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Interview
by SashaS
6-5-2005
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| Chris Jericho's Fozzy love to HM rock! |
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Heavy headlock
Fozzy: Riffs, hooks and clothesline
The artwork of Fozzy’s ‘All That Remains’ album is a skeleton that archaeologists haven’t completely uncovered: whether it is an expression of the band’s nihilism or fatalism, we ask not the singer as he is probably the last man a reporter would like to antagonise. Chris Jericho is also known as Y2J, the legendary wrestler from the school of the mighty WWE; he is the former champ of that “ballet of violence” - American Wrestling but, over the past half a decade he’s conquered the science of riffology and power of vertigoes songs.
Jericho hosted Headbangers Ball on MTV2 a few months back and recently started a weekly radio show; alongside the band, how distant did it all look like while he was the Absolute Champion of American Wrestling?
“Very far and just like a dream,” the man admits, “but I‘ve always worked on music, had small bands and wrote my songs. But, nothing much was really happening until I met up with Rich [Ward, guitarist with Stuck Mojo] in 1999. Now, it is heaven, we are on our third album that is truly our debut and doing all other things - it’s pleasure.”
‘All That Remains’ was released in January and it contains all original material. The band’s debut, ‘Fozzy’ (2000), was crammed with covers, the sophomore ‘Happenstance’ (2002) had less than half originals… The members also adopted characters and acted as if… Over to Jericho to recall the earliest days:
“There were a million cover and tribute bands in the world and it didn't need another one... unless there was a twist. That's when we decided to implement a Blues Brothers/Spinal Tap/Traveling Wilbury's story line, where we would all adopt characters and play it as if the songs that the band were covering were really our songs that were stolen from us while we were stuck in Japan due to a bad record deal.”
“The label dug the whole concept and they even helped us make a 30 minute ‘documentary’ based on the history of the band. The movie was made with the help of Dee Snider, Zakk Wylde, Mike Portnoy and Sebastian Bach, all who were happy to play along with the legend of how Fozzy had created and influenced all things metal. The movie played to rave reviews on MTV and Much Music.”
The storyline would eventually get dropped because there was no point once they stopped playing covers… Following the January release of ‘All That Remains’, the band visited Britain for a quartet of live dates in February and are back for one night [this Saturday], at the Astoria, a sort of a warm-up. Fozzy are confirmed to appear at this year’s Download Festival at Donington Race Park in June, the massively popular annual Metal & Rock Festival.
Brutal choreography
Jerciho, who lives in Florida, may be concentrating on music but WWE is still near his heart and Fozzy appeared on a compilation album ‘The WWE Originals’ with ‘Don't You Wish You Were Me’ last year; they also covered ‘The King Of The Nighttime World’ for the Kiss tribute record ‘Spin The Bottle’.
Having experienced both sides of the showbiz spectrum via WWE and rock, have you ever trashed a hotel room?
“Almost… I was on a Wrestling tour in Britain, in Birmingham, and I wanted to throw the television set outside but was talked out of. I argued that nobody would know it was me but they pointed out that there would be no set in my room. Stupid, I know.”
Have you ever had a gambling fixation/lost loads on a bet?
“No, but I like to gamble a bit. The most I’ve ever lost was $500. That’s my limit.”
What is the most expensive item in your wardrobe?
“A pair of shoes, I paid them 600 dollars. I was shopping and didn’t realise how much they were until I got to the register. I felt I couldn’t get out of it because there was a long line behind me and I wear them all the time now!”
Now & 4-evah
The earliest incarnation of the band was known as Fozzy Osbourne but they decided to drop the second part of the name.
What is the most decadent thing you’ve ever done?
“Blew one thousand dollars in a strip joint. It was stupid, it was fun and I never got anything out of it.”
Who’s the biggest star you know?
“Zakk Wylde, an incredible guitarist. That’s why he was a guest on our album.”
What comes after music on your agenda: sex, alcohol or drugs?
“Unfortunately the top is alcohol as I’m married now and sex comes third, very often… Not that I’ve ever been into drugs…”
CJ makes a special appearance on show day [Saturday, 07 May] at London's Forbidden Planet store. Take your Wrestling and/or rock paraphernalia and get it personally signed by Y2J himself. Forbidden Planet, 179 Shaftsbury Ave, WC2H 8JR at 5pm.
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Live date:
07 May - Astoria, London
SashaS
6-5-2005
Fozzy’s album ‘All That Remains’ is available now on SPV
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