of Twisted Sister for a few months in late 1980 and early 1981, but never appeared on a studio album with the band.  A.J. Pero, their current drummer, joined Twisted Sister about a year after Teeter exited.

No details on the circumstances of his death have yet been released. Teeter was 61 years old. Check out video of Teeter performing a cover of the Stooges' 'Search and Destroy' with the Dictators in 1977 below:

The Dictators Perform the Stooges Classic 'Search and Destroy' in 1977

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